Guest Work

On the sequencing of the pea aphid genome

Guest Author • Feb 26, 2010

• DNA,
• genetics,
• genome,
• pea aphid,
• University of Otago

By Dr Peter Dearden* My group has been involved with genome sequencing since 2004, when we were asked to become involved with the honeybee genome. This week we published our second insect genome, that of the Pea Aphid which was the culmination of 6 years collaborative work with over 200 scientists from 15 countries. The project has cost several … Read More

Is genetic engineering just like breeding?

Guest Author • Feb 15, 2010

• Agriculture,
• biology,
• breeding,
• genetic engineering,
• genetic modification,
• GM,
• gmo

By Prof. Jack Heinemann* Dr. Nina Federoff, the science advisor to the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, voiced more blatantly in New Zealand what many other advocates of large-scale plantings of genetically engineered (GE/GM) plants sought to imply for years: ’There’s almost no food that isn’t genetically modified. Genetic modification is the basis of all evolution.’ This stance … Read More

Are some scientists just taking the cis out of genetic engineering? Pt II

Guest Author • Feb 12, 2010

• cisgenics,
• GM,
• intragenics,
• transgenics

By Prof. Jack Heinemann* Part 2: If it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck. Scientists and non-scientists alike understand that gene function matters for the safety assessment of GMOs (de Cock Buning et al., 2006). Creating a new function in an organism using parts from that organism is still a new … Read More

Are some scientists just taking the cis out of genetic engineering? Pt I

Guest Author • Feb 11, 2010

• cisgenics,
• GM,
• intragenics,
• transgenics

­­ By Prof. Jack Heinemann* Part 1: While appearing to take concerns seriously, the promotion of cisgenics and intragenics by New Zealand science companies risks further public alienation. The debate on the safety and appropriateness of using genetically engineered/modified (GE) plants and animals for food or animal feed is frequently manipulated through semantics. Language and not substance has been … Read More

Summer of Stats part 9 – Down and up on the farm

Guest Author • Feb 02, 2010

• Agriculture,
• Statistics New Zealand

The final in a Statistics New Zealand series about the numbers in our world Let the sheep jokes end! The people are catching up. There are now fewer than eight sheep to every New Zealander. This is a far cry from the good old days when one of the few things foreigners knew about New Zealand was … Read More

Summer of stats part 8 – Being happy helping out

Guest Author • Feb 01, 2010

• Statistic New Zealand

Unlike the Kingdom of Bhutan we do not have a measure for happiness. But we are world leading in providing a range of social measures that provide a richer view of New Zealand and its people. One of these measures is the General Social Survey.  Statistics NZ’s field staff interviewed more than 8,700 … Read More

Mass overdose planned

Guest Author • Jan 28, 2010

• Homeopathy,
• Skeptics NZ

By Vicki Hyde On January 30, a concerted global mass overdose will take place, but no-one will die because the “medication” of choice will be homeopathic. Homeopathic medicine consists of water or water dripped onto sugar tablets; the UK-based 1023 campaign aims to highlight that fact and protest against pharmacies touting such a product as medicinal. To mark the … Read More

Summer of stats part 7- margins of error

Guest Author • Jan 25, 2010

• averages,
• margin of error,
• polling,
• Statistics New Zealand

Then there’s the story about the man with his head in the oven and his legs in the freezer. He reckoned he’d be fine - his average temperature was about normal. Read More

Summer of stats part 6 – Why are they coming here?

Guest Author • Jan 10, 2010

• customs,
• Statistics New Zealand,
• Travel

When a planeload of 300 travellers stumble blearily from Customs into the international lounge, about 150 of them are starting their New Zealand holiday. Half of international visitors are here for a holiday A hundred will be greeted by friends and relatives – depending on how it goes they could be on holiday too. The … Read More

Summer of stats part 5 – Where are we travelling?

Guest Author • Jan 06, 2010

• Statistics New Zealand,
• Travel

A running series from Statistics New Zealand helping us make sense of the Food Price Index and the Consumers Price Index… In 2009 we made fewer overseas trips than in the previous years, but numbers going to Australia dropped only a little and we’re still travelling more than we did in 2006. New Zealanders make almost two million overseas trips … Read More