Radio New Zealand - Afternoons with Jim Mora

It's been just over two years since Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked havoc up and down the country ... and some communities are still picking up the pieces. But they're not being left to do it alone. Volunteers from the Centurions Motorcycle Club have made several trips to Hawke's Bay to work alongside local clean up teams. Members come from all over the North Island and they've donned their helmets and kick started their bikes to do it all again this weekend. Club President, Rob Goulden, talks to Jesse Mulligan about the latest "Ride of Recovery".

Meet some of Antarctica's iconic species – emperor penguins and Weddell seals – and learn how they use the ice.
Just outside Scott Base the sea ice squashes up against Ross Island, creating towering shapes and cracks in the ice.
These are called pressure ridges, and they are a nice, sheltered space for the Weddell seals to hang out and look after their newborn pups.
Claire Concannon tags along with University of Canterbury PhD candidate Arek Aspinwall to learn more about the seals, and about his research.

Mars by 1965, Saturn by 1970. This was the motto of a group of eminent scientists in the 1950's who had an audacious plan for space travel riding atomic explosions. Physicist Freeman Dyson was part of the team that proposed using newly created nuclear bombs to get to Mars. His son George Dyson is an author and historian of technology who explores the groundbreaking science, political struggles, and moral dilemmas that ultimately sealed the fate of the endeavour in a book called Project Orion: 1957 - 1965.

Finding misery in even the best circumstances was always one of writer Olga Khazan's special talents. So she set out to change her personality, using science to become more open, less neurotic, and maybe even a little happier. Starting as an experiment for The Atlantic, Khazan tested whether an introvert can learn to be more comfortable in social situations and if a procrastinator can be more productive. Her new book is called Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change.

In 2016 then Prime Minister John Key stood on stage and announced, "by 2050 every single part of New Zealand will be completely free of rats, stoats and possums" To many this was a remarkable statement of intent, but to conservationist Greg Billingham it was just another empty promise from an unaccountable politician. In the years since his view hasn't changed... But he does have an alternative idea - something that's already happening on a small scale.

Right now, a major new exhibition is open to the public at Auckland Museum. Ko au, ko Ngati Whatua aims to offer a doorway into the story of Ngati Whatua Orakei, one of the hapu of the the wider Ngati Whatua iwi of central Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland. The exhibition aims to display rare and never before exhibited taonga from the hapu Te Arepa Morehu of Ngati Whatua is the Maori director at the Auckland Museum and he tlaks to Jesse about putting the exhibition together

The Waikato River is full of old rusting cars and motorbikes Commercial dive company Deep Dive have pulled out 33 in the last three years. And they only do it in their spare time! Today they are cleaning up a site in near Graham Island in Hamilton east. A dumping ground so popular they've already discovered three cars stacked on top of each other... All under the water. According to diver and managing director Tua Karalus this is the most challenging site yet.

Lovers of animation are getting together this weekend for the second ever Wellington Animation Film Festival. The event has been organised by a group of French creatives living in Aotearoa and features a mix of screenings and panel discussions. Alongside several premieres, some classics will be shown - one of those is Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale. Footrot Flats first became a household name as a newspaper cartoon, and in 1986 became New Zealand's first animated feature film. Its co-writer and award-winning cartoonist Tom Scott will be at the screening and will speak on a panel of industry experts afterwards.

In this week's instalment of Voice of the Sea Ice, Claire Concannon visits Dr Natalie Robinson’s sea ice camp out on McMurdo Sound – the patch of ocean near Scott Base.
A team of nine from different New Zealand universities and research institutes are here to study the life found within the sea ice.
The researchers work hard when the weather is good, and this morning the team are out collecting samples while Dr Robinson juggles interviewing with Claire, and a spot of baking…

Last week New Zealand Rugby announced they are introducing an under 18s team to the "National High Performance" programme. The inaugural team will be selected in September ahead of a match against Australia. Currently the U18s scene is dominated by the NZ Secondary Schools, Barbarians and Maori teams. Teams which are likely to supply the players, but not everyone in the rugby community is pleased, with some raising concerns teenagers shouldn't be thrown into such a high-pressure environment Maori U18s coach Kahu Carey discusses the nature and mission of the team with Jesse.

At midnight last night a kiwi company got some big news. Newtown, Wellington based Pest control company Goodnature were listed in the Fast Company list of 2025's most innovative companies: ranking 6th in the household goods company. Not only is this a big achievement but is shows how far the company has come in its 20 years, creating tools for DOC to being a consumer-focused pest control success. Jesse talks to Chief Exec Dave Shoemack.

Serve lunch, scrub the floors and then learn about maths and reading. It's how the day goes for primary school students in Japan where character building is prioritized alongside academics. Filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki is half-British, half Japanese and grew up near Osaka. Now she tries to unpack Japan's traditions to help the world understand what makes the country so unique. She reveals both the strengths and hidden costs of teaching discipline and collective responsibility in her Oscar nominated documentary, "Instruments of a Beating Heart". You can watch the film for free here on the DocEdge website.

Today we're talking about the art of making Petit Gateaux. These beautifully presented desserts traditionally have a rich, creamy filling and are normally less than five bites in size Maxine Scheckter is a French trained pastry chef who has honed her craft working in Paris, London and here in New Zealand. She's the owner and director of Sugar Flour Pastry School in Wellington and has just released her debut cookbook Patisseries Made Simple - The Art of Petits Gateaux. Text your pastry questions or email at jesse@afternoons.co.nz

We're heading to the beachside town of Ohope now, to catch up with a Kiwi-Fijian chef who's recently put down roots there. Paul Patterson has had a hand in opening dozens of restaurants overseas and had a colourful career before that as an auto engineer, a drain layer, and a security guard to name a few. But it was the food business back in Aotearoa that he wanted to land in, and after some trial and error, he's opened a harbourside restaurant. Six months in, bookings at The Fisherman's Wharf are steady and Paul has become known for fishing out of the window. Jesse catches up with Paul to see how it's going and how his life is post-Bachelorette

This week, it's the second episode of Voice of the Sea Ice, the Our Changing World miniseries about Antarctic sea ice.
This vast expanse of ice that grows each winter – effectively doubling the size of Antarctica – then melts each summer is like the heartbeat of our oceans.
And it has a big impact on the planet's climate, via its whiteness, insulating properties (or blanketness) and saltiness.
Dr Inga Smith, a sea ice physics expert from the University of Otago, takes Claire Concannon onto the ice at the front of Scott Base to explain.

Brain rot is real. It's what happens when our kids are exposed to mindless content on YouTube and other platforms says Melanie Hempe, a screen-time expert, and founder of ScreenStrong. She says content that grabs their attention, with big sound effects, exaggerated characters and absolutely no storyline at all can actually impact the attention spans of children, problem solving skills and curiosity for the world around us. Melanie Hempe shares with Jesse solutions for ending brain rot in a tech-obsessed world. [picture id="4KANZ0L_Melanie_Headshots_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

An easy, mostly hands-off meal from Kelly Gibney that creates minimal dishes and lets us enjoy those flavours of summer a little longer. You can use 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella or opt for the bite-sized version. Both will work beautifully. Baby spinach or fresh basil could be used instead of rocket leaves. Get the recipe here. [picture id="4KAU0K4_RNZ_roasted_cherry_tomato_caper_mozzarella_linguine_3_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Kiwis are known for being great travelers, coming from a small country, it's only natural to be curious about the rest of the world. But American Matt Kepnes aka Nomadic Matt has done something extraordinary - he has basically been travelling the world for the past twenty years. How you might ask? On a budget. [picture id="4KAPWFE_Barcelona1_jpeg" crop="original" layout="full"] A New York Times bestselling author, Matt has made it his mission to help other people do the same - maybe not for as long but certainly as cheaply as possible. One hundred or so countries and a thousand odd hostels later, Matt joins Jesse from New York. [picture id="4O738HW_mattmadagascar_copy_2_JPG" crop="original" layout="full"]

If you visit a museum throughout Aotearoa it won't take long to come across a traditional Maori waka But if you head to Toitu, the Settlers Museum in Dunedin, you'll see something slightly different. Toitu is home to an impressive display of mokihi, which are waka made of reeds. They were easily constructed, very buoyant, and traditionally used for travelling down braided rivers to harvest kai further afield. Jesse talks to Sean Brosnahan, a curator at Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. [picture id="4TWZ085_Reed_waka_JPG" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

The Australian native huntsman spider is a common creature to spot in some parts of the country - most commonly in Auckland, as well as in parts of the South Island. But in the last few months, locals in Napier have made two sightings of the species not far from each other. While mostly harmless to humans, the spiders can grow up to 20 centimeters in width and are known for their speedy jumping abilities. Dr Cor Vink is a professor of entomology at Lincoln University, and has spent time researching the evolution and diversity of spiders. [picture id="4O20AGA_galleryīmage_45016" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

The price of gold is booming, hitting all-time highs this month. It's hit the point in the market cycle where we're being sent press releases for new gold investment schemes. The words "Store of value" have leaked into the mainstream, no longer just the preserve of the crypto crew. And THAT post which says - measured in gold - the original Ford factory workers were paid $144k is popping up on the daily! So just what the hell is going on? Why is gold suddenly so popular? With Jesse is Gold expert and professor of Finance at the University of Western Australia - Dick Baur.

Dreams were never part of the equation for entrepreneur Simon Squibb. After leaving home at age 15, he started a landscaping business that led to another and another until becoming a multimillionaire. It was never about having a dream and now he says, he got that wrong. Squibb has become a one-man Shark Tank, investing in start-ups, helping other people understand the power of their dreams and identifying the myths that hold people back. His new book is called What's Your Dream?: Find Your Passion. Love Your Work. Build a Richer Life.