Nine To Noon for Friday 28 September 2018

 

 

09:05 NZ urged to embrace cryptocurrency: new report

New research funded by the Law Foundation urges the government and Reserve Bank to embrace cryptocurrency, saying the technology could unlock "vast potential benefits". Cryptocurrency is money that only exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography and blockchain technology to regulate its generation and verify fund transfers.  Its report, relesaed today, warns the Government against attempting to ban the use of cryptocurrencies and argues it should instead actively support New Zealand becoming a blockchain and financial technology hub. Kathryn talks with
principal researcher is Alex Sims, Associate Professor of Commercial Law at the University of Auckland Business School.

09.20 Kiwi surfboard manufacturer with global aims

A local surfboard production start-up which began with Callaghan Innovation money has now moved across the Tasman and is aiming to go global. By adopting robot technology, Kinaroad Surfboards is equipped to compete with low cost labour countries. Kinaroad CEO Scott Fenton says efficient manufacturing is helping the business grow.

09:30 Shifting scales: Unlocking the mysteries of whale song

New research looking at the elaborate sounds produced by humpback whales is providing fresh insights into whale vocalization. It's found that while humpback whales pass down calls through generations, their songs change frequently. This suggests whale calls may have a different purpose to whale song. Michelle Fournet from the Bioacoustics Research Program at Cornell University talks to Kathryn Ryan about the discoveries, and what we have yet to learn about the humpback whale's evocative acoustics.

09:45 Simmering US-China tension

Ed White reports from Taipei on tension rising again between the US and China with security and political issues front and centre, also the signing of an historic deal between Beijing and the Vatican over the process of bishop appointments in China. 

10:05 Emily Lakdawalla: is there life on Mars?

Is there life on Mars, are we alone in the universe? Questions that preoccupy planetary scientist, Emily Lakdawalla. She is an internationally renowned science communicator who has been interpreting space science with her work at The Planetary Society. Emily has been following the Mars Science Laboratory mission closely since its inception, and has written a detailed book about the Curiosity rover. She joins Kathryn to talk through the challenges of putting complicated science in plain language and the many, many missions that are "out there" exploring space.

10:35 Unity Books review - Theory of Bastards by Audrey Schulman

Melanie O'Loughlin from Unity Books reviews Theory of Bastards by Audrey Schulman, which is published by Europa.

"A genre-crossing novel, featuring Frankie, a crabby scientist who hits the big-time with her research and then takes her generous grant to a cash-strapped mid-western research facility, where she hopes to prove her subversive Theory of Bastards by studying a group of bonobo monkeys. Original and deeply riveting, Schulman effortlessly explores much more than our relationship to animals and unquestioning technological advancement, with a deft touch she looks into the very heart of why we are here." 

10:45 The Reading

Landings by Jenny Pattrick read by Martyn Sanderson and Stuart Devenie Episode 15 of 15

No webrights for this series (2008)

11:05 New music with Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor from Slow Boat Records luxuriates in the third of Suede's comeback triptych of albums, along with a newly unearthed solo piano set from the late, great Prince Rogers Nelson.

11:30 Rugby league divided & Tiger Woods' comeback 

Sport with Brendan Telfer looking at Tiger Woods' comeback victory. His first for 5 years rekindling memories of his imperious reign back  just after the turn of  the  century.  And, Australian rugby league bitterly divided on the eve of the Grand Final all over 1 tackle by the Melbourne Storm full back Billy Slater.

11:45 Proctor Bong & awful job interviews  

The week that was, Radar and Irene Pink have a laugh at some of the lighter headlines of the week, the ongoing fallout from the students' bong-gate, University of Otago proctor admits he was wrong, and some curly questions surfacing at job interviews. Also two AWOL Australasian animals, lamb missing after Dunedin motorway crash, and a kangaroo escapes an Florida animal sanctuary.