Black robin: From the brink to Bird of the Year
In September, the Chatham Island black robin was crowned Bird of the Year 2026. This small, round and feisty manu has a remarkable comeback...
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RNZ: Our Changing World
Getting out in the field and the lab to bring you New Zealand stories about science, nature and the environment.
Episodes
20 of 326 episodesThe science quest for a green ammonia catalyst
Over a hundred years ago Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch discovered a way to produce ammonia that revolutionised farming. It changed the world. B...
Searching sand dunes for lizards
Over 80% of our coastal dune ecosystems have been lost. So, what about the native species living with them? Ayana Piper-Healion steps into B...
Ireland's experience of H5/N1 bird flu: A conversation with Niall Hatch
Highly pathogenic H5/N1 bird flu strain has been detected in New Zealand, but it's still early days. There are lots of unknowns about when i...
H5/N1 bird flu is here, what does this mean for our wildlife?
After years of watching it move closer, the highly pathogenic H5/N1 strain of bird flu has arrived on our shores. It has left a trail of dev...
OCW Recommends: All in Her Head
Our Changing World listeners might like to check out All In Her Head, a podcast by investigative journalist Anusha Bradley exploring a compl...
Could we de-extinct the moa?
Our Changing World takes a deep dive into controversial plans by US company Colossal Biosciences, backed by filmmaker Peter Jackson, to de-e...
Should we de-extinct the moa?
Our Changing World takes a deep dive into controversial plans by US company Colossal Biosciences, backed by filmmaker Peter Jackson, to de-e...
Cold water swimming: panacea or peril?
Cold plunges and cold water swimming are increasingly popular, with big benefit claims being made on social media. But is submerging yoursel...
A precious piece of sediment, and what it says about our future
After years of preparation and effort an international team have succeeded in recovering over 200 metres of sediment from below the West Ant...
Solar on the go and feeding the world in a catastrophe
There’s a lot of chat about solar panels for our rooftops, but where else might it make sense to put them? Claire Concannon visits the Unive...
High powered magnets, and making steel with hydrogen
At the Robinson Research Institute in Wellington, researchers are developing powerful superconducting magnets for space, fusion and MRI appl...
Electric motors for future flight
To get electric passenger planes in the skies requires powerful electric motors, but they must also be small and light. Some kiwi scientists...
An Antarctic adventure, and a book return
Join a group of young explorers as they journey to Antarctica to return a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo to Discovery Hut. Along the way...
New tech aimed at improving heart health at home
Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease. Liz Garton meets the team at the Institute of Biomedical Technologies is developin...
Building a nation-wide model of landslide risk
Out of all of New Zealand’s natural hazards, landslides have resulted in the greatest loss of life since written records began. Pulling in d...
Meet the Prime Minister's science prize winners
A team that developed a brain cooling treatment for oxygen-deprived babies, a young scientist who created a helpful backseat driver app, a M...
Analysing ash, and Vanuatu's volcanoes
New Zealand is a land formed by volcanoes, including some still active. Claire Concannon meets a researcher analysing ash deposits to determ...
The challenges of making our capital city predator free
Phase two of Predator Free Wellington’s groundbreaking project to rid our capital of rats is well underway. They’ve learned a lot from their...
Building New Zealand's RNA capabilities
Scientists had long been exploring RNA technology as a way to make vaccines before it had it’s breakout appearance during the Covid-19 pande...