William Ray
Traitor: the story of Patrick Heenan (part 2)
Why do some historians think an NZ-born traitor was "instrumental" in the Japanese victory in Singapore during WWII? Audio
Traitor: the story of Patrick Heenan (Part 1)
What drove a boy from Reefton to turn against his comrades in World War Two? How was a former boxing and swimming champion recruited as an agent of Imperial Japan? Audio
Con-artist: the story of Amy Bock
Amy Bock was a criminal "supreme in her cleverness". Her most famous con saw her pose as a man for 15 weeks and marry the daughter of her landlord. Nobody has ever been able to explain what motivated… Audio
Headhunter: the story of Horatio Robley (part 2)
The story of Horatio Robley continues... How did a man once dubbed a "predator of culture" for his collection of Maori heads become better known as a "friend of the Maori"? Audio
Black Sheep: controversial characters from New Zealand history
'Black Sheep' is back for a new season, with host William Ray telling more stories about colourful and controversial characters from New Zealand history. We play part of the first episode of a… Audio
Headhunter: the story of Horatio Robley
Horatio Robley witnessed the most famous battle of the New Zealand Wars, he fathered a child with the daughter of a sworn enemy, his sketching helped end a war, his book helped save the art of Maori… Audio
Our Changing World for 25 October 2018
A project to map manuka flowering and help bee keepers pick the best places for their hives, and screening native plants to find resistance to myrtle rust. Audio
Patriarchy is the Black Sheep
Black Sheep will be returning on October 29th! In the meantime RNZ producer Sonia Sly is slipping into your feed with the latest episode of her excellent podcast Beyond Kate Audio
History vs science vs religion
Scientist Quentin Atkinson has looked at how the structure of Pacific societies determined how quickly they converted to Christianity - but an historian is not so sure of his conclusions. Audio
Our Changing World for 13 September 2018
A scientist and a historian debate the role of science in determining how quickly different Pacific societies converted to Christianity in historic times. Audio
Gaming the physio
Wellington company Swibo is making physiotherapy exercises more interesting using video games, mobile phones and balance boards. Video, Audio
Our Changing World for 6 September 2018
Smart phones, video games and balance boards are making physiotherapy exercises more exciting, and 3D and 4D printing offer interesting possibilities for small manufacturers. Audio
Urban bats: Long-tailed bats thriving in Hamilton
Long-tailed bats are thriving in gullies and bush along the Waikato River, where it flows through central Hamilton. Video, Audio
Our Changing World for 30 August 2018
Long-tailed bats are thriving in gullies and bush along the Waikato River, where it flows through central Hamilton. Audio
Micro-fossils, filing cabinets and past climate change
Tiny grains of fossil pollen are helping GNS Science researchers piece together the big picture of past environments. Audio
Our Changing World for 9 August 2018
Finding out if an introduced parasitic wasp could be a biocontrol agent for a pest of eucalpytus trees, and how fossil pollen can tell us about lost worlds. Audio
Asteroids, dinosaurs and international tension
Astronomer Duncan Steel is an expert in detecting asteroids and comets, and in defending the earth from potential impacts. Audio
Our Changing World for 28 June 2018
Seabed 2030 is an ambitious international collaboration to map the world's sea floor, and astronomer Duncan Steel is concerned asbout asteroids hitting earth. Audio
Honest Murderer: the story of John Bryce
Pākehā settlers in Taranaki knew John Bryce as "Honest John" but Taranaki Māori called him "Bryce Kōhuru" - Bryce the Murderer. In this episode of Black Sheep William Ray investigates the life of the… Audio
NZ Nazi: the story of Roy Courlander
Roy Courlander was a New Zealand soldier who joined Nazi Germany's infamous SS during WW2. Black Sheep investigates why he chose to turn traitor. Audio