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