Guest Work

New Zealand needs to wake up to the possibilities of a circular bio economy

Guest Author • Sep 13, 2019

• bioeconomy,
• biotech,
• circular economy,
• environmental sustainability,
• Sustainability

Elspeth MacRae New Zealand is at a crossroads, a pivotal point in history where solutions must be found to stem the tide of eco-system collapse, fight climate change, provide for a growing population and find ways of consumption that respect the ecological boundaries of the planet. Now there is a real urgency to find innovative solutions, be bold, and … Read More

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How to get people to eat bugs and drink sewage

Guest Author • Sep 03, 2019

• consumption,
• disgust,
• food,
• insects,
• Sustainability

Nathan S Consedine, University of Auckland In wealthy societies, we’ve become increasingly picky about what we eat. The “wrong” fruits and vegetables, the “wrong” animal parts, and the “wrong” animals inspire varying degrees of “yuck”. Our repugnance at fruit and vegetables that fail to meet unblemished ideals means up to half of all produce is thrown … Read More

Māori and Pasifika scholars remain severely under-represented in New Zealand universities

Guest Author • Sep 02, 2019

• lecturers,
• Māori,
• pasifika,
• professors,
• university

Tara McAllister, University of Auckland and Sereana Naepi, Thompson Rivers University The number of Māori and Pasifika students attending New Zealand universities has been increasing steadily, with 75,625 Māori and 32,465 Pasifika enrolled in 2018. But for many of these students, they will not be taught by Māori or Pasifika throughout their degree. And depending … Read More

Star laws: what happens if you commit a crime in space?

Guest Author • Aug 28, 2019

• criminal law,
• International Space Station,
• ISS,
• space

Danielle Ireland-Piper NASA is reportedly investigating what could be the first ever alleged crime in space. Astronaut Anne McClain has been accused of accessing her estranged spouse’s bank account via the internet while on board the International Space Station (she denies the accusation). This gives rise to the question: what criminal law, if any, applies in outer space? The … Read More

I put myself through hell as an IPCC convening lead author, but it was worth it

Guest Author • Aug 20, 2019

• climate change,
• Geneva,
• IPCC

Pete Smith, University of Aberdeen In my day job, I am a scientist at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland studying things such as how agriculture contributes to climate change and what we can do about it. Recently, though, I found myself in Geneva, to take part in my fourth “adoption plenary” for a report of the … Read More

New Zealand’s environmental parable for a world crisis

Guest Author • Aug 19, 2019

• Big South Cape,
• conservation,
• population,
• rats,
• saddlebacks

Brian Gill The fate of rats on a tiny New Zealand island is a story to retell as the world’s experiment with unlimited growth of human numbers threatens ruin. The world has too many people. As if more than 7,260 million souls are not enough, the population is in the dreaded phase of exponential growth, rocketing uncontrolled and uncontrollably to … Read More

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Almonds don’t lactate, but that’s no reason to start calling almond milk juice

Guest Author • Aug 07, 2019

• almond milk,
• dairy,
• plant-based food

Dan Weijers, University of Waikato and Nick Munn, University of Waikato At a conference about disruptive innovations in food production last week, dairy industry spokespeople criticised the “milk” labelling of non-dairy products such as almond or rice milks. Federated Farmers, a rural advocacy group, prompted media headlines with a suggestion that we should call … Read More

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Calling all Storytellers!

Guest Author • Jul 31, 2019

• science communication,
• StoryCollider,
• storytelling

Ceridwyn Roberts I often wonder if all science starts with kids making potions. All you really need is some red cabbage indicator and then everything in the house is being tested, including the cat’s fur with the cat still attached. When my son was little ‘playing chemist’ would keep him happily occupied for at least half an hour at a … Read More

Bioplastics – a major opportunity for New Zealand

Guest Author • Jul 26, 2019

• bioplastic,
• compostable plastics,
• packaging,
• plastic

Elspeth MacRae If you could name the packaging material that is close to being public enemy number one at the moment – it would have to be plastic. We’ve all seen the tragic images of marine life entangled in plastic – the dead whales with stomachs of plastic, the list goes on. As a result of this continuous … Read More

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40 years ago, scientists predicted climate change. And hey, they were right

Guest Author • Jul 23, 2019

• Carbon dioxide,
• Charney Report,
• climate change

Neville Nicholls, Monash University This month the world has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon. But this week sees another scientific anniversary, perhaps just as important for the future of civilisation. Forty years ago, a group of climate scientists sat down at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts for the first … Read More