Nights for Thursday 30 July 2009

7 pm News & Weather

7:15 Ranking Countries

Nic Marks Founder, New Economics Foundation

Trying to develop new global measures for progress, such as the Happy Planet Index' - recently Costa Rica was found to be a cheeriest country in the world.

7:30 Spectrum:

People, places and events in New Zealand.

8 pm News & Weather

8:15 Windows on the World:

International public radio documentaries.

8:45 Starry Starry Night - Astronomy

Alan Gilmore, astronomer, Mt John University Observatory

"Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mindbogglingly big it is. I mean you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space" Douglas Adams.

This week, the size of galaxies, spots on Jupiter and whether it's worth manning a mission to Mars.

8:59 Conundrum: Clue 7

9 pm News & Weather

9:06 Our Changing World:

Radio New Zealand's science and environment programme.

9:59 Conundrum: Clue 8

10 pm News & Weather

10:17 Late Edition:

A review of the leading news from Morning Report, Nine to Noon, Afternoons and Checkpoint. Also hear the latest news from around the Pacific on Radio New Zealand International's Dateline Pacific.

11 pm News & Weather

11:06The Music Mix