Our Changing World

In March 2024, a satellite built to detect the potent greenhouse gas methane launched into orbit – backed by New Zealand to a final total of $32 million. MethaneSAT aimed to pinpoint large leaks from oil and gas fields, since plugging these is considered an easy climate win. But an add-on mission was investigating whether the satellite could pick up the smaller, more diffuse methane emissions from agriculture. Our Changing World joined the New Zealand-based team testing this capability – before disaster struck. With MethaneSAT uncontactable and lost in space, what did the mission deliver?

This episode was updated on 6 October to include the correct total figure of the New Zealand's contribution to MethaneSAT of $32 million.

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In this episode:

00:00 – 03:08: Introduction
03:08 – 05:38: A methane-measuring device takes off from the airfield

05:38 – 16:32: Ground-based methane measurements with the EM-27

16:32 – 25:29: What went wrong, and what data MethaneSAT did collect…

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In March 2024, a rocket launched from Florida carrying New Zealand’s first science payload to the International Space Station. The small cube, named Lucy, is a protein crystallisation lab developed by Dr Sarah Kessans from the University of Canterbury. Protein crystallisation is often the key first step in figuring out a protein structure, and the unique fluid conditions of microgravity in low Earth orbit helps the process. Working with several collaborators, Sarah is trying to develop a commercially viable crystallisation lab in space. Plus, Dr Brian Russell is creating AI tools to help space companies make critical decisions around astronaut health and safety.

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Guests:

• Associate Professor Sarah Kessans, University of Canterbury
• Dr Brian Russell, Auckland Bioengineering Institute and AUT

Learn more:

• Read more: New Zealand in the low Earth orbit economy.
• Researchers in the Paihau Robinson Research institute are also working on developing plasma rockets for travel in space. They launched a superconducting magnet for testing on board the ISS yesterday.
• In 2017, the same year that RocketLab did their first ‘It’s a test’ launch, William Ray had a look at New Zealand in space.
• Listen to Dr Sarah Kessans on Morning Report in 2023.

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An elaborate game of carbon ‘I spy’ is happening on the streets of Wellington. With their brand-new mobile carbon lab, Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly GNS) can detect things like carbon dioxide and methane as they drive around. This allows them to pinpoint where emissions are coming from. Plus, with radiocarbon measurements, they can understand what amount of the carbon they detect is coming from fossil fuels. It all helps to ground-truth our estimates of what’s happening in our urban environments.

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Guests:

• Dr Jocelyn Turnbull, Earth Sciences New Zealand
• Hayden Young, Earth Sciences New Zealand

Learn more:

• Read this week's article: Playing 'I-spy' with urban emissions.
• Carbon Watch NZ is an ongoing project to measure how much carbon is being produced across New Zealand. Alison Ballance covered this project in 2020, including learning about Baring Head atmospheric research station, and about a project also by Dr Jocelyn Turnbull using grass to measure urban emissions.
• The mobile carbon lab uses glass-blown flasks to collect radiocarbon. Learn about scientific glassblowing in this 2010 OCW episode.
• The People, Cities and Nature project is investigating how to return biodiversity to our towns and cities, such as the gullies in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. Such green areas would act as urban carbon sinks. 

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Takahē were believed to be extinct not once, but twice. Today their population is just over 500 – still not a huge number, but big enough that new homes are needed for these flightless manu. The latest area to welcome takahē is the upper Whakatipu – in particular, the stunning Rees Valley. But threats remain and keeping on top of predator numbers is key for this comeback bird to survive and thrive in their new home.

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Guests:

• Chrissy Becker-Fifield, Southern Lakes Sanctuary.
• Additional thanks to Glen Greaves of DOC’s takahē recovery programme for background information.
• Also mentioned: the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust.

Learn more:

• Read this episode's article: Backcountry takahē make a comeback.
• November 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the second time takahē were ‘rediscovered’. We spoke to Alison Ballance about her book about takahē, and her years of reporting on these birds. 
• RNZ reported on DOC’s efforts to catch the stoat culprits that killed a number of takahē in the Greenstone valley.
• After decades of careful monitoring, DOC are stepping back from the Murchison Mountain’s population of takahē.
• Takahē have been spotted by trampers around the Shelter Rock hut deep in the Rees valley.

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Gas shortages, a reversal of the ban of offshore oil and gas exploration, and a government plan to double geothermal energy in the next 15 years… There’s been a lot in the news recently about New Zealand’s energy supply now and in the future. Claire Concannon speaks to researcher Dr Jen Purdie about our ongoing electrification of industry and transport, about our ‘dry year problem’, and what the future of supply and demand might look like in a changing climate.

*This episode was updated with some additional clarifications on 15th September 2025

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Guests:

• Dr Jen Purdie, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago.
• Kirsty Johnston, RNZ In-Depth journalist

Learn more:

• Could nuclear fusion-generated energy be a way to help us power the future? Learn how New Zealand company OpenStar Technologies are trying to crack this.
• Read or listen to Kirsty’s recent reporting about what has changed in climate policies underpinning the Zero Carbon Act 2019. 
• The coalition government has stated they want to use New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (rather than the GIDI fund) to help drive the transition from fossil fuels to other forms of energy, but as climate change journalist Eloise Gibson reports, there are issues with this plan.

References

• The 2025 Energy in New Zealand report came out in August 2025.

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New Zealand’s youth vaping rates are among the highest in the world. How did we get here and what will this mean for the future of our rangatahi? A 2018 court case paved the way for a loose regulatory start for vaping in New Zealand, and rapid uptake by those aged 14–24 in the years since has led to concerns that a new generation is now addicted to nicotine. New Zealand researchers are investigating how vaping affects our lungs, and the harms young people are experiencing in terms of social connections and mental health.

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More and more of us are reaching for low or no-alcohol beers. As the market grows, the options are also expanding – but brewing beer without alcohol fermentation presents a tricky puzzle. In traditional beer brewing the conversion of sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide through yeast fermentation is a key part of the process. How can you get the same flavour into beer without it? A team at Victoria University of Wellington, including the head of research and development at Garage Project, have begun an interdisciplinary research project to address this. They’re hoping to develop a brand-new yeast strain, one that will recreate delicious beer flavours, but without the alcohol.

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Project Tongariro was established as a living memorial for five people who died in a tragic helicopter accident. Last November, the project turned 40 years old. Over those four decades, activities have expanded beyond Tongariro National Park and into the wider area, including urban restoration through tree planting and predator trapping. Claire Concannon visits the Taupō-based projects that Project Tongariro is supporting as they prepare for Greening Taupō Day – their biggest planting day of the year.

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Guests:

• Kiri Te Wano, CEO Project Tongariro
• Robyn Ellis, Greening Taupō and Predator Free Taupō
• Rachel Thompson, Kids Greening Taupō
• Heidi Pritchard, Kids Greening Taupō
• Celia Bocket, Wicked Weeders
• Zara, Jack, Taylor and Emily, students of Taupō Intermediate School

Learn more:

• Read the article that accompanies this episode: 40 years of Project Tongariro
• Project Tongariro are also involved in a number of restoration projects near Tūrangi, including removing willows from a wetland area.
• In Kirikiriroa Hamilton, a team are also focused on urban greening as part of the People, Nature and Cities project.
• Just outside Dunedin, the Halo Project has been working to provide a safe space for birds around the Orokonui fenced ecosanctuary, as the Country Life team learned last year.

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The battle on the frontlines of conservation continues around the motu. This week we head to the central North Island to join some of the staff and volunteers of Project Tongariro. Ecologist Nick Singers is coordinating the fight against the invasive grey willow that’s taking over a wetland area, while Shirley Potter is applying a ‘let’s get it done’ attitude to reforesting a patch of public conservation land near her home in Tauranga-Taupō.

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Guests:

• Kiri Te Wano, CEO of Project Tongariro
• Shirley Potter
• Nick Singers

Learn more:

• Read the article that accompanies this episode: 40 years of Project Tongariro
• Willow is an issue in many wetland areas where it binds up waterways and transforms the land. Just outside Dunedin, a team are using drone spraying to combat it near the Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau wetland complex.
• In the Rotopiko wetland complex, near Hamilton, the pest battle is a bit unusual: conservationists are concerned about the half a million sparrows and starlings that roost at night.
• The fight for the forest also continues on multiple pest fronts in the Catlins area in Otago.

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During World War II, sonar operators discovered a ‘false seabed’ that appeared to move upwards during the nighttime. In fact, the sound waves were bouncing off huge numbers of small critters. This daily movement is the largest animal migration on the planet, consisting of deep-water animals that hide in the ocean’s twilight then move to the surface after sunset to feed. By far the most abundant fish in this crowd are the lanternfishes. New Zealand researchers are investigating what impact lanternfish migration has on the life cycle of fish we like to eat, and how it may also play a huge role in the Earth’s carbon cycle.

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Guests:

• Professor Jeff Shima, Victoria University of Wellington
• Alisha Gill, Victoria University of Wellington
• Niamh Smith, Victoria University of Wellington

Learn more:

• Read the article for this episode: Lanternfish: small fish, big impact
• Below the twilight zone, in the deepest parts of the worlds’ oceans, including in New Zealand waters, scientists continue to discover new critters.
• The deep ocean makes up the majority of the living space on our planet, where life down there has evolved to cope with the pressure, cold and darkness.
• The Southern Ocean absorbs a huge amount of carbon, but scientists are concerned that may change as the planet warms.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details