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 full here)

Co-authors include Otago University archaeologists Chris Jacomb and Richard Walter and Canterbury University palaeobiologist Richard Holdaway.

…

“…It means we can study moa at a population level rather than as a regional presence, and it can tell us things about where the moa being hunted and laying eggs were living, so we can tell if they were in valley floors or hilltops, [said Jacomb].”"

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“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 of experts to conduct the review.”

Kiwi inventions include the Wellington Motor, tranquiliser guns, and the electric fence.

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“In NZ, if something stops working, we hit it, open it up, put it back together, hit it again, duct tape it, put a coathanger in it and eventually get it going again. In fact, I’m surprised MacGyver wasn’t a Kiwi.

“Over the years, Kiwis have been responsible for the creation of some great inventions and the development of many techniques and practices.

“In today’s post, I’m outlining some of the best ideas to come out of Aotearoa. It’s by no means a complete list – there are many more I couldn’t fit (don’t even get me started on the pavlova).”

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.

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“Half of colon cancer patients suffer a recurrence of the disease within five years of treatment because of its spread (metastasis) to other parts of the body.

“And according to the scientists, who reported their findings in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Proteome Research, until now there have been no reliable chemical markers in the body to predict whether it will spread or not.

“The scientists started out by looking at one colon cancer patient and comparing the proteins produced by the original tumour cells to those of metastasized cells.”

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 the data drawn from the DNA will give local archeologists and palaeobiologists new insights into the history, hunting, and extinction of the moa.

Media coverage:

ABC Science: Moa eggshells yield ancient DNA

AFP: Scientists tease DNA from eggshell of extinct birds

BBC: DNA of extinct birds extracted from ancient eggshell

Cosmos: Ancient DNA teased from fossil eggshells

Discovery News:  Fossilized Eggshells Yield DNA

Metro: Dinosaur DNA rebuilt from ancient eggs

The Daily Mail: Scientists get closer to real-life Jurassic Park after extracting DNA from fossilised eggshells

The Guardian: DNA from fossilised eggshells could help reconstruct lives of extinct birds

The article also looks at the winners of the other prizes.

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“Through their research, the scientists have established world-leading export businesses in high-temperature superconductor products.

“Their breakthrough allows for smaller, lighter, more efficient machines and more environmentally friendly technology that could give companies savings in everything from power transmission to manufacturing.

“Prime Minister John Key, who presented the awards, said New Zealand would have to tap into the “brainpower” of scientists such as Dr Tallon and Dr Buckley if it was going to be a better country “on a number of fronts”.”

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 atmosphere.

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“A lot of Dr Sherlock’s time is spent analysing data but once every three months she heads to NIWA’s atmospheric research station in Lauder, Central Otago, to work on the actual experiments.

“”This is going to potentially provide very useful complementary information to help researchers understand the global carbon cycle better, and to enable us to monitor how effective measures to reduce emissions has been.”

“Despite our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases though, Dr Sherlock says results so far show carbon dioxide continues to increase its concentration in the atmosphere at a continued rate of two parts per million a year.”

They have suggested that, like heels, jandals should not be worn regularly, or when doing a lot of walking.

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“”The fact jandals can be damaging is usually a surprise to people as they associate them with relaxation and comfort,” NZCA spokesman Dr Simon Kelly said.

“”But we’ve known for some time that when people walk in jandals they alter their stride to compromise for the lack of support the sandal provides. Jandal wearers tend to grip the shoe with their toes while walking, forcing them to take shorter steps. This modification in gait produces muscle imbalances and improper joint mechanics, leading to dysfunction in various parts of the body.”"

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 pharmacies.

“She says Medsafe has come up with no evidence that there is a problem that needs to be fixed.

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, with no loss of energy, which has a variety of applications.

“”You can use those coils in generators, in motors. And they can be very much smaller and more compact and more powerful, lighter.”

“Dr Buckley says the prize is a significant honour, and recognises their work using cutting-edge science to create a world-leading industry. He says industries related to superconductor technology developed over the next decade could potentially pull in $100 million in revenue.”