Mortality
Professor Gary McLean on Omicron and its variants
Kiwi Gary McLean is a professor in molecular immunology at London Metropolitan University and a researcher with Imperial College. Professor McLean is back with us for an update on all the latest… Audio
What if the food advice we know is wrong?
A new study out of Sweden says decades of official dairy wisdom is incorrect, suggesting dairy fats can actually protect us against heart attack and stroke. Dr Ali Hill runs the rule over some of the… Audio
Michael Baker: 'Staging the Olympics is a very bad idea'
Professor Michael Baker is back to look at a few different Covid-19 stories doing the rounds, including the prospect of an 'Olympic coronavirus' strain being created if the Games go ahead in Tokyo as… Audio
Why we should embrace our fidgeting tendencies
The fidget spinner craze has come and gone, and now bubble poppers are doing the rounds, but it's not just kids who are doing the fidgeting. Children and adults alike use fidget devices of some sort… Audio
Could consuming more mushrooms reduce cancer risk?
A meta-analysis of 17 observational studies has found that higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of cancer. Along with being rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, mushrooms are a… Audio
‘We are by nature a worried species’
Alain de Botton says that while it is natural to worry, the truth is that Homo sapiens are a resilient species that have been through extraordinary cycles of suffering and joy. He says one of the… Audio
GP warns another flu pandemic is a certainty
In the wake of the coronavirus out of Wuhan, China, Edinburgh-based GP and writer Dr. Gavin Francis insists we are getting better and better at controlling these things, but he is adamant there will… Audio
Why New Zealanders are living longer
For the last 50 years, each year, the life span of the average New Zealander has increased by about 10 weeks per year. When population health specialist, Alistair Woodward was at medical school in… Audio
How daydreams help shape our sense of self
Psychologist Eve Blouin-Hudon is an expert on creativity and imagination at Carleton University in Ottawa and has studied daydreams at length. Audio
Sitting for nine and a half hours a day linked to early death
Research has found that people spending nine and a half hours or more each day sedentary are associated with a significant increased risk of death. Professor Ulf Ekelund of the Norwegian School of… Audio
This Way Up for 16 July 2016 (Part 2)
The Hum is described as an 'an anomalous sound heard around the world', a low frequency noise documented by thousands of people since the 70's, including hundreds of reported cases here in NZ. Then… Audio
Gordon McBride and Colin Hogg's road trip
Two old journalism comrades, Gordon McBride and Colin Hogg go on a six day road trip, in a Falcon. The longtime friends and drinking buddies revisit their youth, starting out as young reporters on the… Audio
Atul Gawande: being mortal
American surgeon and writer, whose new book is Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End. Audio
Spiritual Outlook for 15 December 2013 - Death Cafe
Lisa Thompson meets the man behind Death Café, and finds out why he is encouraging others to open up about mortality - all with the help of a cup of tea. Audio