scigest - Bioeconomy Science Institute podcasts

Author: New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science Limited

Welcome to Scigest - podcast-sized servings of digestible science from the Bioeconomy Research Institute. Join us as we explore the advancements and impact our scientists are making in advancing innovation in agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, biotechnology and manufacturing; protecting ecosystems from biosecurity threats and climate risks; and developing new bio-based technologies and products. Listen to our scientists as they share and discuss current research in Aotearoa New Zealand, and beyond in this award-winning podcast collection. Make sure to visit www.plantandfood.com/scigest for even more information on Scigest! To help you discover the podcast topics and research that interests you, Scigest is split into series, each covering different scientific topics. The series are as follows: PPF: PeoplePlanetFood FTS: From the sea FTL: From the land BDIS: Biosecurity, disease and insect science STK: Science in the kitchen NT: New technologies ID: International development SLFM: Science life for me (Our people) SMAS: Science movers and shakers SIS: Starting in science
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Language: en-nz

Genres: Health & Fitness, Natural Sciences, Nutrition, Science

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The Allan Herbarium - 800,000 specimens and counting (FTL)
Wednesday, 6 May, 2026

The Allan Herbarium houses plant species from around the world, with a particular focus on indigenous and exotic plants of Aotearoa, New Zealand and the South Pacific. It contains approximately 800,000 specimens, which include dried plants, lichens, mosses, liverworts, seeds, fruits, wood, liquid-preserved specimens, and microscope slides. In this Scigest episode, host and scientist Rebecca Bloomer speaks with Allan Herbarium curator Jessie Prebble and collections manager Ines Schonberger about the science, history and global collaborations behind the collection. Jessie shares how the Herbarium supports research and public engagement, while Ines offers insight into the day-to-day work of managing and preserving the collection. Together, they explore the Herbarium’s remarkable history — including specimens collected during Captain Cook’s first voyage — and discuss how these centuries-old collections continue to support modern science, from DNA analysis to biosecurity research. For more information on the collection please see: https://tinyurl.com/Allan-Herbarium To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links mentioned in this podcast please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest