The atom splitter: What is Ernest Rutherford’s legacy?
By Richard Easther It’s the 150th anniversary of the birth of New Zealand’s most celebrated scientist, Ernest Rutherford. Richard Easther acknowledges the man who brought us the insight that our world is made of atoms. If there is an afterlife for physicists it will...
Mātauranga Māori: What is science?
By Emily Parke & Dan Hikuroa Let’s choose our words more carefully when discussing mātauranga Māori and science. Responding to the recent controversy over mātauranga Māori and the letter he co-authored titled “In defence of science”, Emeritus Professor Michael...
Synthetic chemistry: How are molecules made? ▶
The synthesis and study of molecules is at the heart of chemical research. One of the most challenging aspects is the development of methods to synthesise molecules for the first time. In this talk Professor David Barker will describe how taking up the challenge to...
Who is obscuring the link between harmful chemicals and leukaemia?
By Manuel Vallee Research shows that disease is invariably related to pollution in subtle but intimate ways, as Manuel Vallee explains. How reliable is the disease information provided by mass media? What gaps exist in their coverage? In particular, how well do they...
What are the roots of science denialism in the time of COVID-19, and how do we untangle them?
By Fiona Crichton What has become starkly apparent in the age of the SARS CoV-2 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is that the effective communication of science-based health messages is no easy task. What has become starkly apparent in the age of the SARS CoV-2 novel...
Climate change: Why do humans instinctively reject evidence contrary to their beliefs?
By Peter Ellerton Why do humans instinctively reject evidence contrary to their beliefs? Do we understand why and how people change their mind about climate change? Is there anything we can do to engage people? These are three very significant questions. They could be...
Can effective framing encourage people to take better care of our oceans?
By Komathi Kolandai-Matchett Effective communication, capable of garnering public support for marine conservation, appears more urgent now than ever before. Marine ecosystems are besieged by multiple human-caused threats – temperature and acidity increases, toxins,...
Will volcanic eruptions increase? 🔊
In December, an unexpected volcanic eruption on White Island in New Zealand killed twenty-one people, while in the Philippines, the eruption of Taal Volcano caused thousands of people to flee the area. With Climate Change, will volcanic eruptions become more frequent...
Q+A: Are we living in a climate of ignorance?
After a prominent New Zealand radio host claimed that the science of man-made climate change was not yet settled – and used dodgy sources to do so – Joel Rindelaub, research fellow at the University of Auckland issued a rebuttal titled ‘Why Sources Matter in a Climate...Subscribe by Email
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