Science Media Centre

Nature News reports on new developments regarding the stem cell breakthrough published last week: several errors have been noted in the article and critics are unimpressed with incredibly short peer review process. An excerpt (read in full here): Stem-cell cloner acknowledges errors in groundbreaking paper Critics raise questions about rush to publication. A blockbuster paper [...]

The editorial in today’s New Zealand Herald takes a look at the government’s new National Science Challenges. An excerpt (read in full here): Editorial: Crown’s aims for science give focus for research Science has been a black hole for taxpayers’ money. Governments of all stripes agree that science is something they should fund without knowing [...]

An article on the website of the US magazine The Atlantic, speculates on how a ‘breakthrough’ in cloning stem cells may revive the public debate over the use of stem cells. An excerpt ( read in full here): Researchers in Oregon claim to have solved the tricky problem of cloning human stem cells, but you’re [...]

Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand, is undergoing restructuring both in terms of staff and the housing of its collections. However, as current affairs program Campbell Live discovers, many scientists — both here and overseas — are far from happy about the changes. You can watch the segment online here.

You’ve seen CSI, now listen to the real experts talk about the science of crime and how it is communicated. Hear from a forensic expert, a criminologist, the media and the police as they reveal the true story behind the science of crime. A SCANZ event, moderated by Peter Griffin, manager of the Science Media [...]

Richard Easther, Professor of Physics (and Head of Department) at the University of Auckland, weighs in on the current debate over a Press Council decision against North & South Magazine regarding an article on homeopathy (also covered by Siouxsie Wiles and Michael Edmonds on SciBlogs.co.nz). An excerpt from the post on his blog, Excursionset.com (read [...]

An extensive feature article in the weekend’s Dominion Post explores the issue of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing. Nikki MacDonald looks at emerging market for people seeking to find out more about the secrets their DNA may hold. An excerpt (read in full here): Imagine if a test tube of spittle and $205 could mine your [...]

How has the recent shift towards economic valuation of science and its outputs affected the day-to-day lives of working scientists and the direction of research in this country?   In a time of rapid change, how can scientists adapt to and even benefit from changing priorities? What risks getting lost when policymakers shift their focus [...]

Bioethicists challenge boundaries society takes for granted – but must “tread carefully”, writes a leading bioethics expert. The University of Otago’s  Prof Gareth Jones found himself in embroiled in debate earlier this month when he published the New Zealand Medical Journal article, ‘Testing times: do new prenatal tests signal the end of Down syndrome?’ The [...]

On Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon show, Mary Wilson probes the government’s fledgling scientific Crown Entity, Callaghan Innovation, seeking responses to a number of criticisms levelled at the organisation. interviewees include Sue Suckling, chair of the board of the Callaghan Innovation and Prof Michael Kelly from Cambridge University. You can listen to audio below.