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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 64]
Budget 2011: The science sector responds
Thursday, 19 May 2011, 4:59 pm | Science Media Centre
Bill English unveiled the Budget for 2011-12 this afternoon and signalled a small reduction in science funding overall, with decreases in funding of genomics research and science infrastructure largely offset by funding being shifted into other areas. ... More >>
Experts on lignite proposals, future of coal
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 11:13 am | Science Media Centre
The future of coal in feeding growing energy needs here and abroad was the focus of a symposium in Wellington. More >>
Hard questions for PM on NZ water purity
Friday, 13 May 2011, 2:54 pm | Science Media Centre
Prime Minister John Key was in the hot seat this week as he appeared on the BBC current affairs show Hardtalk. More >>
SMC Heads-Up to 12 May: Hansen tour, foot & mouth
Friday, 6 May 2011, 4:32 pm | Science Media Centre
NASA climate scientist and activist Dr James Hansen arrives in New Zealand next week to hold a series of lectures on climate change. The controversial scientist's lectures will run under the title: Human made climate change: a moral, political ... More >>
Mass culling of livestock - new research on foot & mouth
Friday, 6 May 2011, 11:05 am | Science Media Centre
Mass culling of livestock questioned - new research on foot and mouth disease 6 May 2011 Cattle infected with foot and mouth disease (FMD) are only infectious for a brief window of time, around half what was previously thought, according to a study ... More >>
Is social media any good for science?
Friday, 29 April 2011, 4:43 pm | Science Media Centre
Amid a deluge of Facebook updates, Twitter "retweets" and blog posts, science is increasingly getting an airing on social networks, but the scientific community is proceeding with caution. The Media140 conference in Brisbane yesterday looked specifically ... More >>
SMC Heads-Up to 22 April: Stillbirths & Canon Media Awards
Friday, 15 April 2011, 3:47 pm | Science Media Centre
SMC press conferences and expert round-ups greeted the release this week of a comprehensive series of research papers from leading medical journal The Lancet on the tragedy of stillbirth. One baby out of every 130 who reach the midpoint of pregnancy in New ... More >>
Rebuilding Chch - earthquake engineers call for rethink
Wednesday, 13 April 2011, 5:30 pm | Science Media Centre
13 April 2011 Engineers are calling for a rethink in building design and standards in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes. Designing to save buildings as well as lives would improve the resilience of crucial infrastructure following high magnitude ... More >>
SMC Heads-Up to 14 April: NZPA demise, EQ Conference & More
Friday, 8 April 2011, 4:43 pm | Science Media Centre
It seems weird to contemplate news without a national wire service in the mix, but that's the likely outcome following Fairfax's move to withdraw as a backer of NZPA. More >>
Thorny issues for scientists talking climate
Friday, 1 April 2011, 5:12 pm | Science Media Centre
In a session at this week's Climate futures: Pathways for society forum in Wellington, a panel of science writers and journalists wrestled with what the best advice might be to give climate scientists seeking to reach out to the public. More >>
SMC Issue 126 March 25 - 31
Friday, 25 March 2011, 4:16 pm | Science Media Centre
Did the Media have a Meltdown? After wall to wall coverage of the effort to control the overheating reactors at the tsunami-damaged Fukushima power plant, the disaster has slipped well down the news agenda with the realisation that the dreaded nuclear ... More >>
Experts on Tokyo tap water contamination
Thursday, 24 March 2011, 11:29 am | Science Media Centre
Japanese officials confirmed overnight that samples of Tokyo tap water showed elevated radiation levels more than twice the recommended limit for infants. More >>
Expers on radioactivity in food near Fukushima
Tuesday, 22 March 2011, 11:49 am | Science Media Centre
"Milk samples show concentrations of iodine-131 ranging from 932 to 1,510 becquerels per kilogram, averaging 1,210 becquerels per kilogram; there is one caesium-137 measurement at 18.4 becquerels per kilogram. More >>
#EQNZ: "The very best of human spirit"
Friday, 18 March 2011, 4:55 pm | Science Media Centre
The country and Christchurch in particular paused today to reflect on the disastrous earthquake that struck the city at 12.51pm on February 22. Amid the moving tributes to the victims of the tragedy was an appeal from Prime Minister John Key to take ... More >>
Outside the evacuation zone: Health effects of low radiation
Friday, 18 March 2011, 4:15 pm | Science Media Centre
Media coverage and commentary on the crisis in Japan's Fukeshima Daiichi nuclear plant has focused intensely on possible acute effects from radiation exposure. In response, a local expert has contacted the Science Media Centre with the following ... More >>
Projected spread of radioactivity - Fukushima
Friday, 18 March 2011, 11:05 am | Science Media Centre
"The shape of any plume of material obviously depends on how high it goes - related to temperature of the damaged fuel - and weather. After Chernobyl, more volatile elements such as radiocaesium and radioiodine spread across Europe. Less volatile ... More >>
Japan's nuclear crisis - Q&A with experts
Monday, 14 March 2011, 10:55 am | Science Media Centre
Japanese nuclear authorities continue their efforts to avert nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima earthquake-damaged power plant. The following Q&A backgrounder is based on 'tweets' from scientists in response to questions from the journalists and the ... More >>
Science Media Centre: Experts on blast at nuclear plant
Sunday, 13 March 2011, 11:49 am | Science Media Centre
Authorities in Japan are scanning thousands of people for radiation exposure after The Japanese Government is struggling to cool its Fukushima nuclear power plant following a dramatic explosion at the plant which authorities say neverthless failed to breach ... More >>
Japan quake - no relation to Christchurch
Saturday, 12 March 2011, 3:33 pm | Science Media Centre
Japan quake - no relation to Christchurch 12 March 2011 Japan is dealing with a damaged nuclear reactor, widespread fires and the impact of a devastating tsunami in the wake of the 8.8M earthquake that struck the country last night. Contact the ... More >>
SMC Heads-Up to March 18: Sunscreen, Denialism and Sleep
Friday, 11 March 2011, 5:48 pm | Science Media Centre
Skin cancer - not all about early exposure As the heat of summer dissipates, a conference looking at melanoma, a disease that kills hundreds of Kiwis every year has examined the issues remaining in reducing harm from exposure to the sun. The conference featured ... More >>
