Genetics
Keeping the lustre alive
Ravenswood Stud has a long history breeding the hardy English Leicester whose long curly wool has been likened to Bob Marley's dreadlocks. Fiona and John Robinson are continuing the tradition, finding… Audio
Talking Bulls - Wilencote Polled Herefords turns 100
Wilencote Polled Herefords introduced the hornless Hereford breed to New Zealand back in the 1920s and the Humphreys family still runs the stud today, with the fifth generation waiting in the wings… Audio, Gallery
Genetic matchmaker ... for birds!
Conservation geneticist, Tammy Steeves talks to Kathryn Ryan about how she helps some of our highly threatened native birds find 'the one' using DNA to estimate relatedness and make pairing… Audio, Gallery
New blood test shows how quickly you are ageing
A new blood test has been developed to indicate a person's "pace of ageing", meaning it can estimate a person's biological age and help indicate whether they are more prone to develop chronic disease… Audio
Covid-19: Linda Blair on the importance of friendship
Studies show that millions of us are lonely, and it is now more important than ever to be able to rely on our good friends. Clinical psychologist Linda Blair says we've learned a lot about friendship… Audio
Unguarded X: Why women live longer than men
Researchers at the University of New South Wales have found that having two copies of the same sex chromosome is associated with having a longer lifespan. Co-author of the research Zoe Xirocostas… Audio
Study on rabbits reveals the secret to living a longer life
In 1978, a seemingly straightforward experiment involving New Zealand rabbits discovered that kindness made the difference between a heart attack and a healthy heart. It's called the 'rabbit effect'… Audio
What's behind the rise of the hoarding disorder?
Clinical hoarding affects up to 6 percent of the world population, twice as many as OCD, yet it is a largely misunderstood disorder. Audio
Opening a can of DNA worms
It's getting harder to keep secrets in our society - especially when a bit of saliva in a tube can reveal through DNA that your world is not what you thought it was. Audio
The kiwi genealogist who helped catch the Golden State Killer
For 23 long years, the Golden State Killer, responsible for at least 13 murders and 50 rapes, evaded police.Then New Zealand born genealogist,Barbara Rae-Vente got involved and a suspect is now in… Audio
Should ageing be treated like a disease?
We usually accept old age and ill-health as inevitably intertwined, but in the future that may not be the case, according to a geneticist based at Harvard Medical School. Dr David Sinclair attempts to… Audio
Why the kiwi and moa stopped flying
Researchers have found out what made two of our famous birds flightless, but with this new discovery will scientists now try to reverse it? Audio
Bull kelp genes and earthquake uplift - a surprising connection
New research shows that bull kelp along a tectonically uplifted stretch of coast south of Dunedin has a surprisingly different genetic signature to the kelp on either side. Audio
Our Changing World for 7 March 2019
We've a story about bull kelp and earthquake uplift for Seaweek, and we meet some volunteer kakapo helpers. Audio
Tatjana Buklijas: Trauma passed on through genes
Liggins Institute researcher Dr Tatjana Buklijas has been looking into the growing knowledge of intergenerational trauma. She explains what they know so far. Audio
Richard Mattson: Genetics could affect the quality of your marriage
Binghamton University Associate Professor of Psychology Richard Mattson has led the team which believes it has found a gene which can influence marriage quality. He explains the science to Jim. Audio
Professor Timothy Frayling: early riser or night owl?
Early bird or night owl? Professor Timothy Grayling of the University of Exeter Medical School explains the health implications of our sleep patterns. Audio
Peter White - Taking a genetics fight to the Aussie cane toad
Australia's famous invader, the cane toad, has hit the headlines lately. Senator Pauline Hanson proposes putting welfare recipients to work killing the toads, while Queensland MP Bob Katter wants to… Audio
Helen Taylor: communicating science with sperm and a smile
Dr Helen Taylor stands out as a science communicator and her communication about the research on conservation genetics and threatened species earned her the Callaghan Medal from the the Royal Society… Audio
Rethinking DNA - does it makes us who we are?
Robert Plomin is a pioneer in the field of behavioural genetics. As a geneticist and psychologist, his lifetime's worth of research makes the case that DNA is the most important factor shaping us. In… Video, Audio