Features

Half a century after John & Yoko's heartfelt plea, peace remains a dream, but artists all over the planet are still working to promote peace and going the extra mile for the good of others.

The main explanation for why we get certain songs stuck in our head is probably the simplest, but the remedy may be a surprise: chewing gum.  Audio

Increasingly people are becoming interested in climate change and care about taking action, and Prof Justin Hodgkiss says he’s noticed a lot of interest from students taking up career pathways in science. Audio

Brighten your Sunday morning with some hymns about light, including John Henry Newman's 'Lead, kindly light' and the South African hymn 'Siyahamba'. Audio

The beloved Kiwi band revisited our Auckland studio this week – with very special guest Jen Cloher. Video, Audio

Nick checks out a new album from all-female Cuban band Maqueque, tracks from Jann Rutherford and Kirsten McKenzie, one from bass player Drew Gress, and violinist Regina Carter with pianist Kenny Barron. Audio

International rugby league only exists because of sacked Tonga coach Kristian Woolf and players Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo, writes Hamish Bidwell.

Week in Politics - National Party leader Simon Bridges says he won't ease off personally attacking Jacinda Ardern.

'Tradition and the Innovative' is a fun concert presented by touring group Imani Winds.

The first dedicated esports space at a New Zealand university has been set up at Waikato, where the country's first esports scholarship recipient is plying his craft. Audio

Liquids can kill you, save your life, or transform into a perfect cup of tea, and scientist Mark Miodownik has written a book extolling their dangers and delights.  Audio

It’s music therapy awareness week and to celebrate the amazing powers of music here are four things you might not know about how beneficial music is for everyone and anyone - including animals!

Mediawatch - Spark took a gamble by buying the World Cup broadcast rights and offering live streaming to subscribers. It sparked a flood of scepticism, but the bigger picture is the future of sport on screen, writes Colin Peacock. Video, Audio

If you're looking for a diversion, distraction or dispensation from following the men in black ... there are hours of great listening here.

Opinion - Hot on the heels of our last piece on some of the odder effects of climate change, here are four more things you hadn't realised climate change was bringing, Greg Roughan writes. 

Insight - New Zealand has one of the highest reported rates of domestic violence in the developed world. Kim Griggs investigates whether the government's tougher new laws it could make a difference. Audio

Enjoy the sensuous melodies and searing drama of 'Romeo & Juliet' in ballet music by Sergei Prokofiev.

Lindy Tennent-Brown started as the new NZO Head of Music only a few months ago and ‘The Turn of the Screw’ is her first big production with the company. But it’s an opera that goes back to her student days. Audio

Our Changing World - The 20m-long wind tunnel at the University of Auckland is used to test the aerodynamics of objects as varied as Olympic cyclists and buildings, as well as drones, ancient building designs and tiny gas turbines. Audio

Eyewitness - Around 10,000 babies around the world were affected by the drug, thalidomide. Barry De Geest sheds light on his experiences as the oldest thalidomide survivor in New Zealand. Audio

We are obsessed with early achievers; the people who are millionaires, or Nobel Prize winners or Oscar contenders before the age of 25. But not all stars glow white hot from the start, says Forbes magazine publisher Rich Karlgaard. Audio

The methamphetamine market in New Zealand is as lucrative as it is destructive. Audio

Opinion - Climate change of some sort is here to stay, which means it's worth thinking about the effects it will have on our lives, both big and small, writes Greg Roughan.