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The summer science series continues with an episode from RNZ podcast Here Now. A love for tropical plants united Canterbury-based botanists Dr Julie Barcelona and Dr Pieter Pelser in the mid-2000s. The pair are renowned for their work on the large and unusual flower Rafflesia, which smells like a rotting carcass. They have found at least three new species on their adventures in the Philippines. Kadambari Raghukumar learns more about their spectacular discoveries.

Roger Lusby's skills define versatility: mechanic, builder, craftsman, recording engineer, musician, balladeer, performance poet. Based on experience, he's written about fruit picking in Central Otago, the Mckenzie Country, Canterbury's infamous Nor'westerly winds, maintaining machinery in the Antarctic,- the list goes on. Spectrum's Jack Perkins chats with Roger about his colourful life with illustrations from his poetry.

Lack of civic education leads NZ school leavers 'ill-equipped'; Pacific climate champion says big countries lack 'ambition'; Flying Fijians overjoyed after historic win over Australia in Rugby World Cup; PNG struggle to bring HIV infection rates down; Delay in plans for Rarotonga's mural project; Medical student aims to improve Canterbury healthcare for rheumatic fever patients; Dunedin chocolate factory pledges support for Pacific koko growers.

In this episode of Music Chairs Trevor Reekie talks to Christchurch composer, musician and educator Harry Harrison. A teacher with the Bachelor of Music Arts programme at Ara Institute of Canterbury, Harrison has been performing and composing music in Christchurch with some of Aotearoa's favourite artists including Bic Runga, Julia Deans, Midge Marsden and Dave Dobbyn as well as guesting with New Zealands best Orchestras including the CSO, APO and the NZSO.

Country life this week heads to a sheep and beef station near Tinui which was badly damaged in Cyclone Gabrielle. But the scars on the land are not stopping the Italian owner from fulfilling plans to turn it into a hub for producing bespoke yarn, employing locals and boosting the profile of the wool industry. Also, A monthly account of life on the land with Oxford farmer and YouTube vlogger Alistair Bird and his wife Genna. In this episode, the couple talk about their recent success at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards and what happened on farm in January and February.

Musician Paul Kean from The Bats is picking the tunes on the Mixtape this week. Paul has been a member of several bands, The Basket Cases, Toy Love, The Bats, Minisnap, and more recently a musical project called The Sundae Painters. When Paul is not on the stage, for years he's worked behind the scenes for Canterbury University and Christchurch City Council in event production, music production and tour management. Paul is a big supporter of the Arts, recently curating an exhibition celebrating the art of Hamish Kilgour at the Christchurch Arts Centre.

New research on the prevalence of bullying, and tips not just to help parents prevent it but to help them cope with it . Dr Cara Swit, from the University of Canterbury's School of Health Sciences, is one of a few researchers in New Zealand focusing on how we can react if a child is a bully, or is being bullied. Dr Swit is spending time with parents and teachers as part of a new three-year longitudinal study, gathering evidence on how young children's behaviour impacts on their health and wellbeing. Dr Swit tells Kathryn Ryan her work has been sparked by some worrying trends she has observed both in the classroom and pre-school.

The West Papua National Liberation Army has been launching attacks against the operations of a major gold and copper mine, run by US company Freeport McMoran, in its war against the Indonesian state; Papua New Guinea's new law governing political parties will require them to foster the participation of women in politics; Coronavirus warnings in French Polynesia cause confusion; at the Polyfest event next week in Auckland people will be confronted, educated and entertained by the Laboratory In A Box; Canterbury Polyfest will be taking extra security measures this weekend following last year's Christchurch shootings.

Ewe scanning is underway in the north, which has seen more welcome rain this week and dairy farmers are catching their breath before calving in six weeks' time. Jenna O'Sullivan was born in the 90s and is working in her dream job at for livestock genetics company CRV Ambreed. Leftfield Innovation is looking for ways farmers can use their land to make high value food products that consumers want, It's investigating six crops we currently import but could grow and use to develop products. David Young makes and sells 100 types of wine on his small orchard 24kms south of Auckland. His family has been on the same piece of land since 1896. Award winning wagyu beef farmers Evan and Clare Chapman were going to cut down a row of willows at their Kakahu property until they discovered a colony of long-tailed bats/pekapeka had made the old trees their home. Now the couple is working with Environment Canterbury to protect them.

In March 2024, a rocket launched from Florida carrying New Zealand’s first science payload to the International Space Station. The small cube, named Lucy, is a protein crystallisation lab developed by Dr Sarah Kessans from the University of Canterbury. Protein crystallisation is often the key first step in figuring out a protein structure, and the unique fluid conditions of microgravity in low Earth orbit helps the process. Working with several collaborators, Sarah is trying to develop a commercially viable crystallisation lab in space. Plus, Dr Brian Russell is creating AI tools to help space companies make critical decisions around astronaut health and safety.

30 years ago a set of instruments from Bali were brought to University of Canterbury and formed the first Gamelan ensemble in Christchurch, under the guidance of Professor Elaine Dobson. Three decades on, after a short period of disuse the ensemble was reestablished in 2017 under Justin DeHart and celebrates a milestone this month.  The podcast features Prof Justin DeHart and I Made Kartawan who's visiting from Bali, where he is faculty at ISI - The Indonesian Institute of Arts. Gamelan is cultural taonga with spiritual roots in the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim histories of the islands of Bali, Java and Sumatra. With its hypnotic and sometimes haunting sounds, the Gamelan makes for quite a remarkable sight - a set of percussive instruments intricately carved, sometimes painted bright red and gold, and struck with hammer-like mallets. Gamelan is more than just music or entertainment but a seen as a vehicle for spiritual connection and an integral part of rituals, worship and tradition.