Latest science

We must change what we eat, say scientists

Thursday - Big diet changes – possibly incentivised by taxes on foods with a high carbon footprint - are coming if the world is to avoid dangerous levels of climate change, scientists say.

NZ gets more low marks for environment action

Wednesday - New Zealand, which sells itself as 100 per cent pure, has been given another bad report card for environmental performance.

Geoengineering has a downside, say scientists

Tuesday - Geoengineering to reverse climate change could wipe out more species than it saves, scientists are warning.

How artificial intelligence will make government obsolete

1 Dec 17 - Amazon, Microsoft and Google are among those in a race to hire artificial intelligence researchers to advance their efforts on autonomous vehicles, medical diagnostics and a range of other ventures.

New report has dire climate-change warnings

29 Nov 17 - As many as one in six species faces extinction as a result of climate change, scientists are warning in a new report.

Capt Cook's karaka leaves hold clues to our changing climate

29 Nov 17 - Karaka leaves gathered by naturalists on board HM Bark Endeavour nearly 250 years ago are helping today’s researchers to understand climate change.

Melting glaciers could mess up deep-sea chemistry

29 Nov 17 - Melting glaciers might be making ocean water more acidic, an unexpected finding that's given scientists new cause for concern.

NASA’s new airless titanium tyres are almost indestructible

29 Nov 17 - NASA engineers have just unveiled a super-elastic car tyre constructed from nickel titanium that could see the end of punctures.

The trouble with bitcoin and big data is the huge energy bill

28 Nov 17 - The power consumed by internet giants’ massive server farms and the mining of cryptocurrency are growing into a massive environmental headache.

Let's reuse the bad plastics and encourage the good

28 Nov 17 - Plastics have a bad name, mainly for two reasons: most are made from petroleum and they end up as litter in the environment. But both of these are avoidable.

Geo-engineering might do more harm than good

28 Nov 17 - Geo-engineering might be possible – but so far it doesn’t look practical. Yet another study sees dangers in the technofix.

LIZARD LINK: Here's a new way to explain climate impacts

27 Nov 17 - Lizards can shed light on the development of ecological niches and how the changing climate may affect the natural world.

SERIOUS SCIENCE: Soon it will be too late

21 Nov 17 - New Zealand scientists are among more than 15,000 warning humans they have precious little time left to change their ways and avoid environmental and social disaster.

Scientists aim to fight climate change with super plants

21 Nov 17 - A team of scientists is wondering if plants can protect us from climate change.

Winter shrinking, say scientists

8 Nov 17 - New Zealand's winters are a month shorter than they were 80 years ago, NIWA scientists say.

New Zealand feeling the impacts of the hot year - scientist

7 Nov 17 - Evidence that this year will be one of the hottest on record is alarming, says one of New Zealand’s leading climate experts.

This year one of three hottest on record - WMO

7 Nov 17 - The World Meteorological Organisation says 2017 is among the three warmest years recorded, with human wellbeing facing mounting risks.

Scientists predict ecological Armageddon as insects die off

20 Oct 17 - The abundance of flying insects has plunged by three-quarters over the past 25 years, according to a new study that has shocked scientists.

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY: Many uses of captured CO2

13 Oct 17 - When you get into bed tonight, curling up on your memory foam mattress and fluffy pillows, you could be helping to reduce climate change.