Podcasts about life and society

For some of us, a day or an hour disappears in the blink of an eye. For others it might feel much longer. But why? 

Voted one of America's best photographers, Colorado-based Kirsten Lewis spent 15 years capturing the complex yet fulfilling roller-coaster ride of parenting. 

Mother of Chooks is a joyful short documentary which follows Australian woman Elaine James who has become a minor celebrity - all because she keeps pet chickens. It was after losing her sister, that Elaine found companionship in a rescue chicken named Flapper - who she takes with her to cafes, parks, and has even toilet trained. Elaine has become a local legend - known as the Mother of Chooks. The short documentary film Mother of Chooks is showing at the nationwide Doc Edge Festival starting later this month. Susie speaks to co-director Jesse Leaman about this heartwarming story and what it was like to work alongside his mum who was also involved in the project.

Ximena Smith joined Jesse to review Missing in the Amazon - a new 6-part investigative series from The Guardian about journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous rights advocate Bruno Pereira who went missing in the Amazon three years ago. She also reviewed Heavyweight a podcast by Jonathan Goldstein, which returns after being cancelled by Spotify in 2023. The show helps people deal with moments from their past they wish they could change - funny, emotional, and thought-provoking without being naff.

Money Expert Mary Holm joined Jesse to discuss all things debt.

Whether it is a close family member, pet or someone they don't personally know, like a famous person who has died, children experience death and parents will be asked about it. 

Diane McCarthy is an Eastern Bay of Plenty Local Democracy Reporter with the Whakatane Beacon.

The father of Sophia Crestani, who was crushed to death at an over-crowded Otago student house party, is calling for a liquor store in the heart of Dunedin's student quarter to shut an hour earlier. Bede Crestani is campaigning for a safer student environment through the Sophia Charter for Community Responsibility and Wellbeing. He spoke to Lisa Owen.

New Zealanders have filled out their last traditional Census form, with the five-yearly count to be scrapped from 2030. The census, which has existed in a similar format for more than 70 years, will be replaced with a combination of data gathered from other government agencies and other surveys. It comes after falling response rates and concerns over the rising costs. Samantha Gee reports. 

Chiefs fans have been told that cow bells are not welcome at the Super Rugby Pacific final in Christchurch on Saturday. The Waikato supporters are known for enthusiastically ringing the metal bells that were traditionally tied around cows necks. But the Crusaders have warned fans metal bells will be confiscated at the gate at Apollo Project stadium, and they may be melted down. Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge spoke to Lisa Owen.

A supermarket boss says the first look inside a popular shopping spot ravaged by fire in central Auckland was a confronting scene. 24 hours after a massive blaze broke out New World Victoria Park forcing shoppers to abandon their trolleys and vehicles, the building was given back to Foodstuffs today. Staff and shoppers were emotional seeing their workplace and beloved local supermarket in ruins. Jessica Hopkins reports. 

A new report from the Drug Foundation highlights that in 2023 and 2024, 3.1 percent of adults reported taking psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and ketamine. In 2017 and 2018 only 1.3 percent of adults reported taking psychedelics - meaning use has more than doubled. Drug Foundation Director Sarah Helm spoke to Corin Dann.

The work of volunteers - valued at $6.4 billion a year - is being highlighted for Volunteer Week.

The Census is to be scrapped, in the biggest change to how New Zealand counts its population in more than 70 years. 

Over 25 years, a volunteer group in East Auckland has quietly achieved something remarkable - a transformation of the Mangemangeroa Reserve from farmland into thriving native bush.

As term two draws to a close, some schools are gearing up for parent teacher interviews. Former principal at Baradene College and is now an education consultant Sandy Pasley spoke to Corin Dann.

The determination of aspiring female rugby players in Taranaki is at the heart of a new documentary by Lisa Burd for this year's Doc Edge festival.

Around the motu: Jesse Archer in Taupo.

Money makes the world go round, but what happens when you have none? Te Kahukura Boynton - founder of Māori Millionaire.

Board games are forging new connections and combating social isolation. Cakes n Ladders owner James McFadgen spoke to Corin Dann.

Genius is in the eye of the beholder. You can tell what a society values by who it calls a genius says Helen Lewis, acclaimed Atlantic staff writer and podcast host for the BBC. Too often the title has served as a tool to legitimize eccentric and harmful behavior that would otherwise be condemned. Lewis challenges ideas about creativity and innovation and who gets credit for inventions that might just be inevitable in her book, The Genius Myth: The Dangerous Allure of Rebels, Monsters and Rule-Breakers.

Jesse Mulligan is joined by The Panel host Wallace Chapman and producer José Barbosa to preview this evening's marlarky.

An extra half hour with Wallace begins with a preview of Nights with host Emile Donovan and ends with some wonderful listener interaction. But in the middle Wallace talks with Grant, a man who so loves going barefoot he has not worn a shoe for 6 years. Why does he do it? Find out within!

A question everyone must ask themselves at some point: what does a life well lived look like? Tyler J. VanderWeele is co-director of the five-year Global Flourishing Study.

Most people fit into one of two categories when it comes to the great debate of the best time to shower. But science is adding fuel to the debate.

Award-winning artist Julia Holden has invited pets and pet lovers to her exhibition, Best in Show 2025, showing in Auckland. 

From gumboots to tractors to camo, Fieldays has had it all - including multiple government announcements and political parties of all stripes. 

After 145 years iconic Auckland department store Smith and Caughey's will close its doors for the final time this Sunday at 4pm. The closure was set for the end of July but Aucklanders have been snapping up the discounted items almost all of the stock is gone. Reporter Louise Ternouth spoke to Lisa Owen.

Gardening guru Lynda Hallinan brings along some tips for being outdoors this weekend.

Daniel Rankin runs one of New Zealand's most successful baking Instagram pages - Man Can Cook. He takes an Only Fans approach...Mixing recipes with shirtess photos, pouring stuff over his abs, and cute photos of his pug Fraser. And for the next month he's bringing those skills to the Starship Hospital's Big Bakeoff. Daniel speaks to Perlina.

Each week, we ask you the listeners to tell us about your strange, unexplainable, and coincidental experiences. 2101 is the text number if you have a story of your own, or if it requires a bit more detail you can email afternoons@rnz.co.nz. Today stand-up host Perlina Lau speaks to John who has a friend that relayed a strange night in the Otago town of Saint Bathans.

It's another instalment of Solving the World's Problems, where Dave Armstrong gives their reckons on the issues of the day in today's edition.

Rather than being cognitive extensions of our minds, our smartphones are parasites devices designed to steal our, money and data - says a team of Australian philosophers. A recent paper in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy argues smartphones pose unique societal risks to humanity - all while benefiting technology companies and advertisers. Rachael Brown Director is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Australian National University. She co-authored the research and says when viewed through the lens of evolution, our phones aren't much different to head lice, ticks, fleas and tapeworms.

A new movie has documented the quest of world-renowned mountaineer Mingma Tsiri Sherpa, in his life-threatening journey to retrieve fallen climbers from Everest's Death Zone.

Piers Fuller is the Editor of the Wairarapa Times-Age, based in Masterton.

The United Nations' State of the World Population report has found about a third of people over the age of 50 have not had as many children as they wanted. Distinguished professor Paul Spoonley spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Broadcaster Sonia Gray has been on a journey to find out if psychedelics could be the answer to New Zealand's ongoing addiction and mental health crisis.

A call has gone out to restaurants across the motu to buck up their ideas when it comes to their gluten-free dining offerings. More than 100,000 New Zealanders are estimated to be living with coeliac disease, with thousands more likely undiagnosed. Now Coeliac New Zealand says people too often are navigating a minefield of hidden ingredients, cross-contamination risks, and the fear of being misunderstood or dismissed for being coeliac. The non-profit says this will both benefit our gluten-free community and could revitalise the struggling hospitality sector. Wendy Bremner is general manager at Coeliac New Zealand. She joins Jesse.

Sam Parrish shares her midweek recipe for egg noodles. 

According to the latest census figures, more people moved south than north in the period between 2018 and 2023 - a reversal of traditional migration patterns.   

Generation Z - people born between 1997 and 2012 - are much less likely to be having sex. But why - and does it matter? 

Figures like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson regularly pop up in news headlines and the stories about them are rarely good - yet they offer easy solutions to the question of what it means to be a young man in 2025. Now, thirteen South Island boys schools are teaming up to share resources and provide an alternative sense of belonging for their students. Steve Hart is the principal of St Thomas of Canterbury College Christchurch and is the man behind the project. He speaks to Mark Leishman.

Around half of people with migraine disease turn to non-medication treatments to ease their symptoms, new research has revealed. The Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand survey from University of Otago researchers asked participants about supplements and treatments they've used including magnesium and vitamin B2 or meditation, yoga and massage. Dr Fiona Imlach is an epidemiologist at the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago and founder of charity Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand. She says there is no one-size-fits-all approach to migraine treatment and that while there are some treatments out there that are not recommended, many non-pharmacological approaches can actually help - they just aren't available here.

Dr Greg Walton is a professor of psychology at Stanford University. He says a kind word, a tiny shift in thinking or a feeling of belonging can create big, lasting changes in people's lives. His new book is a reminder that big outcomes can grow from the smallest, most ordinary beginnings. It's called Ordinary Magic: The Science of How We Can Achieve Big Change with Small Acts.

Mark Leishmann is joined by The Panel host Wallace Chapman and producer Tessa Guest to preview this evening's marlarky.

Ten years ago, New Zealanders' favourite car to buy was a Toyota Corolla. Today, it's more likely to be a Ford Ranger. Professor Alistair Woodward joins Nights to look at how big cars are changing our roads.

In her last book, she made the case that the sexual revolution sold women freedom but mostly ended up giving men more sex without responsibility. .

Ahead of Age Without Limits Day on June 11, Emile chats to Dr Joanna Hikaka, co-director of the University of Auckland's Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research.

Dr Will Gervais, a cultural evolutionary psychologist based at Brunel University of London and author of a new book Disbelief: The Origins of Atheism in a Religious Species, joins Emile Donovan.

While on holiday in Bali seven years ago, at accommodation next door to a crematorium, Christchurch woman Debbie Richards started thinking about what happens when we die. She said when she came across the idea of water cremation she decided she would take the leap to get it introduced to New Zealand. Now, the first water cremation service is available in Christchurch at Bell, Lamb and Trotter funeral directors, and Debbie Richards hopes that soon the service will be available all over the country. Rachel Graham has more.