Science Media Centre

Paul Gorman reports in The Press on the first successful isolation of DNA from ancient eggshell fossils by an international team including researchers from the University of Otago.
The eggshell fragments include those from moa, and it is hoped they will enable reserachers to better understand the history, and demise, of the birds.
An excerpt: (read in [...]

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has asked that the work of the IPCC be reviewed by the world’s science agencies.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Mr Ban said the overall concept of man-made climate change was robust, and action to curb emissions badly needed.
“Work will be co-ordinated by the Inter-Academy Council, which will convene a panel [...]

Luke Appleby writes for Stuff about some of the inventions pioneered by New Zealanders over the years.
Kiwi inventions include the Wellington Motor, tranquiliser guns, and the electric fence.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“In NZ, if something stops working, we hit it, open it up, put it back together, hit it again, duct tape it, put [...]

The NBR reports on the discovery by Chinese researchers of two molecules which could be important in the fight against the metastasis of colon cancer.
The molecules could be used to test whether colon cancer has metastasized – spread to other parts of the body – and could as a result potentially save lives.
An excerpt: (read [...]

For the first time, DNA has been successfully extracted from fossilized eggshells, with some of the fragments being from moa.
The international team, which included scientists from the University of Otago, published the paper in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.    Previous attempts to perform this kind of extraction had been unsuccessful, and it is hoped [...]

Andrew Koubaridis writes in the New Zealand Herald about the winners of the inaugural Prime Minister’s Science Prizes, in particular the winners of the top award, given for their work on high temperature superconductors: Dr Jeff Tallon and Dr Bob Buckley.
The article also looks at the winners of the other prizes.
An excerpt: (read in full [...]

An article in the Dominion Post looks at the work being done by NIWA research scientist Vanessa Sherlock.
Dr Sherlock is contributing to a new, global project which aims to take more accurate measurements of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, with the aim of better understanding of the movement of these gases into and out of the [...]

The New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA) says that a US study has shown that jandals are as bad as high heels in terms of causing bad posture and its resulting health problems.
They have suggested that, like heels, jandals should not be worn regularly, or when doing a lot of walking.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“”The [...]

Medsafe is calling for 70 cough and cold remedies to be banned from the shelves of supermarkets and dairies, citing concerns over their safety for children.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich says it would mean that New Zealanders pay up to 45% more for the same products in [...]

Dr Jeff Tallon and Dr Bob Buckley, of IRL, have been awarded the top prize at the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes.
Their work focuses on high temperature superconductors, an area in which New Zealand is a global development leader.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Dr Buckley says a coil of superconducting wire allows the flow of electricity, [...]

The science behind the catch
As we head into Sea Week and New Zealanders digest the message of the hard-hitting documentary The End of the Line which suggests we may be heading towards a “world without fish”, the SMC is gathering fisheries experts to look at New Zealand’s fisheries and their sustainability.
Every year, the country faces [...]