Magazine Articles
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The truth is up there
A brief history of space junk in, and above, Aotearoa. IN JANUARY 2019, CRICKET FANS AT A NEW ZEALAND-SRI LANKA MATCH AT THE BAY OVAL IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI WERE STARTLED BY A CLUSTER OF LIGHTS TRAVERSING THE NIGHT SKY. TURNS OUT THEY WERE BITS OF KOSMOS 2430, A RUSSIAN MILITARY SATELLITE, HEADED FOR THE SPACECRAFT
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Point of Return
Same place, different time. On the way up the West Coast to ride the Old Ghost Road in April 2019, I spotted this WOF sign in Waimangaroa, just north of Westport. We were running late, so as hard as it was for me to pass by an intriguing example of kiwiana, all I could do
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Stumbling in the dark
Illuminating LUMA. One of the many things we lost in 2020 was the LUMA Southern Light Project. As we welcome it back, musician and light artist Scott Kennedy ponders LUMA’s flickering dream of “maybe”. As I write this, it’s two weeks before the start of the LUMA Southern Light Project, and as you read this,
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Chasing monsters
The immortal goldfish is no laughing matter. LIKE HEDGEHOGS, GOLDFISH (CARASSIUS AURATUS) WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO EVOLVE INTO SOMETHING HUMANS FIND CUTE. THEY ARE NOT CUTE. THEY ARE TERRIFYING. YOU JUST DON’T KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN ONE OUTSIDE OF A TANK. Don’t let the glowing skin, big eyes and graceful tails fool you;
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BATTLETRUCK!
Laura Williamson revisits a post-apocalyptic action classic, filmed in her ‘hood. IT’S AFTER THE OIL WARS. AMERICA IS A RADIOACTIVE AFTERTHOUGHT WHERE MARAUDING BANDITS STALK THE COUNTRYSIDE ON THE HUNT FOR PETROL, AND WOMEN. THE RADIO CRACKLES IN THE BACKGROUND, A LITANY OF BAD NEWS: “GASOLINE ALL BUT UNATTAINABLE”, “FOOD RIOTS”, “OIL FIELDS IN ARABIA
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Decisions, decisions
Your whisky awaits you at the Bad Decision Shelter. Sounds good to us. Ideas arise when mates are passing whisky around late at night in a mountain hut. Some can lead to bad decisions. This is the story of an alcohol-fuelled bad decision that is also a good idea. The bad decision belonged to Will
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Fixed wings
The team at Twenty24 are making history airworthy again. HAVE YOU HEARD HOW NASA ONCE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DESIGNING A BALLPOINT PEN THAT WOULD WORK IN SPACE? THE SOVIETS JUST TOOK A PENCIL. The story’s probably apocryphal, but perhaps there’s some truth to it. Take a look at the fighter aircraft built by the
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Clinkered and cramponed
Lilian Familton’s audacious ascent of Mount Aspiring. “Day was now drawing to a close, the setting sun lit up the peaks in riotous colours of flaming crimson and gold. Purple shadows … all was peace” – Lilian Familton, New Zealand Alpine Journal Lilian Familton was wet. When she walked her boots squelched and it seemed
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The 1964 guide to the coolest small-town ice rinks in Aotearoa
ICE SKATING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. IT PROBABLY DATES TO THE BRONZE AGE, WHEN SCANDINAVIANS AND RUSSIANS STRAPPED THE BONES OF ELK, REINDEER (SORRY, RUDOLF) AND OXEN TO THEIR FEET SO THEY COULD GLIDE ALONG FROZEN WATERWAYS. MACABRE, BUT EFFECTIVE. The Dutch improved things by replacing the bone with metal blades and, in