Features

More real thinking goes on in a bike shop than in a think tank, says American philosopher and motorcycle mechanic Matthew B Crawford. Audio

Mountain biker Kate Weatherly says the wrong message is being sent to Kiwi trans athletes.

Solar-powered rubbish bins have been popping up on New Zealand streets since 2015. The managing director of an Auckland waste firm tells Jesse Mulligan how they work. Audio

When Ken Perkins died, he left behind a collection of more than 80,000 records. It's thought to be one of the most extensive private collections in the world. Audio

With Kendrick Lamar heading to our shores for gigs in a couple of weeks, have a listen to Nick Bollinger's review of Damn.  Audio

The Argentine pianist joins the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra for a concert including Liszt's first piano concerto and music by Kodaly and Rachmaninov.

Conditions like eczema are skyrocketing because we're over-cleaning our skin and messing with its natural balance, says dermatologist Dr Sandy Skotnicki. Audio

A group behind plans for a floating island in the Pacific have launched a competition to find a government willing to host the project.

A social media campaign alleging corruption against two Papua New Guinea daily newspapers has been heavily criticised by the local media council.

It's about time that we had better maps for the 70 percent of the planet that's covered in water, says New Zealand’s National Hydrographer Adam Greenland. Audio

“The moment we struck up together vocally, we felt we suddenly had something quite special. You couldn’t manufacture it, it just happened.” Kirsten Johnstone tells the story of well-loved 60s folk-pop group The Seekers.  Video, Audio

Every day around the world billions of bowel actions take place in an "exercise that can take a few desperate seconds, or any number of interminable lonely minutes” says an Australian surgeon. Audio

Astronomer Duncan Steel specialises in defending the earth from potential impacts. Audio

If we accept that straight women's sexual preference for tall, dominant men has an evolutionary basis, it will be easier to break down cultural norms, says an Australian psychologist. Audio

Squeaky Bum Time hosts Emile Donovan and Max Towle are joined by business editor and tragic England fan Gyles Beckford and the BBC's South American correspondent Tim Vickery. Audio

Reggae group Six60 will the first ever group to perform their own headline show at one of Auckland's most iconic rock venues, Western Springs Stadium. The group are set to perform in February 2019.

Te Kōanga is the name of a new work by Gareth Farr, written for the touring Heath Quartet. It was commissioned in memory of Wellington luthier Ian Lyons. Audio

Analysis - It's a great bumper sticker. Ban foreign buyers! It's simple, it resonates and appeals to our sense of fair play. But what's the problem we're trying to fix? Writes Guyon Espiner.

Mental health is a little less intimidating to talk about if you can have a few laughs along the way, says the host of the interview podcast The Hilarious World of Depression. Video, Audio

The tap, tap, tapping of a computer keyboard is probably not what you would normally associate with Polynesian design and tattoos. Video, Audio

The police chief in Papua New Guinea's Manus province has justified the use of a curfew for refugees in Lorengau. Audio

Auckland duo and twins Lexxa introduce their song 'I Got Better Friends Now'. Audio

Ben Elms – aka Dr Compost – is a man passionate about the difference between dirt and soil. The key to great yields is 'superhero' soil and for that you'll need compost, he says. Video, Audio, Gallery

Listen again: The National Band of NZ is directed by Nigel Weeks, and recorded in Wellington by RNZ Concert. Audio