Did you know we have nine mistletoes native to New Zealand? Meet Peraxilla tetrapetala, the endemic red mistletoe! They are especially slow growing and rely on birds such as tui and bellbirds for pollination and seed dispersal. The flowers have an explosive bud opening mechanism triggered by birds when they try to get to the nectar inside. Unlike its overseas cousins, this mistletoe is endangered due to possum browsing, habitat decline and low bird numbers and should not be collected!

Weekend stuff with Lynda Hallinan

Manager of Auckland Council's Kitchen Project Connie Clarkson joins me now with a divine sounding dish. The recipe is here

Our critic Dom Corry shares his picks from the latest crop of new releases. Avatar: Fire and Ash, released in theaters this week. The Housemaid, which is in theaters Christmas Day.

On Monday we spoke with the director of 'The Age Of Disclosure' about his new documentary on UFO's .. which are now officially known as UAP's or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. Loads of you got in touch with your own theories, and stories. Including Peter Hassall, he's the author of 'The NZ Files' - a history of UFO sightings in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The irony of course is that despite it being the season when people come together to break bread and party, it's also an increasingly stressful time for many. And what do you do when you're stressed? You call Chris Parker. Chris is withe Jesse to share his Christmas survival guide.

Could human tears be the key to diagnosing Parkinson's disease? Well, that's what some New Zealander researchers are trying to find out. Parkinson's disease affects more than 12,000 New Zealanders and is the fastest-growing chronic neurological disorder in the world. New Zealander researchers are leading a world-first study looking at tears and the role they might play in early diagnosis of Parkinson's. Dr Victor Dieriks Senior Research Fellow at University of Auckland and the lead researcher for this study.

It's been a huge week in New Zealand sport - but not so much for action on the field. This morning news broke of the resignation of New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenick, which comes less than 24 hours after Netball New Zealand announced CEO Jennie Wyllie has quit. RNZ sports reporter Dana Johannsen has been across it all and joins Jesse in the studio to discuss.

Time to talk money matters now, personal financial whizz Mary Holm is with Jesse and today she's looking at mortgages and whether it is better to pay them down or invest.

It's time for A-Z of Aotearoa, where we take you through a subject that plays a huge role in New Zealand life. We're working our way down the Alphabet from A for Aviation to Z. This week we officially cross the halfway point with the 14th letter of the alphabet - N We considered Nuclear Free, The Nikau Pine, and the NZX, but we landed on N for Northland or Te Reo Maori Te Tai Tokerau. Home to just over 200,000 of us, or 16 people per square kilometer, as well as places like Ninety Mile Beach, Kai Iwi Lakes, Bay of Islands, and our tallest tree Tane Mahuta. Sometimes referred to as the Birthplace of the nation, its history stretches all the way back to the 13th century. Ralph Johnson and Peter De Graaf chat to Jesse.

It's time to talk about the topics clogging up your group chats, the conversations offering respite from Christmas chaos. It's our last chat of 2025 so we've got the whole gang together, Culture 101's Perlina Lau, film critic Kate Rodger and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson. Today they talk about: the BBC versus President Donald Trump, voice messages and highlights of 2025.

The country's first on-site 3D-printed home has been built in South Auckland's Waiuku While a small number of 3D-printed concrete houses have already been built in New Zealand, this is the first one to be constructed entirely on-site. The four-bedroom house was built layer by layer using a computer-controlled concrete pour. The result is being billed as an energy-efficient, durable home constructed in a fraction of the time and with minimal waste. Amcrete director and experienced Master Builder Kirill Ilin talks to Jesse.

As diagnoses of autism and ADHD rise, more people are thinking about how their homes can better support neurodivergent needs The aim of neurodivergent-friendly design is to help reduce stress and improve mood and focus. Eddie Page is an Australian architect and co-founder of firm Maxwell & Page. He speaks to Jesse.

A huge study has been underway to find prime locations for underwater turbines, which are powered by the tides - something known as Tidal Stream Energy. As it turns out, the Cook Strait might be the perfect place, and researchers estimate that Aotearoa could produce up to 93 percent of the electricity it currently using methods like underwater turbines. To give us his reaction, Craig Stevens, Professor of Physics at the University of Auckland chats to Jesse.

Today marks an important anniversary in New Zealand's aviation history. 75 years ago today, the ribbon was cut on Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand's first international airport. President of the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand Reverand Dr Richard Waugh joins Jesse for a bit of a history lesson.

Our Changing World's Claire Concannon joins Jesse to share some exciting news about the Kakapo Files.

Bear Grylls has done some really hard things; fighting off a boa constrictor in a flooded ravine, drinking liquid from elephant dung in the dry Savannah, climbing Mount Everest. But the world-famous adventurer, survival expert, and former British Special Forces soldier says the hardest thing he's ever done is writing a book about the life of Jesus. He takes the Bible's story of Jesus and, without altering the facts, reimagines it as a modern thriller. It's written in the first person from the perspectives of five people who knew Christ best. The book is called, The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account, Bear Grylls

Kelly Gibney joins me to chat all things food and share a recipe. You can find the recipe here

Music 101 producer Tony Stamp suggests some songs to listen to: Sharon Jones: How Do You Let a Good Man Down Gnonnas Pedro and his Dadjes Band: Feso Jaiye

Time for heading off, our weekly travel segment, where you share your adventures and offer any tips or tricks to wannabe travellers. Today we're off to the home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee with RNZ newsreader and producer Angie Skerett.