Science Media Centre

Volcanic ash originating from the ongoing eruption of a Chilean volcano is causing disruptions to air traffic across New Zealand. The Civil Aviation Authority has said that local airspace may continue to be affected for up to a week. Access Metservice’s latest volcanic ash advisory here. Last year, during the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, our colleagues at [...]

Concerns raised about nanoparticles Creating materials on the nanoscale is an area of science tipped to hold huge potential for everything from energy production to personalised healthcare. But some observers argue that industry is jumping the gun on releasing products containing nanoparticles before adequate research has been done into their safety. The New Zealand Herald [...]

In response to concerns over the safety and effectiveness of some drugs aimed at children, the Ministry of Health has said that cough and cold medicines for children are only to be sold in pharmacies. If available in supermarkets, the drugs will carry warnings that they are for adults only. An excerpt: (read in full [...]

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 [...]