Our Changing World
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Sniffer Bees
Honeybees can be trained to react to particular odours such as those emitted by caterpillar-infested apple trees
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NZ Virtual Herbarium
The NZ Virtual Herbarium is an online version of the data from 11 different herbaria
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Electronic Crime Laboratory
Maarten Kleintjes explains what happens to electronic evidence and how it is processed at the Electronic Crime Laboratory
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Kauri Dieback Disease
An investigation into PTA, the 'plant destroyer' that is killing giant kauri trees
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Industrial Mathematics
Bouncing fruit and volcanic eruptions are all in a day's work for Victoria University mathematician Mark McGuinness
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Microbial Biotechnology
Microbes can be sources of natural colours and flavours, and their growth can be manipulated when they are exposed to sound
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Anti-cancer Drugs from Marine Sponges
Marine sponges may yield drugs that could stop cancer cells dividing
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Sooty Shearwaters on Mana Island
Sooty shearwaters are great ocean travellers, and seabird scientists are using geolocators to record their journeys
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Honeybees
Bee expert Mark Goodwin explains how a beehive works and the state of bees in NZ
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Hebe or Veronica
An evolutionary history of one of our best-loved native plants, hebe, now known as Veronica
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Fertility Biomarkers for IVF
Gloria Evans is developing a test which may significantly improve the success rate of in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
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National Science Challenges
A response to the government's announcement of 10 national science challenges
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Walking Exoskeleton
University of Canterbury mechanical engineers are working on a exoskeleton which uses biological signals to move the leg
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Coprolites and Extinct Moa
Fossil dung is offering surprising insights into the life, diet and parasites of the extinct flightless giant bird the moa
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Mind-reading Machines
Neil Dodsgon is trying to create machines that use observed epxressions and gestures to work out what a person is thinking
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Heathcote River Recovery Post-Earthquake
Life in the Heathcote River recovered very quickly after millions of litres of raw sewage flowed in
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Canterbury's Tectonic History
A team of University of Canterbury geologists, led by Mark Quigley, explores the region's tectonic history
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Radiation Testing
Nikolaus Hermanspahn explains how the National Radiation Laboratory tests samples for radioactivity
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Maths and Ecology
University of Canterbury mathematician Alex James explains how maths helps ecologists to better understand complexity
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Giant Kauri Trees and Climate Change
Cate Macinnis-Ng is investigating how giant kauri trees might respond to climate change
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Endogenous Antioxidants
Mark Hampton is trying to determine how the body's own antioxidants work and how they could be used to treat cancer
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Long-finned Eels
Long-finned eels are endemic to New Zealand and a new report indicates that they are at risk of becoming extinct
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Shorebirds at Miranda
Miranda Shorebird Centre manager Keith Woodley is an expert on migratory Arctic waders and New Zealand's resident shorebirds
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Pathogen Mimics
ESR scientists have created pathogen mimics to understand how germs pass though water filters and contaminate groundwater
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Digital Archive of Christchurch's Earthquakes
The University of Canterbury's CEISMIC project is building a digital archive of earthquake-related information
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Archaeology in post-quake Christchurch
As Christchurch rebuilds, archaeologists are uncovering a wealth of clues about life during the city's earliest decades
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Test for Foodborne Disease
ESR scientists have developed a new test to track the causes of Campylobater outbreaks within hours
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Sentence with added noise at 0 db SNR
Sentence "Try to stay focused on the task at hand" with added noise at 0 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR)
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Sentence with added noise at -10 dB SNR
Sentence "Try to stay focused on the task at hand" with added noise at -10 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR)
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Sentence in quiet, no added noise
The sentence "Try to stay focused at the task at hand" in quiet, with no added noise
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Speech with added noise and 'ideal binary mask'
Sentence "Ready Beran go to Blue seven now" with added noise at -10 dB SNR and processed with an 'ideal binary mask'
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Speech with added noise at -10 dB SNR
Sentence "Ready Beran go to Blue seven now" with added noise at -10 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR)
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Speech with added noise at 0 dB SNR
Sentence "Ready Beran go to Blue seven now" with added noise at 0 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR)
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Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust
Banks Peninsula is a thriving conservation community that is protecting native forest on private land and trapping predators
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Butterflies of the South Pacific
A new book on butterflies of the South Pacific by father and son lepidopterists is a great guide to NZ butterflies
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Cooling and Preterm Babies
Alistair Gunn and Laura Bennet are seeing whether cooling prem babies suffering brain injury could be beneficial
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Science of Eating
Using an articulograph to study how we process food in our mouths while we eat will help in smarter food innovation
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Ladybird Release
Lincoln University ecologists release a batch of ladybirds to help control a sap-sucking insect pest of potatoes
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Sediment Impacts on Kaimoana
A team of Maori and Pacific marine scientists at Victoria University explore the impact of sediments on kaimoana
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Marine Metre Squared
A citizen science initiative to encourage people to take a closer look at their local rocky shore and collect baseline data
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Microbes in Polar Regions
NIWA microbiologist Els Maas discusses an international project to count marine bacteria in polar regions
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Hutton's Shearwater Translocation
The Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust is translocating chicks to establish a new colony on Kaikoura Peninsula.
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Mini Strokes
Massey University researchers explore if physical exercise reduces risk of heart diseases associated with mini strokes
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Fisheries Acoustics
NIWA's Richard O'Driscoll explain how sound helps him to spy on fish and monitor fish stocks
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Trout Eradication at Zealandia
Native banded kokopu return after the eradication of brown trout from Wellington's Zealandia sanctuary
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Forensics Laboratory - Part Two
Ruth Beran continues the tour of a forensics lab, finding out about shoeprints, and how samples of sexual assault are tested
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Chemical Fingerprinting of Old Images
Dusan Stulik, of the Getty Conservation Institute, discusses his project to catalogue chemical processes in photography
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Simulating Debris Flows
University of Canterbury scientists study the internal mechanics of debris flows by simulating them in the lab
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Celebrating Wetlands
Join a public day out at Auckland's Tahuna Torea wetland reserve to find out about its ecological restoration
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Global Energy Future
John Loughhead of the UK Energy Research Centre discusses low-carbon and secure energy options for the future
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Breast Milk and Gut Microbes
Researchers aim to develop infant formula that mimics the microbe-enriching qualities of breast milk
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Noisy Possum Trap
Matt Kavermann has tested how effective different sounds are at luring possums to traps
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Paleao-liquefaction in Christchurch
When Sarah Bastin began looking at recent liquefaction in Christchurch she came across 500-year old historic liquefaction
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Forensics Laboratory - Part One
Ruth Beran goes to ESR's Wellington Forensic Service Centre for the first half a tour of a real-life CSI laboratory
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Yellow-eyed Penguins at the Auckland Islands
A team of paying volunteers join Department of Conservation staff to count yellow-eyed penguins
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Zebrafish and Repurposing Drugs
At the University of Auckland, zebrafish are being used to study human diseases and to test drugs for new purposes
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Life in the Deep Ocean
An expedition to the Kermadec Trench returns with new fish species and thousands of images of deep-sea habitats
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Studying Fault Rocks
University of Otago geologist David Prior studies rocks that have been exhumed from deep in the Alpine Fault
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Drilling into the Alpine Fault
Two geologists explain what drilling into the Alpine Fault and studying uplifted rocks tells us about earthquake processes
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Epic Animal Migrations
A University of Auckland biologist and mathematician team up to study how migrating animals navigate
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Control Engineering
University of Auckland students have been working on a control engineering project to programme a model plane to follow a line
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Long-term Gull Study
A 49-year study of a red-billed gull colony at Kaikoura reveals surprising information about the familiar bird
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Little Spotted Kiwi and Genetic Research
Investigating the effects of genetic bottlenecks on the breeding success of kiwi at Zealandia and Long Island
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Managing Our Oceans
Excerpts from a discussion about how we should balance use and protection of our oceans
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Managing Our Oceans Debate
A debate held at Te Papa about New Zealanders' role as kaitiaki of our oceans
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Nanoindentation
Michelle Dickinson uses diamonds to indent materials at the nano-scale, to test the mechanical properties of samples
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How Maths is Helping a Hospital
A mathematical model helped identfiy a bottleneck and decrease the number of cardiac surgery cancellations
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Tagging Great White Sharks
A 6-year satellite and acoustic tagging programme is revealing where great white sharks go each year
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Root Canals
Science communication student Katherine Lyttle heads to the University of Otago dentistry school to find out about root canals
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Antarctic RICE Project
Ice cores collected from Roosevelt Island hold secrets to how ice sheets could melt in a warming world
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Autism and iPads
Jeff Sigafoos and his team are using electronic speech-generating devices to help autistic children communicate
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Stick Insects in Cold Climates
Landcare Research biologists head out at night to collect stick insects to study how they adapt to life in cold places
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Epigenetics
Cancer geneticist Parry Guilford and student Tyler McInnes discuss epigenetics, or how the environment affects genes.
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Fluttering Shearwaters on Matiu-Somes Island
Fluttering shearwater chicks are being moved to the island and fed until they fledge, to help establish a new population
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Southern Alps Glaciers
Victoria University scientists discuss the future of New Zealand's glaciers in a changing climate
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Giraffe Weevils
University of Auckland biologists hope their research will raise the profile of these unusual beetles
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Exercise Snacking
Monique Francois explains why taking a number of short intense exercise sessions may be better than one long moderate one
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Resolution Island Stoat Eradication
Getting rid of stoats on a 21,000 hectare island involves 2315 traps, 230 kilometres of tracks and a lot of effort
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Health Effects of Binge Drinking
A study looking at the impacts of binge drinking on cardiovascular health
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Science communication student Brandon Gantt talks with Warren Tate about ME
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Whio Recovery
Whio, or blue duck, are white water specialists and they are doing well on the Mangatepopo River
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Glenn Colquhoun - Dieffenbach
Glenn Colquhoun performs one of his poems about German naturalist Ernst Dieffenbach
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Snap of Chocolate
Bryony James and Sharon Ngu have been trying to see whether fracture toughness can be used to quantify the "snap" of chocolate
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A Portrait of Aotearoa
A metagenomics study looking at microbes in soils around New Zealand collected by secondary school students
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Hinemoana Baker - Taranga's Song
Hinemoana Baker reads her transit-inspired poem Taranga's Song
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Horrocks Family Tree
Film academic Roger Horrocks explains his family's quest to find out if 17th-century astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks is a relative
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Shark, Pumice & Shearwater Updates
An update on some of 2012's stories: tagged great white sharks, Kermadec pumice & fluttering shearwater translocation
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Chris Price - Parallax
Chris Price reads one of the poems she wrote as part of the Transit of Venus exchange with German poets
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Science communication student Brandon Gantt talks with Warren Tate about ME
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Breath Test for Infectious Diseases
Volatile compounds in breath may allow researchers - and bees - to make diagonoses of diseases such as TB
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Gen Map of First Settlers
University of Otago researchers decode the mitochondrial genome of the first people to arrive in New Zealand
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Sympathetic Nervous System
Simon Malpas is monitoring chronic cardiovascular disease remotely in animal models
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Earthquake Impacts on the Heathcote-Avon Estuary
The 2011 Christchurch earthquakes and the sewage outfall diversion have had profound impacts on the Heathcote-Avon Estuary
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Championing Invertebrate Life
David Winter, evolutionary geneticist and science blogger, goes in search of spineless life in his garden
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Measuring Innovation
Dion O'Neale and Shaun Hendy have found that the distribution of different countries' patents are well-described by power laws
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The Fossil Hobbit
The team behind the discovery of a new human species in Indonesia discusses the latest excavations and findings
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Conservation Chemistry and Old Maori Woven Cloaks
Acetic acid is the enemy of old textiles, but a chemist and museum conservator have found a way of rescuing fragile old cloaks
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National New Zealand Flax Collection
Different varieties of harakeke that are important for Maori weaving are being grown at Lincoln
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Immature Brain Cells
Bronwen Connor has converted human skin cells directly into immature brain cells enabling the study of neurological diseases
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Needle-Free Jet Injections
A joint University of Auckland and MIT team are working on a quiet painless needle-free injection
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PM's Science Prize
Food protein scientists and co-directors of the Riddet Institute win top PM's Science Prize
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OCW Mystery Sound 19
The 19th and last mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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New Zealand Rocketry Challenge
Year 7 and 8 students are building rockets that can take a raw egg up to 150 metres and then return it safely to Earth
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Early- and Mid-Career Researchers
Nearly 70 scientists were at the launch of a group which aims to support early- and mid- career researchers in Wellington
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Stroke Hand Rehabilitation Device
Abby Rajendran is working on a new device for stroke rehabilitation that uses magnetorheological fluid
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Brain and Self-Control
University of Otago scientists study what happens in the brain when we exercise self-control
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OCW Mystery Sound 18
The eighteenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Night Milk
A new milk product is being trialled to see if it helps insomniacs sleep better
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Wool in Wound Dressings
AgResearch scientists explain how wool products are traced and how wool proteins are used in wound dressings
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Buller's Birds
A new edition brings together JG Keulemans' bird paintings which appeared in the original Buller's Birds
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Whale Evolution
University of Otago palaeontologists Ewan Fordyce and Felix Marx explain how whales evolved into the largest animals on earth
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OCW Mystery Sound 17
The seventeenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Truthiness and Decorative Photos
Eryn Newman and Maryanne Garry are looking at whether decorative photos lead to a truthiness bias
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Better Wool
Agresearch scientists are looking at ways to increase the resistance of woollen textiles to insects, staining and fading
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Staphylococcus Aureus
Staph bacteria cause mild skin infections as well as fatal systemic infections, & are an overlooked infectious disease problem
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Wading Birds at Lake Ellesmere
Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury is the most diverse site for birds in New Zealand, especially migratory waders such as godwits
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OCW Mystery Sound 16
The sixteenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Cartography - Long Web Version
Roger Smith from Geographx talks about the art and science of computerised map-making - extended web version
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Cartography - On-Air Version
Roger Smith from Geographx talks about the art and science of computerised map-making
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Bridge Building Challenge
Each year Canterbury University engineering students buid a bridge from MDF and glue - and then test it to destruction
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Marine Biosurveillance
Twice a year, as part of MPI's border surveillance, NIWA checks New Zealand harbours for marine pests
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Our Changing World - Autonomous robots
Navigation for autonomous robots is a Catch 22. You need to know where you are to build a map, and you need a map to know where you are.
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OCW Mystery Sound 15
The fifteenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Spring to the Street
We join hundreds of Wellington commuters for the Spring to the Street challenge
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Molecular Genetics of Ryegrass
Probing the genetic secrets of ryegrass and the beneficial fungi that live within it
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Autonomous Robots and Navigation
Victoria University researchers are programming robots to intelligently navigate in unknown environments
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Probing Galaxy Clusters
Victoria University astronomer Melanie Johnston-Hollitt explores radio emissions from galaxy clusters
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OCW Mystery Sound 14
The fourteenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Kermadec Whales and Dolphins
Humpback whales & bottlenose dolphins are common at Raoul Island but there is some doubt as to which populations they belong to
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Anaesthesia and Jet Lag
People experience jet lag after anaesthesia, and work with honeybees is showing what is happening to their body clocks
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Food for the Aged
Allan Hardacre and his students have created a protein-rich meat analogue for the elderly, which is soft and easy to chew
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Predicting Depression
A Victoria University team is exploring asymmetries in brain function to predict vulnerability to depression
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OCW Mystery Sound 13
The thirteenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Last Ocean
A discussion of New Zealand's proposal to establish a marine protected area in the Ross Sea region
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Novel Inorganic Polymers
Magic-angle spinning NMR allows chemists to study the nucleus within atoms of novel ceramics and geopolymers
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Toxoplasmosis in Dolphins
Wendi Roe and Laryssa Howe have identified toxoplasmosis as the cause of death for dolphins recently found on New Zealand shores
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Climate Change
Big Issue - Climate Change: Join scientists and policy makers in a discussion about climate change research in Antarctica.
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Protecting the Ross Sea, part 3
Big Issue - The Last Ocean: A panel discussion about NZ's proposal for a protected marine area in the Ross sea.
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Protecting the Ross Sea, part 2
Big Issue - The Last Ocean: NZ's scientific representative at CCAMLR, Ben Sharp, explains research in the Ross Sea.
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Protecting the Ross Sea, part 1
Big Issue - The Last Ocean: Filmmaker Peter Young discusses his film and his passion for the Ross Sea.
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OCW Mystery Sound 12
The twelvth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Biomechanics of the Gut - Part 2
New revelations about the finger-like villi and layer of mucin that cover the gut wall
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DNA Probe
Vyacheslav Filichev has created a new way to look at DNA in living cells and Tracy Hale hopes to use it to study cancer
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Recycled Building Materials
A team led by Shusheng Pang is producing new building materials from recycled plastics and sawdust
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Kermadec Pumice Mystery
En route to the Kermadec Islands, the HMNZS Canterbury encountered a large raft of pumice, but which volcano did it come from?
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OCW Mystery Sound 11
The eleventh mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Tinnitus Treatment
Direct transcranial stimulation & digital hearing aids are being trialled as a treatment for tinnitus
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Mad on Radium
Science historian Rebecca Priestley talks about her new book which charts New Zealand's nuclear history
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Weaning Food for African Children
Francis Amagloh has developed a new complemetary food for babies in Ghana to try and prevent malnutrition when they're weaned
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Biomechanics of the Gut - Part 1
High-definition film has revealed how the gut wall constricts in different ways to mix & squeeze food as it is digested
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Field Work on the Beardmore Glacier
Glaciologist Nick Golledge & field safety officer Dean Arthur talk about field work on Antarctica's remote Beardmore Glacier
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Antarctic Heritage
A discussion about the past and future of Antarctica's historic huts and the artefacts they contain.
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OCW Mystery Sound 10
The tenth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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CeleBRation Choir
Singing in a choir is showing many benefits for people with neurological disorders such as stroke and Parkinsons
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Smarter Grid
University of Canterbury researchers are preparing the national grid for increased renewable electricity generation
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Computational Genomics
Computational biology can answer questions as varied as peopling the globe through to the genetics of fungal pathogens
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Autism and iPads
Jeff Sigafoos and his team are using electronic speech-generating devices to help autistic children communicate
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Stories from the Polar Night
Antarctic Yarns: Veterans of many Antarctic summers and even some winters share their experiences on ice.
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OCW Mystery Sound 9
The ninth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Drug Resistance in Flu
University of Canterbury researchers are developing a quick test to monitor drug resistance in the flu virus
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NIWA Wellington Science Fair 2012
Each year thousands of students take part in science and technology fairs around New Zealand
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Epilepsy and Genetics
Peadiatric neurologist Lynette Sadleir is helping to find the genetic influences on childhood and adult epilepsy
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Friends of Taputeranga Marine Reserve
Love Your Parks is the theme of this year's Conservation Week, and the Friends love and promote their local marine reserve
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OCW Mystery Sound 8
The eighth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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1912 in Antarctica
Chris Turney talks about his latest book, 1912 - The Year the World Discovered Antarctica
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Sunshine Vitamin
Massey University's Vitamin D Research Centre investigates the role Vitamin D plays in health and disease
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Building Energy End-use Study
A BRANZ study is examining energy and water consumption in commercial buildings
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OCW Mystery Sound 7
Seventh mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Seaweeds
There are 1000 or so species of seaweed in New Zealand, including many more species of karengo than previously recognised
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Improving Stroke Recovery
A new clinical algorithm will help predict likely recovery for stroke patients
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Bio-based Timber Preservatives
Scion has been looking for environmentally-friendly bio-based timber treatments against fungi and insect attacks
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The Owl that Fell from the Sky
Brian Gill is curator of land vertebrates at Auckland Museum, and he has written a book about the collection
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OCW Mystery Sound 6
Sixth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Alcohol and Cardiovascular Function
Researchers are investigating how alcohol alters cardiovascular function and brain blood flow after a binge drinking session
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Leaf Roller Moths and Evolution
While drab to look at, leaf roller moths are offering some exciting insights into the evolution of new species
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Fab Lab
Researchers from MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms talk about fab labs and thier research into digital materials
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OCW Mystery Sound 5
Fifth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Fire Resistance Testing
Building materials are tested for fire resistance in the large-scale furnace at BRANZ
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Researching an Asthma Vaccine
The Malaghan Institute is trying to isolate the asthma immune response in the hope of developing a vaccine
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Zonta Science Award Winner and Endometriosis
The 2012 Zonta Science Award winner researches endometriosis and also communicates science to her Tamil community
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Underwater Ship Noise and Marine Larvae
The underwater sound of ship generators in ports attract larvae of marine organisms to settle and rapidly develop
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OCW Mystery Sound 4
Fourth mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Wetapunga Breeding Programme
Auckland Zoo heads to Little Barrier Island to collect giant weta to establish a new captive breeding programme
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Seafood Safety
Plant and Food Research's Food Pathogen Lab surveys fresh mussels and oysters for bacterial pathogens
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Measuring the Cochlear Microphonic
Paul Teal and his team are trying to measure the small electrical signals produced by the cochlea in the ear
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Maketu Spit Dune Restoration
The Maketu-Ongatoro Wetland Society has an award-winning restoration project underway on Maketu Spit
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Our Changing World - Dune Restoration Trust
Alison Ballance met with Mark and fellow trustee Harley Spence on a cold windy day on Wellington's south coast.
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OCW Mystery Sound 3
Third mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Measuring Thiols
Robert Keyzers is developing a better method to measure thiols, the sulphur-containing molecules in sauvignon blanc
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Bats and Geckos as Pollinators
Short-tailed bats and geckos are very effective pollinators for flowers in New Zealand native forests
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Ventilation Systems for Classrooms
Classrooms typically have poor ventilation, but a new system is set to change that
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Dune Restoration Trust
Loder Cup winner Mark Dean talks with Harley Spence about restoring coastal sand dunes
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OCW Mystery Sound 2
Second mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Food for Appetite Control
New foods that produce a feeling of satiety or fullness are being developed in a 6-year collaborative research project.
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Nanosensors
Natalie Plank is creating electronic biosensors out of nanomaterials, with the aim of making them both very sensitive and cheap
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Heating Options
Public health champion Philippa Howden-Chapman discusses the health benefits of home insulation and different heating options
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OCW Mystery Sound 1
First mystery sound from the Our Changing World opening theme
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Testing Umbrellas in a Wind Tunnel
The OPUS Central Laboratory wind tunnel is the longest in the Southern Hemisphere, and can blow up to 120 km/hour
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Nanofluidics and Water Repellent Surfaces
IRL scientists are working with nanopore technology and developing extremely water repellent surfaces
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Kiwifruit Psa Disease Genetics
Scientists are looking for resistance genes so kiwifruit plants can withstand the Psa bacterium's effector genes
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