Afternoons

 

1:15 Trans-Tasman collaboration investigates rare disorders

While the prevalence of rare disorders in New Zealand might be up for debate, the impact of a rare disorder diagnosis is not - it's life-changing. However, access to publicly funded medication is limited, with patients facing multiple barriers to treatment.

A Trans-Tasman collaboration is conducting clinical trials across both Australia and New Zealand in a bid to widen the access to investigational medication. Dr Richard Stubbs, the Chief Medical Officer at Momentum Clinical Research, speaks to Jesse.

1:25 Capturing the aurora in Lauder

We've all become amateur aurora experts over the past couple of days - with a rare solar storm causing dazzling displays in the sky over North and South Islands.

According to Otago University physics professor Craig Rodger - it was the largest such solar storm for more than a decade in New Zealand. Keen Aurora observer and photographer, Darryl Jones, says the weekend's display was the best he'd seen since the '80s. 

1:35 Why our authors should write stories set in New Zealand 

When Lauren Keenan (Te Āti Awa ki Taranaki) first started writing, she was told to set her stories overseas otherwise they wouldn't get published.

So she did, writing historical fiction set during The Blitz. 

She has since goin against that advice - writing a children's book which explores invasion of Parihaka and the eruption of Mount Taranaki. 

Her new novel, The Space Between, is her first for adult readers, and is set during the New Zealand Wars. 

Lauren joins Jesse on Afternoons to talk about the importance of highlighting Aotearoa New Zealand history.

The Space Between by Lauren Keenan is in stores now. 

2:10 Television Critic: Claire Chitham 

TV critic Claire Chitham joins Jesse to discuss 'Bodkin' on TVNZ+ and 'Motherhood' on Netflix.

2:20 Made in NZ: Airpop, a unique environmentally friendly way to insulate homes 

What can you make out of fresh air? Quite a lot actually. 

Airpop is super strong recyclable expanded polystyrene, made of 98% air and just 2% plastic, which is insulating homes across the country. It is also used for transporting medical goods and for packaging consumer items. 

Rachel Barker, CEO Plastics NZ, joins Jesse. 

2:30 Expert Feature: Warwick Jordan on looking after books 

Our expert today knows a thing or two about books - and he should too, seeing he has 1 million of them - yes you heard that right. 

Warwick Jordan is the founder of the 'Hard to Find: but worth the effort' Second Hand Bookshops... which does exactly what it says, specialising in those special books that you don't come across every day.

It's Aotearoa's largest second hand book business.

He's with Jesse to talk about the do's and don'ts of book care.

If you have a question for him please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

3:10 Harlan Coben's latest novel finally lands after an 8 year hiatus 

Harlan Coben is an accidental novelist whose success is no accident. It comes from hard work, deep empathy and unreserved respect for the joy of reading.

He's known as the master of domestic suspense, setting many of his 35 novels in suburbia and selling more than  80 million books and adapting several of them for Netflix.

After an 8 year break, Harlan Coben is out with his 12th book featuring  Myron Bolitar  the basketball player turned sports agent  who often plays detective.  

The latest book is Think Twice.

3:35 Here Now 

3:45 The pre-Panel