Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand's only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
Science Media Centre NZ - Latest News [Page 1]
COVID-19 Emerging Variants – Expert Reaction
Friday, 15 January 2021, 4:17 pm | Science Media Centre
The global community is rushing to respond to new variants of the novel coronavirus, which appear to spread faster than their earlier counterparts. The Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases yesterday called on the New Zealand Government to begin its ... More >>
COVID-19 Emerging Variants
Thursday, 14 January 2021, 12:09 pm | Science Media Centre
The global community is rushing to respond to new variants of the novel coronavirus, which appear to spread faster than their earlier counterparts. The Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases yesterday called on the New Zealand Government to begin its ... More >>
NIWA’s Annual Climate Summary 2020 – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 12 January 2021, 5:08 pm | Science Media Centre
Last year was the seventh warmest on record for New Zealand, according to NIWA’s annual climate summary for 2020. It has been almost four years since New Zealand has had a month with below average temperatures, the climate stocktake says. Furthermore, ... More >>
Catching COVID-19 From Surfaces – Expert Q&A
Wednesday, 18 November 2020, 2:41 pm | Science Media Centre
A number of cases of COVID-19 transmission suggest that contaminated surfaces may play a role in spreading the disease. This week, Reuters reported that the virus was detected on meat products in eastern China imported from New Zealand, Argentina, ... More >>
Moderna Vaccine Trial Results – Expert Reaction V2
Tuesday, 17 November 2020, 3:29 pm | Science Media Centre
US Company Moderna Has Announced That Their Leading Vaccine Against COVID-19 Is 95 Percent Effective. The analysis was based on the first 95 people to develop Covid-19 symptoms in a trial of 30,000 participants in the USA. This vaccine candidate uses ... More >>
Moderna Vaccine Trial Results – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 17 November 2020, 1:45 pm | Science Media Centre
US company Moderna has announced that their leading vaccine against COVID-19 is 95 percent effective. The analysis was based on the first 95 people to develop Covid-19 symptoms in a trial of 30,000 participants in the USA. This vaccine candidate uses ... More >>
Mandatory Masking On Auckland’s Public Transport – Expert Reaction
Monday, 16 November 2020, 4:50 pm | Science Media Centre
Cabinet has decided to make mask-wearing mandatory on Auckland’s public transport, while travelling in and out of the city, and on all domestic flights. Mask-wearing has so far only been required on planes and public transport at level 2 and above. ... More >>
Serious Risks From Liquid Ecstasy – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 11 November 2020, 4:50 pm | Science Media Centre
Recent reports suggest more Kiwis are overdosing with liquid ecstasy, particularly in the Wellington region. In response, High Alert has published an overview of the drugs GBL and GHB, also known as liquid ecstasy. The SMC asked experts to comment ... More >>
November Quarantine Cluster – Expert Reaction V2
Monday, 9 November 2020, 5:40 pm | Science Media Centre
The Ministry of Health has provided an update on the new cluster of COVID-19 cases which emerged in NZ over the weekend. The new cluster started when a quarantine worker at Auckland’s Jet Park facility tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. A close ... More >>
November Quarantine Cluster – Expert Reaction
Monday, 9 November 2020, 1:51 pm | Science Media Centre
The Ministry of Health has provided an update on the new cluster of COVID-19 cases which emerged in NZ over the weekend. The new cluster started when a quarantine worker at Auckland’s Jet Park facility tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. A close ... More >>
Kiwi Kids Among The Unhealthiest In The World – Expert Reaction
Friday, 6 November 2020, 1:36 pm | Science Media Centre
A worldwide study of children aged 5-19 years found that kids in New Zealand are gaining more weight, and becoming less healthy, than many other countries. Researchers analysed data from 200 countries to track trends in height, weight and BMI from 1985 ... More >>
Māori Diabetes Patients Missing Out On Key Medicine – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 5 November 2020, 3:47 pm | Science Media Centre
Māori patients receive fewer prescriptions for common diabetes medication Metformin than non-Māori patients, and may have worse health as a result, according to New Zealand research. The researchers studied prescriptions from doctors, dispensing ... More >>
Mental Health Impacts Of NZ's Lockdown Revealed - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 5 November 2020, 9:44 am | Science Media Centre
New Zealand’s lockdown reduced wellbeing – particularly among young adults – according to a survey of 2,000 Kiwis taken in April 2020. University of Otago researchers found that almost 40 per cent reported low wellbeing, and about a third reported ... More >>
Community Transmission From Isolation Facility – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 3 November 2020, 2:38 pm | Science Media Centre
The Ministry of Health has released more details of the managed isolation staff member infected with COVID-19. The person is a member of the health team working at the Sudima Christchurch Airport, where international mariners are quarantined. ... More >>
Environmental Disruption Could Cause More Pandemics – Expert Reaction
Friday, 30 October 2020, 11:50 am | Science Media Centre
An international report looks at the link between the degradation of nature and increasing pandemic risks. The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Workshop Report on Biodiversity and Pandemics also tallies the economic ... More >>
Ports And COVID-19 – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 21 October 2020, 9:31 am | Science Media Centre
Two coronavirus cases have been detected at New Zealand ports in the past week. One was a port worker who is suspected to have caught the disease while working on a ship in Auckland, and the other was a crew member on a ship docked in the Port ... More >>
New Community Case Of COVID-19 – Expert Reaction
Sunday, 18 October 2020, 5:08 pm | Science Media Centre
There is one new community case of COVID-19 in New Zealand, Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced today. The person is a man who works on ships that have been at the Ports of Auckland and Port Taranaki. The man returned returned a positive COVID-19 test ... More >>
Climate Change Threatens Kūmara Crops - Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 6 October 2020, 5:26 pm | Science Media Centre
The majority of sweet potato varieties may not be able to survive rising global temperatures, according to new research. Peruvian and French researchers tested nearly 2,000 sweet potato strains, finding just 6.7 per cent are heat-tolerant. They suggest ... More >>
Auckland Moves To Alert Level 1 – Expert Reaction
Monday, 5 October 2020, 1:22 pm | Science Media Centre
Auckland will join the rest of New Zealand at Alert Level 1 on Wednesday night, Jacinda Ardern has announced. The decision comes nearly two weeks since the last evidence of community transmission. However, the Prime Minister urged Kiwis to continue ... More >>
Can We Improve Coronavirus Testing? – Expert Q&A
Friday, 2 October 2020, 10:13 am | Science Media Centre
Nearly A Million Kiwis Have Been Tested For COVID-19 Since January While nasal swabs and PCR analysis are currently the standard practice for testing in New Zealand, scientists continue to investigate new types of tests and testing strategies. The ... More >>
