Kim Hill Wants To Know

From possums to garlic mustard, science writer Amy Crawford argues we should be more hospitable to invasive species. She questions the militaristic language and xenophobia informing our attitude to them.Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 8Amy's book Undesirable is published by Oxford University Press.In this episode:(03:00) How invasive-species thinking became a global concern (06:43) Invasion language, national identity and xenophobia (12:07) Killer-bee headlines and the politics of ecological fear (13:20) Predation versus competition: what actually drives extinctions (15:11) Predator Free 2050, climate change and trade-offs (24:15) Pet possums, settler identity and who belongs (29:28) Can New Zealand restore a pristine ecological past? (32:03) Looking at invasive species in different ways, from the Nile perch to Tamarisks (40:30) Zealandia's sanctuary and its wildlife halo (49:05) Why people love to hate a particular invasive species (51:40) Trusting nature to change, and what conservation should doGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Beloved Australian literary voice and environmentalist Tim Winton is in conversation with Kim about how to keep going in a burning world. Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 7Songs from the Firefront is published by Penguin. (00:00) The voice of Australia(03:36) The power of common good(06:33) Juice - a dystopian reflection (10:11) Tim’s cyclonic experience (14:30) Protecting  marine ecosystems(21:24) Environmental Advocacy and common good coming from a crisis (35:17) Don’t live alone in Australia!(42:15) Nihilism vs. action(44:30) Ayn Rand's Influence and the strongman ideology(52:28) Fiction in activism(58:52) Mortality and legacyGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Emily Wilson is the first woman to translate The Odyssey into English. Emily is passionate about making Homer and the Classics accessible to everyone, and she wears her love for them on her sleeve, almost literally!Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 6Emily Wilson's new book Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea is published by Profile/Allen & Unwin.In this episode:(02:48) The art of translation: revisiting The Odyssey(08:58) The Odyssey’s relevance today(12:08) Misinterpretations (14:57) Classics in modern society(21:01) Christopher Nolan's adaptation(26:50) Understanding Homer(34:38) Sappho and the ambiguity of desire(39:14) Was Helen of Troy a victim or a villain?(48:31) Tattoos (52:25) The challenges of translationGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Richard Dawkins is in conversation with Kim Hill. Half a century after The Selfish Gene the controversial evolutionary biologist reflects on his theories and argues AI could already be conscious. Richard Dawkins is appearing in Auckland on November 20, 2026, at the Aotea Centre and in Wellington on November 23, 2026, at the Michael Fowler Centre. Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 5In this episode:(03:00) Understanding genes and altruism(11:08) The rise of AI, its impact on society(15:08) Is AI a new form of life?(28:27) The Frightening Possibilities of Genetic Advances(30:39) The role of religion and our need for belief systems: the impact of 'The God Delusion'(35:35) The beauty of science and nature(37:29) Gender, biology, and language(45:59) Conservation success stories(46:49) The future of extinct species revivalGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Professor of Chinese Studies Kerry Brown is in conversation with Kim Hill, explaining why, although Taiwan is a geopolitical powder keg, doing nothing about the conflict it could spark is the best approach.Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 4In this episode:(00:00) Taiwan: a geopolitical powder keg(15:13) Historical context to democracy in Taiwan(33:54) Identity and cultural heritage(46:26) Global implicationsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rory Cormac knows a lot about deliberately spreading propaganda for political gain. The professor of international relations specialises in the study of covert action and secret statecraft. He speaks to Kim Hill about his latest book Fakers.Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 3Professor Rory Cormac is the author of Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front LineIn this episode:(00:00) Introduction to Professor Rory Cormac(02:53) The role of the Information Research Department(09:00) Covert operations in Africa(12:10) The characters behind the IRD(15:08) Fake news agencies and journalistic integrity(18:05) Mission creep post-WWII(20:55) The Indonesian genocide and propaganda(24:02) Soviet tactics and modern parallels(26:58) The challenge of disinformation today(32:47) The future of truth in a “post-truth” worldGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner talks with Kim Hill about being shot and left for dead by Islamist gunmen, adapting to life in a wheelchair and writing truthy fiction.Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 2Frank Gardner is the author of the memoir Blood and SandIn this episode:(00:00) Frank Gardner's Journey: From Adventure to Adversity(07:18) Reflections on journalism in the Middle East(17:16) The Arab Spring: Hopes and disillusionment(23:25) Optimism amidst challenges(26:01) Fiction and possible future scenarios(27:49) The threat of Russia and NATO's response(30:54) Frank’s brush with intelligence and espionage(37:59) Reflections on life after trauma(49:10) Frank’s family heritage and historical connectionsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Punk rocker, lead singer of The Undertones, Feargal Sharkey speaks to Kim Hill about reinventing himself. The Irishman has become one of the most vocal advocates for cleaning up Britain's waterways and served as chairman on one of England's oldest angling clubs.Watch the video version of this episode on the RNZ website on YouTube or TVNZ+.Season 2 Episode 1Feargal Sharkey recommends TV mini series Dirty Business, see more about the series and stories from the real whistleblowers and victims from the Channel 4 documentary series on YouTube.In this episode:(00:00) From Punk Rocker to Environmental Advocate(10:14) The Music Industry and Its Challenges(15:22) The Decline of Chalk Streams(24:02) The Crisis of Water Privatisation(36:03) Public Concern and Political Accountability(41:26) Comparing Scandals: Water Industry and Post Office(50:14) The Need for Visionary Leadership(54:10) The Future of United IrelandGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kim Hill Wants to Know is back for another season. With guests including former punk rocker-turned-clean water advocate Feargal Sharkey, BBC correspondent Frank Gardner and secret statecraft specialist Professor Rory Cormac, there's something for everyone.You can now watch Kim Hill Wants to Know at rnz.co.nz/video or on YouTube.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The secret to living well for longer is one geneticist Dame Linda Partridge has been trying to uncover for much of her career. In this episode of Kim Hill Wants To Know, she talks with Kim about the scientific breakthroughs that could mean the end to aging as we know it.Season 1 Episode 10Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details