1:08 Fieldays is on and looks to be booming! We chat to an exhibitor

Kiwi Leather Innovations co-founder and director Shelley Houston.

Kiwi Leather Innovations co-founder and director Shelley Houston.
Photo: kiwileatherinnovations.com

 

The annual agricultural showcase opened this morning at Mystery Creek in Hamilton and it looks like it’s going to be a bumper event.

With the dairy sector, red meat, horticulture and wool sector all enjoying strong prices right now, the timing for Fieldays couldn’t be better. 

More than a thousand exhibitors and vendors are there to showcase their products.

Shelley Houston is the co-founder and director of Kiwi Leather Innovations, which creates a leather alternative from – rather appropriately – kiwifruit! She chats to Jesse.

1:15 Explainer: Why the SpaceX IPO is out of this world!

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with the Europa Clipper spacecraft aboard launches from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on October 14, 2024. The spacecraft Clipper will soon launch for Jupiter's moon Europa, one of dozens of moons orbiting the Solar System’s biggest planet and the nearest spot in our celestial neighborhood that could offer a perch for life. It should reach orbit around Jupiter and Europa in 2031, where it will begin a detailed study of the moon scientists believe is covered in frozen water, which could provide a similar habitat to Earth.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with the Europa Clipper spacecraft aboard launches from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on 14 October, 2024.
Photo: AFP

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing to list on the electronic stock market the Nasdaq this Friday and when it does it’s expected to be the largest Initial Public Offering or IPO in history.

Its valuation is approaching three point one trillion New Zealand dollars (that’s trillion with a T) and if that happens it would immediately rank among the world’s most valuable listed companies. 

But it’s not without controversy.

Paul Brownsey is a General Partner at the Bridge West Venture Fund and Independent Chair of the Mint Asset Management Investment Committee, he chats to Jesse.

1:28 The Kiwi author representing New Zealand on the world stage

spaceman standing at the entrance of the cave, digital art style, illustration painting, fantasy concept of a spaceman in the cave

Photo:

A New Zealand author has been nominated for best short story prize at the Nebulas Awards, which are considered some of the highest honours of science fiction and fantasy writing. 

In being considered, author E.M. Linden joins the likes of sci-fi luminaries like JG Ballard, Harlan Ellison and Frank Herbert.

E.M. Linden’s offering is called ‘The Tawlish Island Songbook of the Dead’, to tell us more about it, she joins Jesse. 

1:35 How water pollution is stopping young athletes from competing

Testing the water of the Selwyn River

Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Raw sewage, dead animals, life-threatening logs are just some of the obstacles athletes worry about facing if they have to get into the water for their sport.

New research from Waikato University has found climate change and the impact of extreme weather events have had a huge impact on getting young people into surfing, kayaking and waka ama.

Joining us to talk about the concept of ‘polluted sport’ is the University of Waikato’s Holly Thorpe

1:45 Stories from Our Changing World

A laboratory researcher uses a pipette to transfer liquid into a small plastic well plate on a bench. The workspace includes racks of tubes, a notebook with a pen, and various lab instruments. Bright overhead lighting illuminates the busy lab environment with equipment and containers arranged behind the work area.

Joanna Kuang works in the RNA production team
Photo: Robert Cross

It’s our weekly catch up with RNZ Podcast Our Changing World’s host Claire Concannon.

Today she’s talking to Jesse about the realm of molecular biology.

2.10 Heading Off to Northland

This is a photo of Jane and her husband stood in front of Haruru falls. Thy are both wearing sunglasses although it appears to be a bit of a grey day.

Photo: Jane Daniell – My Travel Room

It’s time for Heading Off our weekly travel segment where you get to share your adventures with a captive audience. 

If you’ve got a trip you’d like to share with us, please do email us at afternoons@rnz.co.nz, we love to hear from you. 

Today we’re staying on our beautiful shores and heading on a road trip to the far north of New Zealand 

2:20 Easy Eats: Smashed chicken tacos with coriander and lime sour cream

Smashed chicken tacos with coriander and lime sour cream.

Smashed chicken tacos with coriander and lime sour cream.
Photo: Kelly Gibney

Kelly Gibney joins Jesse each week to share a recipe, this week’s one is smashed chicken tacos with coriander and lime sour cream. 

Click HERE for the recipe!

2:30 Bookmarks with Melody Thomas

Pop art stylised woman on a bright red background with the words THE GOOD SEX PROJECT overlaid in yellow

Photo: supplied

It’s time for Bookmarks where we invite an interesting New Zealander on the show to share what interests them. 

Today Jesse is joined by Melody Thomas – the journalist behind the popular podcast ‘the Good Sex project’ – which aims to break down taboos around sex and relationships 

The show is back for its third season and this time they’re delving into topics such as the impact of AI on relationships, age gaps, the work that goes into repairing relationships and the costs of singleness 

Melody Thomas joins Jesse from the Wellington studio.

3:10 Music Critic: Mainard Larkin in the spotlight

This is a solo head and shoulders shot of Mainard Larkin.

Mainard Larkin
Photo: Crystal Chen

Afternoons critic Matthew Crawley takes a look at the new music from Mainard Larkin. 

Click HERE for the album

3:35 Feature on Film: Why are women over 60 invisible?

Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute

Photo: Madeline Di Nonno

A lead actor named Chris was more likely to headline one of the UK’s top-grossing films over the past three years than a woman over 60. Even talking animals came out ahead according to a new study from the UK’s Age Without Limits campaign. Animals were four times more likely to be the central character than an older woman. More than two decades ago, actress Geena Davis decided to challenge Hollywood’s blind spots by founding the Geena Davis Institute, which tracks who gets seen and who gets left out and how women of all ages are portrayed.

Madeline Di Nonno is the Institute’s President and CEO where they use data to help the entertainment industry see what’s missing on the screen.

 

3:45 The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense

Jesse Mulligan and Wallace Chapman

Photo: Sophie Baird

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what’s on The Panel tonight. 

Jesse Mulligan and Wallace Chapman

Photo: Sophie Baird