Features

That moment when you look in the fridge and realise you'll have to chuck out half of what's there... such a waste! Tessa Cook thought so, too. So she created OLIO. Audio

How was it that European composers discovered the rest of the world had more to offer than first thought? You can hear John Drummond at 2pm on RNZ Concert. Audio

A growing number of people with cancer are researching, making, then taking their own genetic treatments at home. Audio

Christmas is often described as a time for family, so what if your family is breaking up? NZ Mediator of the Year Timothy McMichael talks about how to make things easier for kids. Audio

Commercial blade shearers Phil and Allan Oldfield typically get through 150 to 200 sheep a day. The going rate is about $3 per sheep for large flocks and a bit more for stud and pet sheep. Audio, Gallery

It’s been a strong year for local music – maybe the best ever. The RNZ Music team discuss Lorde, Aldous Harding, Nadia Reid and more. Video, Audio

In your 2-hour jazz sojourn this week Nick Tipping plays tracks by Hank Mobley and Curtis Fuller, an organ ballad from Joey DeFrancesco, and Latin jazz from Dee Dee Bridgewater. From 5pm on RNZ Concert.

New Zealanders over the age of 50 are drinking more often and more heavily than older adults in other countries, according to a new study. Audio

Erin Donohue's new novel is based on her own recovery from anorexia. The 22-year-old hopes it will help families understand teenage mental illness better. Audio

While many people are loving the high temperatures, the country's birds are already thirsty and overheated. You can help by putting out fresh, clean – not sweetened – water. Audio, Gallery

“Very young, I realised that I was going to have to make music that was just going to come from what was real to me.” Audio

You can hear four of the semi-finalists in this year's Wallace National Piano Competition held in Auckland. Marianna Kang, Amy Hsu, Sara Lee and Liam Wooding impress with their ambitious pianism, today at 3pm on RNZ Concert.

The RNZ Music team present our favourite local tracks of 2017; we speak to Grizzly Bear ahead of their NZ Festival appearances; Glass Vaults perform live; we speak to The Shins who were recently in town for a sold-out gig, and heaps more!

RNZ Sport dissects the Black Caps start to the summer, plus controversy continues to follow weightlifter Laurel Hubbard and New Zealand backs Russia's ban from the Winter Olympics. Audio

Love it or hate it, Christmas music is everywhere this time of year. Sol3 Mio's new Christmas album, A Very Merry Christmas, features a uniquely Pacific flavour that only Moses Mackay and Pene and Amitai Pati can bring. Video, Audio

Gazing up at the night sky with his brother on a camping trip inspired Troy Kingi's new album That Skinny Ass All The Way To Zygertron – "a sci-fi '70s space-psychedelic thing". Video, Audio

The ever-productive Troy Kingi and his band The Galactic Chiropractors jam a couple of new tunes from Troy's new album and have a chat to RNZ Music's Yadana Saw. Video, Audio

What are the lies that really matter in politics? Duncan Smith looks into political dishonesty and makes some unexpected discoveries in the latest episode of Pants on Fire. Audio

Joanna Hunkin painted a pretty dark view of the state of our local music industry in a NZ Herald article last week, but is chart success even worth worrying about? Includes top 11 NZ music moments of 2017! Video, Audio

It's been a massive year for Rob Ruha and he's finishing it off with the release of a new album Survivance. On one track, Ruha pushes back against what he says is harmful misinformation about Māori history. Audio

We stay in the homes of complete strangers, get into cars driven by people we've never met, and date potential matches selected by an algorithm. What does trust mean in the digital age? Audio

The Wireless reflects on the First Cat, the Dunedin Turkey, the Married at First Sight pig and some other commendable creatures.

A recent symposium in New Zealand has provided key research data into how overseas matai, or chiefs, engage with their responsibilities.

Rick Stein's life was changed forever by a taco in the Mexican city of Monterrey in 1968. The British chef is back with a new cookbook and TV series Road to Mexico. Audio