Biology

Tomatoes NZ and The Ministry for Primary Industries are working to identify a strain of disease discovered on tomato plants here. Pepino Mosaci Virus - which affects the yeild of plants and delays… Audio

Nobody really knows why we dream. Erik Hoel, a research assistant professor of neuroscience at Tufts University in Massachusetts, was inspired by the techniques used to train artificial neural… Audio

We humans have been evolving for millions of years, so why do we still have dodgy knees, crooked teeth and need glasses? Alex Bezzerides looks to answer those questions with his debut book. Audio

Forensic science is now baked into the way we solve crimes, and the way we think about crimes being solved. This century there have been thirty four seasons of CSI alone, and the process of crime… Audio

A common personality trait of leaders is a high level of extraversion. But what about introverts who are interested in obtaining leadership roles in their lives and careers? The answer is simple: act… Audio

Nobel prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse's latest book, What Is Life?, explores the question of what we as humans share with all other living things on this planet.  Audio

The idea that the lunar cycle can influence our behaviour and wellbeing dates back thousands of years. In her new book, The Human Cosmos, science writer Jo Marchant re-examines the effects that the… Audio

Biologist and mycologist Merlin Sheldrake explores the strange and wonderful world of fungi in his book Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. It can be… Video, Audio

A major new study out of the University of Otago shows that fathers of newborn babies can be forgiven for feeling a little hormonal. It turns out that they are being flooded by the same chemical as a… Audio

When English writer CS Lewis wrote that "friendship has no survival value" he wasn't quite correct, says science journalist Lydia Denworth. Friendship is, in fact, as important for your physical… Audio

Dr. Steven Wolf is the current president of the American Burn Association and has extensive experience with severe burn victims. He offers some insight into the recovery process for those burn victims… Audio

New Zealand stick insects have proved while they can't move fast, they can move far.Three native species travelled to the other side of the world and are now living wild in southwest Britain.  Audio, Gallery

Developmental molecular biologist John Medina has the low down on how our brains work and why we should redesign our schools and workplaces to match. He also has tips for ageing well. Audio

A window into the world of plant decision-making, without the benefit of a brain. British plant developmental biologist Dame Ottoline Leyser talks to Kathryn about her research which uses the hormonal… Audio

A team of international scientists is working on giving tomatoes the spice of a chili-pepper. The objective? To make it easier to mass produce large quantities of capsaicinoids - the molecules that… Audio

A new book by Mike McRae challenges our modern definitions of illness and asks where does failing biology stop and personal responsibility come in when it comes to how we still deal with ailments… Audio

Until now astronauts have had to send mysterious microbes and organisms back to earth to figure out what they are.

But for the first time, NASA astronauts have successfully sequenced DNA and… Audio

An 11,000-year-old skeleton of two children, unearthed in Alaska, is yet another part of the story of where Native Americans come form.

The baby girl's bones have helped clear a few things up thanks… Audio

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Abby McBride, is a Sketch Biologist, and has won a Fullbright Scholarship to travel to New Zealand to sketch endangered seabirds-penguins, prions… Audio