Kim Hill Wants To Know

Emily Wilson is the first woman to translate The Odyssey into English. Emily is passionate about making Homer and the Classics accessible to everyone, and she wears her love for them on her sleeve, almost literally!

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Season 2 Episode 4

In this episode:

02:48 The art of translation: revisiting The Odyssey

08:58 The Odyssey’s relevance today

12:08  Misinterpretations

14:57  Classics in modern society

21:01   Christopher Nolan's adaptation

26:50  Understanding Homer

34:38  Sappho and the ambiguity of desire

39:14  Was Helen of Troy a victim or a villain?

48:31  Tattoos

52:25  The challenges of translation

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Richard Dawkins is in conversation with Kim Hill. Half a century after The Selfish Gene the controversial evolutionary biologist reflects on his theories and argues AI could already be conscious. Richard Dawkins is appearing in Auckland on November 20, 2026, at the Aotea Centre and in Wellington on November 23, 2026, at the Michael Fowler Centre.

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Season 2 Episode 5

In this episode:
(03:00) Understanding genes and altruism
(11:08) The rise of AI, its impact on society
(15:08) Is AI a new form of life?
(28:27) The Frightening Possibilities of Genetic Advances
(30:39) The role of religion and our need for belief systems: the impact of 'The God Delusion'
(35:35) The beauty of science and nature
(37:29) Gender, biology, and language
(45:59) Conservation success stories
(46:49) The future of extinct species revival

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Professor of Chinese Studies Kerry Brown is in conversation with Kim Hill, explaining why, although Taiwan is a geopolitical powder keg, doing nothing about the conflict it could spark is the best approach.

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Season 2 Episode 4

In this episode:
(00:00) Taiwan: a geopolitical powder keg
(15:13) Historical context to democracy in Taiwan
(33:54) Identity and cultural heritage
(46:26) Global implications

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Rory Cormac knows a lot about deliberately spreading propaganda for political gain. The professor of international relations specialises in the study of covert action and secret statecraft. He speaks to Kim Hill about his latest book Fakers.

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Season 2 Episode 3

Professor Rory Cormac is the author of Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line

In this episode:
(00:00) Introduction to Professor Rory Cormac
(02:53) The role of the Information Research Department
(09:00) Covert operations in Africa
(12:10) The characters behind the IRD
(15:08) Fake news agencies and journalistic integrity
(18:05) Mission creep post-WWII
(20:55) The Indonesian genocide and propaganda
(24:02) Soviet tactics and modern parallels
(26:58) The challenge of disinformation today
(32:47) The future of truth in a “post-truth” world

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BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner talks with Kim Hill about being shot and left for dead by Islamist gunmen, adapting to life in a wheelchair and writing truthy fiction.

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Season 2 Episode 2

Frank Gardner is the author of the memoir Blood and Sand

In this episode:
(00:00) Frank Gardner's Journey: From Adventure to Adversity
(07:18) Reflections on journalism in the Middle East
(17:16) The Arab Spring: Hopes and disillusionment
(23:25) Optimism amidst challenges
(26:01) Fiction and possible future scenarios
(27:49) The threat of Russia and NATO's response
(30:54) Frank’s brush with intelligence and espionage
(37:59) Reflections on life after trauma
(49:10) Frank’s family heritage and historical connections

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Punk rocker, lead singer of The Undertones, Feargal Sharkey speaks to Kim Hill about reinventing himself. The Irishman has become one of the most vocal advocates for cleaning up Britain's waterways and served as chairman on one of England's oldest angling clubs.

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Season 2 Episode 1

Feargal Sharkey recommends TV mini series Dirty Business, see more about the series and stories from the real whistleblowers and victims from the Channel 4 documentary series on YouTube.

In this episode:
(00:00) From Punk Rocker to Environmental Advocate
(10:14) The Music Industry and Its Challenges
(15:22) The Decline of Chalk Streams
(24:02) The Crisis of Water Privatisation
(36:03) Public Concern and Political Accountability
(41:26) Comparing Scandals: Water Industry and Post Office
(50:14) The Need for Visionary Leadership
(54:10) The Future of United Ireland

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Kim Hill Wants to Know is back for another season. With guests including former punk rocker-turned-clean water advocate Feargal Sharkey, BBC correspondent Frank Gardner and secret statecraft specialist Professor Rory Cormac, there's something for everyone.

You can now watch Kim Hill Wants to Know at rnz.co.nz/video or on YouTube.

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The secret to living well for longer is one geneticist Dame Linda Partridge has been trying to uncover for much of her career. In this episode of Kim Hill Wants To Know, she talks with Kim about the scientific breakthroughs that could mean the end to aging as we know it.

Season 1 Episode 10

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Kim chats with neuroscientist Sir Richard Faull about the wonders of the human brain and the work being done to unlock its secrets.

Season 1 Episode 9

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Kim Hill sits down with linguist and etymologist Anatoly Liberman to talk about words – their meaning, their history and how languages evolve.

Season 1 Episode 8

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