Science Media Centre

David Riddell writes in the Waikato Times about a recent talk by Professor Cam Nelson about New Zealand’s geological history – from its beginnings attached to Gondwanaland, to its current position.
The talk, intended to set the geological scene, is the first in a series which will be focused on New Zealand’s dinosaurs.
An excerpt: (read in [...]

Dan Satherley reports for 3 News on recent research showing that heavy drinkers are less likely to die than teetotallers.
While the reasons for this are unclear, scientists posit that it could be that drinkers are more relaxed and social than their non-drinking counterparts.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Former heavy drinkers were excluded from the study, [...]

Ellie Constantine writes in the Otago Daily Times about research which suggests that poor dietary choices have more to do with the affordability of healthy food than access or price.
The research, from New Zealand and Australia, shows that poor families spend a far larger proportion of their income on food (about 30%), and consequently are [...]

Glenda Lewis of The Press writes about an upcoming talk by visiting scientist and nanotech pioneer Dr Don Eigler, who will be giving a talk on the subject, including a possible demonstration of his powers with atoms, and what he sees coming in the future.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“The most exciting thing Eigler [...]

Kiran Chug of the Dominion Post writes that a medical expert is warning the public that complementary therapies not only don’t cure cancer, but some might even cause harm.
Professor Shaun Holt said in a public lecture yesterday that the efficacy of complementary therapies are not supported by scientific evidence.
An excerpt: (read [...]

Research, Science and Technology minister Wayne Mapp says he supports the protection of the Kermadec region, and hence the restriction of any mining activity in the area.
While the area is rich in mineral deposits, it is also virtually untouched, and seen as an important example of marine biodiversity.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“”Massive underwater mineral [...]

Colin Williscroft and Rebecca Fox write in the Otago Daily Times about a consultation meeting to be held on the subject of increasing the maximum groundwater take by almost 0.8 million cubic metres a year.
A GNS scientist has said that allocation limits are important, as overly low levels of water in aquifers could draw in [...]

An international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of Auckland, has found that there was a sudden release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at the end of the last ice age, which means that the same might occur as global warming continues.
The research suggested that the event may have been confined to [...]

Kiran Chug writes in the Dominion Post about a two-day conference starting at Te Papa today in which scientists will highlight, and look at, the work being done in the Kermadec region of New Zealand’s waters.
The area is being considered for mining, but is also being increasingly recognised as an important example of marine biodiversity.
An [...]

Romy Udanga writes in Business Day about the release of the first complete draft sequence of the apple genome – an international project involving scientists from Plant and Food Research.
The sequence not only answers the question of the origin of the apple, but might also help in the cultivation of apples, which are the fourth [...]

According to research conducted by a Wellingtonian anthropologist, men find women with waist-to-hip ratios of 0.7 most attractive.
The ratio differs slightly in other countries, being 0.8 in Cameroon and 0.6 in China.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“”It is likely that the perfect 0.7 ratio sends a biological signal to men that this woman is [...]

A massive week for earth science
Barely a week on from last Saturday’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Canterbury, scientists have paused to outline what they have learned about the quake from examining the previously undiscovered fault and seismographic and GPS data that has been gathered in the region.
Dr Ken Gledhill, Duty Seismologist [...]