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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 6]
First Microplastics Found In Antarctic Snow – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 8 June 2022, 11:08 am | Science Media Centre
In a world-first, a New Zealand study has confirmed microplastics are present in Antarctica’s Ross Island region. Kiwi researchers analysed fresh snow from 19 sites, finding an average concentration of 29 microplastic particles per litre of melted ... More >>
Modelling NZ’s Next Omicron Wave – Expert Reaction
Friday, 3 June 2022, 11:56 am | Science Media Centre
How might waning immunity and reinfection affect our next wave of COVID-19? Researchers have modelled different scenarios to predict what the coming months might look like. The researchers found that a second COVID wave arose in the latter half of 2022 in ... More >>
Taxing Sugary Drinks Packs A Punch On Sales – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 2 June 2022, 10:32 am | Science Media Centre
A new research review finds “conclusive evidence” that a sugary beverage tax is linked with a 15% sales drop on average. More than 45 countries have taxed sugary drinks but New Zealand has not. Researchers analysed dozens of studies on sugary ... More >>
Second Covid-19 Booster Approved For Vulnerable Groups - Expert Reaction
Friday, 27 May 2022, 1:39 pm | Science Media Centre
A second booster shot will be available from mid-June for people who are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. The final decision on who is eligible will be made in the coming fortnight, but it will include the older population, residents ... More >>
Wild Animals May Adapt Faster Than Thought, But Bad News For Hihi – Expert Reaction
Friday, 27 May 2022, 12:29 pm | Science Media Centre
Wild animals may be better at adapting to new conditions than scientists previously thought – but there’s an exception for New Zealand’s hihi/stitchbird. A research team including Aotearoa scientists looked at 15 species worldwide , finding their ... More >>
Science's Slice Of Budget 2022 - Expert Reaction
Friday, 20 May 2022, 1:48 pm | Science Media Centre
Budget 2022 has a relatively small amount of new cash allocated to science, research and innovation. This budget comes ahead of what could become a major overhaul of the research, science, and innovation sector in the coming years, with MBIE now ... More >>
Monkeypox Cases Spreading Overseas - Expert Reaction
Friday, 20 May 2022, 1:46 pm | Science Media Centre
The monkeypox virus, which causes fever symptoms and rashes, has been detected in countries across Europe and North America. The virus occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa - but now dozens of confirmed ... More >>
Emissions Reduction Plan – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 17 May 2022, 12:51 pm | Science Media Centre
The government has released its first plan on how to get to zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Emissions Reduction Plan proposes economy-wide changes to drive down New Zealand’s emissions. The SMC asked experts to comment on: An overview of the ... More >>
Forecasting The Next Five Years Of The COVID-19 Crisis – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 17 May 2022, 12:51 pm | Science Media Centre
An international report predicts the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to be a society-wide crisis of growing inequalities that span far beyond the health sector. The International Science Council report (to which Sir Peter Gluckman and Sir David Skegg contributed) ... More >>
Catching Covid-19 More Than Once – Expert Q&A
Thursday, 5 May 2022, 12:14 pm | Science Media Centre
New Covid-19 variants and waning immunity could see more New Zealanders catching the virus for a second time. As we head further from the peak of the vaccine campaign and the Omicron outbreak, people’s immunity will eventually start to wane . The ... More >>
Mycoplasma Bovis Nearly Eradicated - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 5 May 2022, 12:13 pm | Science Media Centre
The cattle disease which arrived in New Zealand nearly five years ago has been reduced down to a single farm. It comes after a world-first eradication campaign involving the culling of thousands of cattle, which MPI has described as one of its biggest-ever ... More >>
NZ Sea Levels May Rise Twice As Fast As Thought – Expert Reaction
Monday, 2 May 2022, 10:56 am | Science Media Centre
Sea-level rise in our biggest urban areas may happen two to three decades earlier than expected, fresh projections suggest. Scientists from the NZ SeaRise programme have designed a new online tool that shows sea-level rise projections by ... More >>
New Water Organisations To Be Owned Locally – Expert Reaction
Friday, 29 April 2022, 4:51 pm | Science Media Centre
Local councils will own the proposed four new water entities – and local voices will be strengthened, the government has confirmed today. As part of transforming how the three waters services are managed, the government has responded to a working ... More >>
Urgent Need To Restore Land And Forests – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 28 April 2022, 3:12 pm | Science Media Centre
Up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, says a major UN assessment of how countries manage and use land resources – soil, water and biodiversity. The report says that restoring land, soils and forests could contribute more than one-third of what’s ... More >>
Blueprint To Adapt To A Warmer World – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 27 April 2022, 5:38 pm | Science Media Centre
The government’s first formal plan for adapting to climate change – including effects like floods, fire, drought and sea-level rise – is now out for public feedback. This first step brings together what’s being done already and what could be done ... More >>
A Plan To Save Nature Within 30 Years – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 21 April 2022, 3:47 pm | Science Media Centre
Efforts to safeguard New Zealand’s native plants and wildlife are spelled out in a newly-launched government plan, including easing tourism impacts and more coordination and community-led activities. The Conservation Minister says 4000 species ... More >>
Sorting Out Our Supply Chain Woes – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 20 April 2022, 5:33 pm | Science Media Centre
Major challenges facing New Zealand’s freight and supply chain system are laid out in a paper released today for public consultation. The government paper says we’re unlikely to return to a pre-pandemic working environment, and suggests various ... More >>
The State Of The Environment In Aotearoa – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 14 April 2022, 4:17 pm | Science Media Centre
A triennial report on the state of the environment has changed the way it reports its findings, drawing more on mātauranga Māori and exploring the link between the environment and our wellbeing. This year’s Environment Aotearoa 2022 ... More >>
NZ Moves To The Orange Traffic Light Setting – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 13 April 2022, 5:17 pm | Science Media Centre
Indoor gathering limits and seating requirements will be removed when the country moves to Orange at 11:59pm tonight. The Orange setting lifts some masking requirements. They will now be encouraged in schools, for example, but will still be required for ... More >>
Ruapehu Unrest Heightens - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 13 April 2022, 2:45 pm | Science Media Centre
Mt Ruapehu’s crater lake is belching CO at the second highest level ever recorded at the site. GNS says the changes suggest magma may now be driving the unrest, increasing the chances of further volcanic activity – however an eruption ... More >>
