Our Changing World

By RNZScience

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Typical duration
27 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Our Changing World episodes

August 17 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 Antarctic Ice Sheet. Claire Concannon visits the sediment core analysis team in Dunedin to find out how mud, rocks and microfossils can tell the story of ice growth and retreat across time. And as we look towards our warmer future, what will this mean for sea level rise?
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In this episode:
(00:00) Introduction to Antarctica, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and the SWAIS2C drilling project.
(02:18) Recovering a sediment core from beneath 523 metres of ice at Crary Ice Rise.
(04:00) Professor Richard Levy on the early steps of processing the core
(07:50) Sedimentologist Georgia Grant explains how rocks reveal the advance and retreat of ancient ice sheets.
(14:33) Dating the core using paleomagnetism and microscopic fossils such as diatoms.
(22:45) Evidence for past periods of open water and warmer climates in West Antarctica.
(25:40) The co-chief scientists on what the findings mean…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
31 min
August 10 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 University of Canterbury’s Electric Power Engineering Centre to learn about their involvement in a big European project exploring the use of solar panels on vehicles and in car parks. Plus, she speaks to one researcher who is focused on planning for global catastrophes.
Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
27 min
August 03High 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 applications. Claire Concannon visits the labs to learn about a small magnet’s trip to the International Space Station, and how much bigger magnets are powering nuclear fusion research. She also meets the team working on a hydrogen-based way to make iron from New Zealand iron sand, removing carbon dioxide emissions from the first step of steelmaking.
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Learn more:
Listen back to Our Changing World’s 2023 episode on plasma rockets in space, featuring the Paihau – Robinson Research Institute team’s work on superconducting magnets for plasma thrusters.
Read Our Changing World’s story on OpenStar Technologies and its New Zealand approach to nuclear fusion.
Learn more about CullBeck’s demonstration site plans for the hydrogen-based ironmaking technology.
The New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology now has a website.
Guests:
Professor Nick Long, Director of the Robinson Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Dr Nick Strickland, Principal Scientist, Robinson Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Professor Chris Bumby, Robinson Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Ben Rumsey, Senior Research Engineer / Specialist, Robinson Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
In this episode:
(00:00) Professor Nick Long on watching the Hēki magnet arrive at the International Space Station
(04:20) Dr Nick Strickland on making superconducting magnets robust and useful
(08:38) Fusion magnets and future research questions for Open Star Technologies…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
26 min
July 27 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 think they could have a solution. Claire Concannon heads to a warehouse in Petone to learn about the promise of high temperature superconducting magnets to make electric motors for airplanes.
Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.
In this episode:
00:00 - Where are our electric planes?
01:00 - The challenge of aviation electrification.
02:48 - The history of the Robinson Research Institute and useful properties of superconductors.
07:00 - The establishment of the New Zealand Institute of Advanced Technology
08:30 - The advantage of superconducting motors for aviation.
11:15 - Airbus’ plans for a future electric plane
12:05 - Warehouse tour and levitation bearings for future motors
14:04 - Basic motor design and characterising AC losses in superconductors.
21:26 - Testing a superconducting generator with Air New Zealand…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
26 min
July 20An 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 they visit other historic huts to learn about triumphs and tragedies of the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration'. This is an edit of the Antarctic Heritage Trust's '77 Degrees South' podcast.
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Learn more:
The full Antarctic Heritage Trust 77 Degrees South podcast can be found on their website.
The AHT also previously made a podcast about restoring Scott's Terra Nova Hut, and an edit of that was also aired on Our Changing World.
Guests:
Producer: Maia Ingoe
Narrator: Jake Bailey
Sound design and music: Calum Turner
Inspiring explorers: Kitiona Pelasio, Louise Piggin, Lucy Hayes-Stevenson, Ngaiwai Clendon, Daniel Bornstein
Guest contributor: Al Fastier
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
27 min
July 13New 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 developing new products to help monitor heart health in the home to try to change those terrible statistics.
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Learn more:
The Detail recently looked into the deadly heart disease that creeps up on you.
In March, Guyon Espiner spoke with Dr Philip Shirely about how an annual flu vaccine can reduce the risk of heart issues.
Kate Green’s investigation into health insurance in May, showed heart disease is one of the biggest drivers of claims.
Dr Claire Concannon visited the CoRE Pūtahi Manawa to find out what they’re doing to address heart health inequities, in 2022.
Guests:
Professor Andrew Lowe, Dr Tet Chuan Lee, Matin Khalili, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Auckland University of Technology.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
26 min
July 06Building 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 data from decades of landslide research, a team at Earth Sciences New Zealand are now developing national models of landslide risk for both slow- and fast-moving landslides, to help New Zealand plan for, and respond to, major landslide events.
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Learn more:
Other researchers at Earth Sciences New Zealand are also investigating underwater landslides, which have the potential to cause tsunami hazards.
In January In-Depth reporter Kirsty Johnston investigated the gap between what New Zealand spends on disaster recovery and climate preparation.
Jesse Mulligan revisited the Abbotsford disaster in 2019 with Sarah Johnston from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.
Landslides are one of the threats that are monitored 24/7 by the National Geohazard Monitoring Centre.
Guests:
Dr Chris Massey, Dr Saskia deVilder, Dr Sam McColl, Earth Sciences New Zealand.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
27 min
June 30 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 Māori kaiako encouraging her students to weave traditional design and contemporary materials, a paleobiologist communicating about the issues around de-extinction and a researcher investigating how much climate change contributes to extreme weather events: We meet the 2025 Prime Minister's Science Prize winners!
Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
28 min
June 22Analysing 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 determine if a future eruption might have dangerous levels of hazardous chemicals. Plus, she learns about a voyage to Vanuatu and the Solomen Islands to study the gases and ash of an active volcanic chain there.
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Learn more:
Researchers continue to study New Zealand’s active volcanoes like Whakaari and Ruapehu to try to understand their patterns of eruptions.
When Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha‘apai, just north of Tonga’s main island, erupted in 2022 it caused a worldwide tsunami. Ellen Rykers dug into the science behind the phenomenon.
The work of the National Geohazard Monitoring Centre is to keep on eye on earthquake, volcano, landslide and tsunami hazards 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Auckland is built on a network of volcanoes, and underground lava caves.
Guests:
Dr Jenni Hopkins, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Ian Schipper, Volcano Waka Lab
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
28 min
June 15The 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 work on the Miramar Peninsula, but with this new chapter comes new challenges – not just backyards, but a hospital, and even a zoo! Charlie Dreaver meets some of the team out fighting this battle on multiple interesting fronts.
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Learn more:
The target for Wellington to become New Zealand’s first predator-free city was announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka in March, as part of a Predator Free 2050 strategy update.
In November last year the government added feral cats to the Predator Free 2050 list of targeted predators, likely in response to RNZ’s In-Depth team’s reporting about the destruction they cause, and a pre-election promise.
Learn more about other large predator removal projects such as Predator Free Rakiura and Predator Free South Westland, and the plan to make Auckland Island predator free.
Guests:
Zara Koorey, Predator Free Wellington
James Wilcocks, Predator Free Wellington
Chirs Jerram, Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo
Sally Bain, Predator Free Wellington
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
23 min

About Our Changing World

From the publisher's feed

Dr Claire Concannon follows scientists into the bush, over rivers, back to their labs and many places in-between to cover the most fascinating research being done in Aotearoa New Zealand.