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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 22]
Alert Level 3 South Of Auckland – Expert Reaction
Friday, 27 August 2021, 4:39 pm | Science Media Centre
All regions south of Auckland will shift to alert level 3 next Tuesday, to be reviewed on Mon 6th Sept. Auckland and Northland will remain in level 4, likely for at least another fortnight – with Cabinet to review this. The decisions come after 70 new ... More >>
How warming oceans increased marine biodiversity
Friday, 27 August 2021, 2:24 pm | Science Media Centre
New Zealand has marine fossil records that span the course of 40 million years. Now they’re giving us a glimpse at how marine life responds to a warming ocean. A new paper in Science has found past biodiversity increased alongside warming ocean ... More >>
Airborne virus spread “vastly underappreciated”
Friday, 27 August 2021, 1:16 pm | Science Media Centre
What we’ve learned so far about how Covid-19 spreads shows we need to re-evaluate how all respiratory infectious diseases pass among us, according to a new review in Science. Up until the pandemic, it’s been understood that the small droplets ... More >>
Waning immunity to Covid-19 – Expert Reaction
Friday, 27 August 2021, 1:02 pm | Science Media Centre
Health officials are considering booster shots for Covid-19, in the wake of Israel’s decision to offer a third shot, and the US’s call to offer a booster to certain immune-compromised people. What do we know about how Covid immunity declines over ... More >>
Toxic fumigant to be phased out by 2033
Thursday, 26 August 2021, 10:46 am | Science Media Centre
The EPA has decided to gradually phase out use of methyl bromide gas by 2033. The ozone-depleting gas is used in New Zealand to kill pests from trade cargo, almost exclusively to sterilise logs and export timber. The EPA says New Zealand’s use ... More >>
Lockdown Lifestyle Advice Differs With Delta – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 25 August 2021, 7:49 pm | Science Media Centre
The extension of Level 4 lockdown across the country, announced Monday, poses challenges in keeping well and active while largely staying at home. And in this lockdown, a key difference is the Delta variant – and how that’s changed the expectations ... More >>
Over half of cases in Delta outbreak are Pacific people
Wednesday, 25 August 2021, 8:38 am | Science Media Centre
More than half of cases in the current COVID-19 outbreak are Pasifika people after an infected person went to a church service. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said an August 15 service at the Assembly of God Church of Samoa remains the event ... More >>
Longer lockdown for all NZ
Tuesday, 24 August 2021, 9:38 am | Science Media Centre
Level 4 lockdown is to continue across the whole country until at least midnight on Friday. Meanwhile, Auckland will remain in lockdown for at least another full week. The next steps for areas outside of Auckland will be reviewed on Friday, while ... More >>
Mandatory scanning and record keeping – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 24 August 2021, 9:35 am | Science Media Centre
Businesses and events will now be responsible for ensuring people keep a record when they visit, for Covid-19 contact tracing purposes. People will be asked to use the Covid Tracer app or other forms of record keeping at these locations at all alert ... More >>
Covid vaccines for early teens – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 19 August 2021, 4:19 pm | Science Media Centre
Children as young as 12 can have their vaccine from 1st Sept, or even earlier if they're accompanying a pre-booked adult. The decision has come from Cabinet today, after Medsafe gave provisional approval for the 12-15 age bracket in June. The SMC ... More >>
Mandatory masking and Delta – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 18 August 2021, 3:27 pm | Science Media Centre
Masks will be mandatory in essential stores from tomorrow, as the government announces the new rule to help curb the Covid-19 Delta outbreak. Masks will be required for everyone over 11 years old in places like supermarkets, bus terminals, and taxis. ... More >>
The second nationwide Covid-19 lockdown - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 18 August 2021, 11:04 am | Science Media Centre
The country is going back into a level 4 lockdown at 11:59pm tonight, for just the second time since the pandemic began. It comes after a community case was discovered in Auckland. The man, a 58-year-old male from Devonport, on Auckland's North Shore, ... More >>
Govt Resets Covid-19 Approach, Announcing Steps To Reopen NZ - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 12 August 2021, 3:21 pm | Science Media Centre
A speedup of the Covid-19 vaccination rollout and a border opening pilot trial are coming this year, as part of the government's plan to reopen the borders. All over-16s will be eligible for the jab from September, but the time between doses ... More >>
When Can We Safely Open The Borders? – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 11 August 2021, 11:21 am | Science Media Centre
The more infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 means a large chunk of New Zealand needs to be vaccinated before we can begin to re-open the borders, according to new science advice. The Strategic COVID-19 Public Health Advisory Group also advises ... More >>
Human-induced Climate Change Is Already Affecting Weather And Climate Extremes Across The Globe
Tuesday, 10 August 2021, 9:47 am | Science Media Centre
Human-induced climate change is already affecting weather and climate extremes across the globe, according to the latest report from Working Group 1 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). More >>
AstraZeneca Vaccine Provisionally Approved For NZ - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 29 July 2021, 5:39 pm | Science Media Centre
New Zealand’s medicines regulator Medsafe has given the provisional green light to the AstraZeneca vaccine, making it the third Covid-19 vaccine approved for use among NZ’s adult population. The viral vector vaccine is one of four purchase agreements ... More >>
Supermarket Competition ‘not Working Well’ For Kiwis – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 29 July 2021, 10:16 am | Science Media Centre
A draft report released by the Commerce Commission says New Zealand’s supermarket sector is a ‘duopoly’, with other grocery stores largely unable to compete on price. The report , which was commissioned by the Government last year, recommends ... More >>
Controlling M. Bovis In NZ, Four Years On – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 21 July 2021, 9:04 am | Science Media Centre
On 21 July 2017, the bacteria Mycoplasma bovis was first found in New Zealand cattle. A year later, in May 2018, we became the first country in the world to aim to eradicate it. To mark four years since the disease’s discovery in Kiwi cows, the SMC asked ... More >>
The Ethics Of Caring For The Orca Toa – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 20 July 2021, 12:54 pm | Science Media Centre
An intensive search for the pod of the stranded baby orca – named Toa – has continued daily for the last week-and-a-half. The young orca calf has been cared for around-the-clock by Department of Conservation (DOC) staff and volunteers ... More >>
Frequent Flooding In NZ – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 20 July 2021, 8:55 am | Science Media Centre
Last weekend’s wild weather provoked severe flooding in the Buller and Marlborough regions – the third major flood event in New Zealand this year. Residents, farmers and authorities face much work ahead to repair and rebuild, and it’s estimated ... More >>
