
Guyon Espiner on interviewing the godfather of AI and why it left him feeling wary
If it can replace us in areas we consider uniquely human, where does that leave us?

Body Mass Index is not just a medical issue; it’s a political one
Why it’s time to move beyond BMI and our national fixation on thinness.
Politics

David Seymour on Te Tiriti, power & Act’s next move: His first major interview before becoming Deputy PM
“I take stuff a lot more seriously than I would have 10 years ago.”

Danyl McLauchlan: Govt pay equity move opens Pandora’s Box
Reckless retroactive law-making poses real danger.
Opinion

Guyon Espiner on interviewing the godfather of AI and why it left him feeling wary
If it can replace us in areas we consider uniquely human, where does that leave us?

All haka, no mahi: Aaron Smale on why Te Pāti Māori risks being all song and dance
You could argue Te Pāti Māori won that battle but is losing the war.

Law & Society: UK Supreme Court decision reverberates around the world
When it comes to gender law, there is a fine line of words and meaning.
New Zealand

Our longfin eels are endangered, so why are they being commercially fished?
Journey of longfin eels to spawn grows more difficult due to pollution and human barriers.

His, her, heresy: The bitter debate over who can claim to be female
Academic theories, biology and politics: Their role in the clash over gender definitions.
Enterprise & Tech
Health

Body Mass Index is not just a medical issue; it’s a political one
Why it’s time to move beyond BMI and our national fixation on thinness.

Top tips on how to lower your blood pressure
High blood pressure can be fatal but there are ways to lower it to healthy levels.

Old drugs, new tricks: The links between vitamin C and tumour progression
Otago scientist on understanding the relationship between vitamin cancer and tumour growth
Life

Are politicians happy or just faking it for the camera?
Conservative US politicians appear less happy than their supporters.

The Good Life: Book ends
Greg Dixon mulls over his ever-expanding book collection and the Great Cull.

Want to give your brain a workout? Try tasting wine
A sip of wine gives your cognitive functioning a thorough drill, suggests Michael Cooper.
Culture

Sounz CEO dusts off her flute for a brief tour
Hannah Darroch has duel roles as performer and arts administrator.

Might of the Concord: The kiwi-made amp beloved by local guitar heroes
George Driver on the "little wooden box" that powered generations of NZ's top musicians.

Actor Peter Elliott reflects on the death of a theatre titan
"Raymond Hawthorne influenced nearly every actor in NZ for decades."
Entertainment

Kiwi musician Byllie-jean: ‘I don’t have a deep desire to be top of the charts’
The Taite Music Prize winner on making music, fairies and magic and shunning social media

Queer love and family shine in flawed Wedding Banquet update
Rainbow movie shines intermittently but fails to find pot of gold.

The Accountant 2: Ben Affleck’s sharpshooting amuses audiences in belated sequel
Unexpected box office success leads Ben Affleck back to The Accountant 2.
Books

Book of the day: Fire & Ice by Hazel Phillips - a compelling exploration of NZ’s oldest national park
Insightful account of human adventure in the Volcanic Plateau and its playgrounds.

Book of the day: Dominic Hoey's 1985 has all the hallmarks of a future NZ classic
Novelist-poet Dominic Hoey’s latest dwells on trying to get ahead in the big city.

Mission critical: Expert eye on frightening fallacies and fantasies behind tech titans’ AI visions
Hot air rising? The Trump-led tech bro space race gets debunked.
Crime

Four things that make a successful fraudster
People who commit fraud have more than just motive and opportunity in common.

Crash’n’Grab: Was this NZ’s most outrageous art heist?
This wasn’t just a whodunnit. It was a why-dunnit - and years later, the questions remain.

11 years on, Taranaki detective still haunted by father-son murder case
'The murders, the families involved, they almost become part of you.'
World

Jane Clifton: I Am Farticus - the TV ads declaring war on dignity
Advertising for lavatory paper and laxatives has gone down the toilet.

Nowhere to go: Jonathan Kronstadt on a fundamental human right flushed away
A paucity of public toilets highlights American inequality and marginalisation.

Jane Clifton: Golfer Rory McIlroy caught in a custody battle
Champion golfer’s appeal easily crosses the Irish divide.
Sponsored Stories

This contemporary Redcliffs home maximises its view of the estuary
A home on a Christchurch estuary provides its owner with an outlook that’s always changing

10 things we learnt from listener.co.nz stories this week
Peacekeeping, population and why cannabis could cure insomnia.

10 things we learnt from listener.co.nz stories this week
The former PM who helped solve a violent crime to 11 words to say before you die.