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.

Contact Science Media Centre NZ

Website - www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
Email - smc@sciencemediacentre.co.nz
Phone - +64 4 499 5476
Mobile - +64 21 859 365
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Twitter - @smcnz
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Postal Address - PO Box 598, Wellington 6140

Science Media Centre NZ - Latest News [Page 6]

Reforms To NZ’s Science Sector – Expert Reaction

Friday, 24 January 2025, 4:21 pm | Science Media Centre

A new Prime Minister’s Science, Innovation and Technology Advisory Council will provide strategic direction and identify economic opportunities, while a new agency, Invest New Zealand, will focus on foreign direct investment. More >>

Kiwis Have High Trust In Science, Study Finds – Expert Reaction

Tuesday, 21 January 2025, 3:50 pm | Science Media Centre

Most people in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas also believe that scientists should play a greater role in society and policymaking, and that scientists should talk about science with the public. More >>

Beyond BMI: How Should We Be Diagnosing Obesity? – Expert Reaction

Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 2:09 pm | Science Media Centre

The global Commission on Clinical Obesity recommends focusing on measures of body fat, in addition to BMI, to avoid people being misdiagnosed. The Science Media Centre asked third-party NZ experts to comment. More >>

Carbon-storing Construction Materials – Expert Reaction

Friday, 10 January 2025, 10:02 am | Science Media Centre

The amount of CO2 storage needed worldwide is daunting and so storage in building materials deserves to be on the table alongside approaches like geological storage, further forestry planting, and other nature-based solutions, says Associate Professor ... More >>

NIWA’s Annual Climate Summary For 2024 – Expert Reaction

Wednesday, 8 January 2025, 1:36 pm | Science Media Centre

Of New Zealand’s 10 warmest years on record, eight have occurred since 2013. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have continued to rise, exceeding 420 parts per million (ppm) at NIWA’s monitoring station near Wellington in 2024. More >>

Meth Use Skyrockets – Expert Reaction

Thursday, 12 December 2024, 6:14 pm | Science Media Centre

“The latest findings of increasing meth use in New Zealand (+108%) are consistent with the previous quarter of wastewater testing results (+31%) and our own recent NZ Drugs Trends Survey (NZDTS) results which showed declining prices for meth (-36%) ... More >>

What To Know Before Becoming A New Greyhound Owner – Expert Q&A

Thursday, 12 December 2024, 6:09 pm | Science Media Centre

“Greyhounds can make a great companion for the whole family. Like any breed of dog, each greyhound is an individual with a unique personality. As with all dogs, their behaviour is impacted by a combination of genetics, early life experiences, ... More >>

New Food Standards For Lab-grown Meat – Expert Reaction

Thursday, 12 December 2024, 5:38 pm | Science Media Centre

Instead of going through the process of approving each new cell-cultured food individually as a novel food, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) proposes to establish clear standards that any cell-cultured food must comply with. More >>

Climate Commission Says Aim For Carbon-negative – Expert Reaction

Friday, 6 December 2024, 3:43 pm | Science Media Centre

The Commission says the current greenhouse gas targets are realistic and achievable, and that a loftier goal on both carbon and methane is also warranted. The Science Media Centre asked experts to comment. More >>

Govt Cuts Humanities And Social Science Funding - Expert Reaction

Thursday, 5 December 2024, 5:15 pm | Science Media Centre

The areas that have been cut include research in subjects like nursing, law, and archaeology. More >>

Bird Flu Found On Egg Farm In Otago – Expert Reaction

Monday, 2 December 2024, 6:28 pm | Science Media Centre

A ‘high pathogenic’ type of bird flu was confirmed in an Otago egg farm over the weekend. More >>

Negotiators Fail To Agree On A Global Plastics Treaty – Expert Reaction

Monday, 2 December 2024, 5:36 pm | Science Media Centre

Countries negotiating a global treaty to curb plastic pollution have failed to reach an agreement after a week of talks in Busan, South Korea. More >>

Learning From NZ’s Response To Covid-19 – Expert Reaction

Friday, 29 November 2024, 11:53 am | Science Media Centre

The over 700-page report was delivered to the Internal Affairs Minister and made publicly available this afternoon (28 Nov 2024). The report lists 39 recommendations to the government and its agencies, saying these recommendations should be “considered ... More >>

Radioactive Waste Storage In NZ – Expert Reaction

Wednesday, 27 November 2024, 5:22 pm | Science Media Centre

The Ministry of Health redesignated a section of Defence Force land for the facility, which became operational earlier this year. The facility stores low-level and intermediate-level waste from agricultural, research, education, and health sectors. More >>

Final Negotiations For A Global Plastics Treaty – Expert Reaction

Wednesday, 27 November 2024, 2:56 pm | Science Media Centre

More than 900 independent scientists have signed a declaration calling for an effective treaty to end plastic pollution by 2040. More >>

Cyclone Gabrielle's Impacts On NZ's Ecosystems - Expert Reaction

Tuesday, 26 November 2024, 12:48 pm | Science Media Centre

The symposium is part of the 2024 New Zealand Ecological Society Conference, where experts will speak on a wide variety of topics including Mātauranga Māori and ecology, how biological invasions misshape our world, Aotearoa’s own pekapeka/bats, and ... More >>