Afternoons for Wednesday 12 March 2025

 

1:15 All that glitters is very much gold

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.
 

1:20 NOPE! Australian Huntsman Spider in Napier?

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.

1:35 Waka, but made from reeds

If you visit a museum throughout Aotearoa it won't take long to come across a traditional Māori waka

But if you head to Toitū, the Settlers Museum in Dunedin, you'll see something slightly different.

Toitū is home to an impressive display of mōkihi, 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 Toitū Otago Settlers Museum.

1:45 Heading Off: how to travel the world on a budget

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.

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.
 

 

2.12 Music Critic: Vera Ellen and Horsegirl

Zac Arnold of Naked PR has new music from the very busy Vera Ellen and a recent track from a Chicago trio, Horsegirl. 

2:20 Easy Eats: Roasted cherry tomato, caper and mozzarella linguine

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. 

2:30 Bookmarks with Arnya Karaitiana

Aryna is a creative director who weaves indigenous traditions and wellbeing philosophies into her artistic practices.

This year, supported by Toi Manahau: The Designers Institute of New Zealand, Arnya worked with global design company Milliken to release its first ever Māori design collaboration. 

The result, Pā Harakeke, is a collection of carpet tile designs for commercial spaces. 

3:10 Feature interview:  This is your child's brain on the internet

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.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Sam Hollis join Jesse in the studio to preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.