Science
Are the negative health impacts of cannabis being drowned out?
Alex Berenson says the science that points to long-term issues related to pot use is getting drowned out by the push to legalize use around the world. Audio
Nanogirl: 'The whole goal of science is to prove yourself wrong every day'
Nanotechnologist Michelle Dickinson (aka Nanogirl) recently discovered that one of her own long-held beliefs was false. She had believed artificial sweeteners are cancer-causing then found out that… Audio
Turning up the heat on tomatoes
A team of international scientists is working on giving tomatoes the spice of a chili-pepper. The objective? To make it easier to mass produce large quantities of capsaicinoids - the molecules that… Audio
Tracking carbon in cities. If you can't measure it how can you regulate it ?
Knowing exactly the amount of fossil fuel emissions that comes from urban areas is essential to track the progress carbon mitigation plans. That's why researchers from GNS Science have been… Audio
Astronomy
Former University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory superintendent Alan Gilmore is first Nights' Scientist of 2019. Audio
Supermoon stuns but bigger one on the way
Last night's cloudy skies might have overshadowed the supermoon, but there's yet an even better spectacle on the way. Audio
'The idea diets are doomed to fail is completely untrue'
Dr Michael Mosley doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. When the BBC host and champion of intermittent fasting started seeing new research about the benefits of an 800 calorie a day diet, he… Audio
A scientist's take on cannabis and legalisation
There will be a binding referendum on personal use of cannabis at 2020 election, but there has been some concern we're moving too fast ... Audio
Giraffe to Jurassic. Not your everyday vet
There aren't many vets who have eye-balled a dinosaur, but it's just one of the many of Jonathan Cranston's claims to fame. He's treated everything from guinea pigs to giraffes, everywhere from the… Audio
Are corporates taking responsibility for plastic waste?
Dr Elspeth McRae is chief innovation and science officer at the Crown Research Institute, Scion, which is working on alternatives to petroleum-based plastic. Dr McRae is on the board of the Packaging… Audio
Scientists say vegan food can be healthy for pets
Veterinary scientists are calling for manufacturers to adapt to the growing demand for vegan pet food.
Animals 'tortured' pointlessly in depression research, says NZ group
A group campaigning against animal experiments is appalled mice and rats are forced to swim until they almost drown in studies on depression. Video
'Fascinating' study probes climate change impact on Antarctic species
A University of Otago computer model can now accurately predict how Antarctic shellfish grow and reproduce and how they will be affected by global warming
Starfish reveal new insights into how marine life responds to global warming
Starfish are helping New Zealand scientists to understand how marine life is responding to global warming. A team of marine biologists at Otago University have used 500 starfish to help them develop a… Audio
Feature interview: Charles Graeber
Journalist Charles Graeber explains in his book The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and The Race to Cure Cancer how scientists have made huge leaps into understanding how to beat cancer. His book charts… Audio
Kiwi Rules with Juliet Gerrard
Today the Chief Science Advisor the Prime Minister Juliet Gerrard is talking music in Kiwi Rules. She has a great list of music to talk about as well as explaining what her job has involved so far… Audio
Academic says new cannabis study should be treated with caution
Professor Max Abbott, the dean of the Faculy of Health and Environmental Science at AUT, says the findings of the Australian study which found 14 year olds who used cannabis once or twice had grey… Audio
Vaccinating asthma
Developing vaccines against asthma, allergy and human hookworm is the long-term ambition of Professor Graham Le Gros. Audio
First Moon-grown seeds sprouting - China
Cotton seeds brought to the Moon by the Chang'e-4 mission have sprouted, China claims, marking a significant step towards long-term space exploration.
Dramatic environment carbon increase
A warning that the global climate could go back to heat levels that the Earth had during the times of the dinosaurs. Climate scientist James Renwick discusses what this mean and how individuals can to… Audio
