Our kinship with plants is etched out in the mythology on which our societies are founded, and in the web of life it is a scientific fact that we are indeed close kin to the plant kingdom. So why do we not live like we are, asks Matt Hall. There are no prizes for guessing … Read more
Rates of antidepressant medication dispensing are on the rise among young people, according to a new study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today. What can this tell us about our prescribing habits and the demographics missing out? According to an article in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the rates of antidepressant dispensing (the … Read more
The outspoken parliamentary commissioner for the environment has released a tough new report about the lack of good environmental data. So why does that matter? What’s all this then? We don’t know what we don’t know, and when it comes to the environment, that’s a problem. So now the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) … Read more
Taxpayer funded research that could be improving the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders is being locked behind paywalls, thanks to a profit-focused approach to academic publishing, argues Mandy Henk of open access advocacy group Tohatoha NZ. It was a heady time to be in libraries. In ye olden times, libraries subscribed to scholarly journals … Read more
The government will put $26 million towards a partnership that aims to measure global methane emissions from space, and mission control will be right here in this country. What’s all this then? The Environmental Defense Fund – based in the US which explains the incorrect spelling – has big plans to take the fight against … Read more
Vanessa Young visited Dr Nathaniel Davis’s lab to witness the concentrated capture of the sun’s energy. In just one hour the earth receives more energy from the sun than humanity can use in a year. But capturing the sun’s energy has been famously hard – and expensive – because it is spread out of a … Read more
More than 150 New Zealand scientists under 30 have signed a letter to the Green Party urging a rethink of its stance on the regulation of genetic modification. The full text of the letter follows. To the members and supporters of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and their representatives in government Climate change … Read more
The lithium-ion battery has won this year’s Chemistry Nobel Prize. Justin Hodgkiss celebrates the slow and steady speed of technological developments. Back in the 1970s, when the lithium-ion battery research recognised by the Nobel Prize committee was still in the lab, mobile phones and laptops existed only in our imaginations or science fiction. Today, … Read more
Was the SkyCity Convention Centre construction site at higher risk of fire than any other construction site or building? Alex Braae asks the experts. A fire at the SkyCity Convention Centre construction site has continued to burn this morning, after a night of lighting up the Auckland CBD sky. The fire, which unconfirmed media reports … Read more
It might be tempting to yell, but there are more effective ways to talk to doubters about the value of vaccines, write Julie Leask and Maryke Steffens. Your neighbour is telling you about his new baby. He feels nervous about vaccinating, and says he’s considering delaying Lucy’s vaccines. Your mother’s group is chatting about vaccines. … Read more
Ten moose were upended into the Dusky Sounds in 1910. Now, their descendants are getting their day in the sun. The climate crisis is affecting wildlife all over the country: rockhopper penguin populations are in drastic decline, tuatara eggs aren’t hatching females, and the ice walls keeping predators away from kea are melting. But it’s … Read more
The actions of New Zealanders on land are increasingly harming the ocean’s ability to sustain life. Alex Braae looks at a worrying new government paper on the marine environment. What’s all this then? A new report from the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ has sounded alarming warning about state of the massive area … Read more
As someone with a severe chronic illness, Hannah McGowan has a vested interest in getting to the bottom of what cannabis can and can’t do for her health. The reality, she discovers, is complicated. Woo [colloq.]: Mystical, supernatural or pseudo-scientific beliefs not backed up by evidence. I crave a well informed, science-based conversation on the … Read more
The organisers of the Rugby World Cup have made the unprecedented decision to cancel two of the final pool games, citing safety concerns as a super typhoon threatens Japan. What’s this? Rugby CANCELLED? In my day we walked six miles barefoot in the snow to play rugby. The goal posts were made from old … Read more
There’s a lot of confusion around the symptoms and effects of dementia. Now, neuroscientists are partnering with playwrights to give a voice to the research. In labs and clinics across New Zealand, researchers are working towards an ambitious goal: to understand the biological mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as stroke and … Read more
The first ever Oral Health Equity Symposium was held on Thursday and Friday last week. Gabrielle Baker went along to see how the best in New Zealand’s dental sector are hoping to tackle inequities in New Zealand’s oral healthcare. It’s no secret that our health system works better for some than it does for others. … Read more
James Renwick explains why he’s investing prize money from a PM’s science award into bringing artists and scientists together, and how you can be part of it. For me, it was The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. The book tells the story of the life of Holly Sykes, from the 1980s to the 2040s. The … Read more
The loss of Antarctic ice sheets will likely cause a sea-level rise of 20 metres in coming centuries, a Victoria University-led study says. The earth is heating up and the planet has been here before. A new study into the mid-Pliocene’s climate reveals how today’s polar ice sheets may respond to climate rises expected this … Read more
An update from Auckland, Waitematā and Manukau DHBs reveals that two women have lost unborn babies as a result of complications from measles. Fewer cases are being reported, but the risk is still real. What happened? The Auckland Regional Public Health Service advised that while there have been no deaths, five pregnant women have contracted the … Read more
A series of reviews, published today, found little evidence of health benefits from reducing red or processed meat consumption, and already they’re proving highly controversial. NZ experts assess the findings. Existing guidelines tend almost invariably to advise people to curb the red meat component of diets. Following five reviews of “the relationship between meat consumption … Read more
Just a glance at our child obesity stats shows how severely inadequate our current advertising codes really are, argues public health medicine specialist Dr Michael Hale. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, or so the saying goes. So when a well-known fast food restaurant offered 50,000 ‘free’ burgers to consumers last month, there … Read more
Freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy makes a plea to politicians and the public, urging them to trust that the people who study water quality know what they’re talking about. Imagine you had just stepped onto a plane, and the captain’s voice came over the intercom. “We’ve been held back from take-off while the engineers look … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Ruby Porter looks into New Zealand’s future when the sea level rises 10, 25 and 80 metres, and finds out how much of Auckland will be left. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! I grew up in Ponsonby, but the only bay I … Read more
In this episode of our new tarot reading show Wild Card, The Spinoff’s resident psychic divines the outcome of the All Blacks’ opening match against the Springboks on Saturday. In the first and potentially only episode of Wild Card, we have a focus on sport. The Spinoff’s psychic-in-residence, Jo Sees, specialises in divining breakups and … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Just how much of an impact would a shift to vegetarian diets have on the battle to halt climate change, asks Mirjam Guesgen. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! Kiwi cuisine is replete with meat: fish and chips, meat and three veg, steak … Read more
Covering Climate Now: The release of the new Nissan Leaf electric vehicle signals a shift in the role of cars in our society. Simon Day was at the launch of the new model. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! According to the Ministry of … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Earlier this year, the climate change response (zero carbon) bill had its first reading. The public was then invited to submit their takes on it to the government. We assessed a few of the stranger ones. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Currently, more than a third of all of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions come from sheep and cattle. There’s no easy solution, but a variety of anti-methane methods are being developed to curb this gaseous issue. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us … Read more
Covering Climate Now: A changing climate means changing landscapes and changing lives. Mirjam Guesgen talks to the experts about the implications at two ends of New Zealand. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! Auckland is known for its sandy, inviting coastlines and sprawling urban … Read more