Nine To Noon for Wednesday 13 July 2022

 

09:05 New Omicron wave: Why second booster is only for over-50s     

As Omicron case numbers and reinfections rise, could the country benefit from making a second booster shot more widely available? The answer from one immunologist is a firm, 'no'. At the moment people over the age of 50, the immune-compromised and healthcare, aged care and disability workers are all eligible for a second booster shot, if it's been six months since their first.  Dr Nikki Turner, Medical Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, explains why second booster shots aren't being given to younger people just yet.

09:25 What will Xi Jinping's legacy be?

Jeremy Goldkorn has lived in, and reported on, China for the last two decades. He is the editor-in-chief of SupChina and co-host of the Sinica podcast, both go-to sources of information and analysis for keen China watchers. He says while the Chinese leader Xi Jinping has a firm grip on power, he is looking to his legacy, and Taiwan may be at the centre of that. Jeremy Goldkorn speaks with Kathryn Ryan.

09:45 Australia: Flood + covid crisis, NZ-Aust talks, Kyrgios sideshow

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about the multiple crises facing the new government, with another flood emergency and a resurgence in Covid cases.  Jacinda Ardern has finally extracted a concession from Australia on the issue of deportations on her most recent visit, Aussie bad boy Nick Kyrgios has made his first grand slam final at Wimbledon - continuing his now-notorious antics and the worst-kept secret in soapies is officially out, with news that on-screen couple Kylie (Minogue) & Jason (Donovan) have returned to Ramsay Street one last time ahead of the final episode which airs later this month.

10:05 Swords, mudlarking and druids: Neil Burridge

Originally used by soldiers between1600 BC and 600 AD, Bronze-age swordsmith Neil Burridge recreates the quality and what he describes as the elegance of  ancient swords.  Neil has been bringing Bronze Age swords, spears and tools alive for twenty years, making modern replicas of museum pieces and mudlarkers' finds. Neil has cast about five hundred sword blades and has a series on YouTube called Sword Corner.  Neil speaks with Kathryn from his home in Cornwall.

 

10:35 James Webb Telescope offers deep glimpse into universe

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has released its first images, ushering in a new era of astronomy. The most powerful and complex telescope ever made, the telescope will allow physicists and astronomers to peer further into the universe's past than ever before. It's hoped it will help unravel some of the largest mysteries of the cosmos; from how the first stars and galaxies formed and how fast the universe is expanding, to the prospects for extraterrestrial life. Kathryn speaks with Richard Easther, a Professor of Physics at the University of Auckland.

10:35 Book review: The Last Wild Horses by Maja Lunde

Nicky Walker reviews The Last Wild Horses by Maja Lunde, published by Simon & Schuster

10:45 The Reading

'Baby No Eyes', part three. Written by Patricia Grace.

11:05 Music With Charlotte Ryan

This week Music 101 host Charlotte Ryan plays a divine Harry Neilson cover, a cover song sung in a made up language from the local film ‘Nude Tuesday’ and Joan Shelly, the folk musician.

11:20 Protecting New Zealand's vital wetlands 

Wetlands are quite possibly the most unloved and misunderstood ecosystems in the country. About 90 percent of New Zealand's wetlands have been destroyed, and yet they're an essential force in the fight against climate change, sequestering more carbon than our forests. Someone who knows all too well how precious wetlands are, is Karen Denyer. She's worked as an ecological consultant for over 20 years, much of it in wetland ecology, and is the New Zealand representative for the World Wetland Network and the executive officer at the National Wetland Trust. Together with conservationist Monica Peters, she's written Life in the Shallows: The Wetlands of New Zealand. 

11:45 Science: New space photos, dark matter, smelly tablets last longer

Science correspondent Allan Blackman turns his eyes to the skies, with the new photos of space coming from the James Webb telescope, the hunt for dark matter - what is it, does it exist and how long can we spend trying to find it? And lastly, why do smelly medicine tablets last longer in space?

Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology

Music played in this show

Artist: Ed Waaka 
Song: E Kura 
Time Played: 9:28

 

Artist: Troy Kingi and the Upperclass
Song: Ka Tipu
Time Played: 11:45