In 1973 Tony Wheeler and his wife Maureen founded Lonely Planet Publications and went on to publish hundreds of popular travel guides. Prior to pandemic restrictions Tony was one of the world's most well-traveled people. He's used his extra free time to contribute to 100% Pure Future: New Zealand Tourism Renewed, which imagines a new, more sustainable, phase of tourism in Aotearoa.

Susie reads out listener feedback on the show.

Gardening and Permaculture expert Kay Baxter says autumn is one of only two times we have in the year to do things differently in the garden - planning and carrying out the work to improve soil, plant growth and the ecosystem. Kay Baxter co-founded the Koanga Institute and runs Regeneration Productions.

Our regular commentator Cambridge University consultant clinical virologist Dr Chris Smith joins us with the latest Covid-19 science, and to answer your questions.

Jill Nalder is a Welsh actress and activist. She is known for her career in theatre as well as her contribution to HIV/AIDS activism. She was the inspiration behind the character Jill Baxter in the hit TV series It's a Sin, which is available on TVNZ OnDemand. She plays the mother of one of the characters in the series and is a long-time friend of the series creator, Russel T Davies.

Kiwi epidemiologist, Dr Anita Lim is the driving force behind a National Health Service study of do-it-at-home HpV virus swab tests in London. She's targeting areas where up to 50% women are not turning up for conventional cervical cancer screening smear tests. She describes the move as a potential 'gamechanger' for women. Here in New Zealand a trial of home-screening among Maori women found that self-testing could potentially halve the number who seldom or never get screened, sparking calls for the government to implement a self-test screening programme.

Psychotherapist Sally Weintrobe thinks most of us have been living in a bubble of denial about the climate crisis. For many the bubble is now bursting, leaving people finding it hard to manage their anxiety and guilt as they take in the extent of the damage already caused to our climate system So what can help us work through our feelings about this threat to survival - without resorting to further denial? How can we take responsibility? Sally Weintrobe is a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society, a founding member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and she chairs the International Psychoanalytic Association's Climate Committee. Her new book, Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis: Neoliberal Exceptionalism and the Culture of Uncare is published next month.

In late 2017, scientists at a Hawaiian observatory glimpsed a strange object soaring through our inner solar system. The object dubbed "Oumuamua" was pancake-shaped, and as big as a football field. It had no tail so wasn't a comet and it was moving too quickly to be an asteroid. Former Chair of Astrophysics at Harvard University Professor Avi Loeb became intrigued by the object. He eventually concluded that it was most likely a piece of advanced technology created by a distant alien civilization. Professor Leob lays out this controversial theory in his book Extraterrestrial.

Listener Feedback for 13 March 2021

NZ based American actress & songwriter Chantal Claret, known for her role in the Netflix hit series 'Love' and as lead singer in the band Morningwood, The daughter of art collectors, She grew up in New York City. As a teenager, Claret was a promoter for several clubs in New York City The mother of young twins she has written about how pregnancy affected her creative drive. You can see Chantal Claret and her band on Saturday March 27th at 8:30pm on the Massey Creative Distraction stage of Wellington's CubaDupa Festival. The festival will feature over 1750 artists from all over Aotearoa across 46 stages.