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]
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 >>
Managing COVID-19 Risk From Overseas - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 1 October 2020, 3:17 pm | Science Media Centre
A flurry of new imported COVID-19 cases has been announced today, with ten on the same flight from India. Twelve new cases in total have been detected in managed isolation facilities today. The Ministry of Health said the high number of cases reflects that ... More >>
Cross-country Review Highlights NZ's COVID-19 Strategy - Expert Reaction
Friday, 25 September 2020, 12:40 pm | Science Media Centre
A just-published policy review in The Lancet says more countries should consider taking a 'zero-COVID' approach to tackling the pandemic. An international team of experts, including Helen Clark, have compared nine countries and regions' ... More >>
Flu And Measles Vaccine Reports – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 16 September 2020, 4:20 pm | Science Media Centre
The Ministry of Health has released two reports into this year’s flu immunisation campaign and last year’s measles outbreak. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the Ministry recognised there were difficulties with vaccine distribution ... More >>
Supplement Linked To Liver Harm Taken Off Shelves – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 16 September 2020, 10:37 am | Science Media Centre
Dietary supplement Arthrem will be taken off shelves in exchange for Medsafe withdrawing its prosecution against the manufacturer. Medsafe says Arthrem’s manufacturer Promisia was in breach of the law by effectively promoting the supplement ... More >>
Alert Level Status Quo Stays A Little Longer – Expert Reaction
Monday, 14 September 2020, 3:36 pm | Science Media Centre
Aotearoa New Zealand will stay at its current Covid-19 Alert Level settings for at least another week to mitigate remaining risks of transmission, the Prime Minister announced today. Aucklanders will remain at Alert Level 2.5 for at least another ... More >>
Cross-party Mental Health Report - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 10 September 2020, 9:33 am | Science Media Centre
A group of MPs from across the political spectrum have released their vision for zero suicide in Aotearoa. The cross-party Mental Health and Addiction Wellbeing Group was launched in August last year, with the intention of putting politics aside to ... More >>
A Second COVID-19 Death In Auckland - Expert Reaction
Saturday, 5 September 2020, 3:57 pm | Science Media Centre
The former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Dr Joseph Williams QSO, has died in Auckland City Hospital. Dr Williams, who was in his 80s, was admitted to Auckland City Hospital on 13 August and passed away yesterday evening. His passing brings ... More >>
Tenth Anniversary Of The Darfield Earthquake - Expert Reaction
Friday, 4 September 2020, 9:33 am | Science Media Centre
Ten years ago today, Cantabrians were woken by a major, unexpected shake. The magnitude 7.1 quake was followed by a series of damaging aftershocks, including the fatal Christchurch earthquake six months later. The SMC asked experts to comment on the progress made ... More >>
Racism In Healthcare And COVID-19 - Expert Reaction
Friday, 4 September 2020, 8:53 am | Science Media Centre
Two studies have documented the effects of inequity and racism in our healthcare system. A Te Pūnaha Matatini study shows the estimated COVID-19 infection fatality rate for Māori is 50 per cent higher than for non-Māori - and could even be higher ... More >>
Steroids Help Treat Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 3 September 2020, 12:13 pm | Science Media Centre
A review of seven clinical trials finds corticosteroids improve the chance of survival for COVID-19 patients. The research pooled data from more than 1,700 patients from around the world, including a trial run in New Zealand. It is authored by the World ... More >>
Cyber Attack Campaign Warning - Expert Reaction
Monday, 31 August 2020, 5:06 pm | Science Media Centre
An 'ongoing campaign' of cyber attacks has prompted the GCSB to issue a warning for New Zealand businesses. Two major news outlets have been hit with unsuccessful cyber attacks today, but the attacks have taken the NZX site down for the fifth trading ... More >>
COVID-19 Vaccines Developed With Human Embryonic Cells – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 27 August 2020, 8:12 am | Science Media Centre
Religious leaders and anti-abortion groups have raised concerns over the use of human cells in COVID-19 vaccine development. Senior Catholic leaders in the United States and Canada, along with other anti-abortion groups, have protested the use ... More >>
NZX Affected By Cyber Attack - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 26 August 2020, 1:33 pm | Science Media Centre
The New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) was down again briefly on Wednesday morning. This followed a shut down and trading halt on Tuesday afternoon due to a DDoS attack. The SMC asked experts to comment on the attack. Professor Dave Parry, Department ... More >>
First Confirmed Case Of COVID-19 Reinfection – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 25 August 2020, 11:52 am | Science Media Centre NZ
A man in Hong Kong is the first confirmed case to have been infected with SARS-Co-V2 for a second time. Researchers in Hong Kong sequenced the virus genomes from both of the man’s infections and found significant differences, suggesting that the ... More >>
Alert Level Update And Mandatory Masks On Public Transport – Expert Reaction
Monday, 24 August 2020, 4:59 pm | Science Media Centre
Auckland will stay in Alert Level 3 for the rest of the week. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the city will move to Alert Level 2 on Sunday at 11.59pm, but gatherings will be limited to ten people. The rest of the country will remain at Alert Level ... More >>
