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SMC takes a break: Holiday hours
It has been another busy year for the Science Media Centre team and we would like to thank the scientists, journalists, press officers, government agencies and advisors we have worked with over the last 12 months to improve coverage of the big science-related issues. 
The SMC office will be closed this holiday period from December 23 - January 13. Research Radar and Heads-Up newsletters will resume from then.
However, we will be on call to handle urgent queries over the break. Just call the SMC hotline on 04 499 5476 to be diverted to an SMC staff member.
We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and look forward to working with you in 2014.
Peter, Dacia and John
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Massive marine mammal meeting
The Maui's dolphin and other endangered marine mammals have been the focus of a huge international conference taking place in Dunedin this week.
 Marine biologists and conservationist have taken over the town as part of the Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals which this year has the theme, "Marine Mammal Conservation: Science Making a Difference".
The week-long conference, which finishes today, featured 357 talks and about 400 posters with up to 1200 delegates attending from more than 30 countries.
While the conference covered everything form seals to sperm whales, a number of sessions covered New Zealand's most pressing marine conservation issue: the dwindling Maui's dolphin population, estimated to be at just 55 individuals.
The Science Media Centre contacted several of the speakers for comment on plight of the Maui's dolphin:
Keynote speaker Dr Barbara Taylor from the Marine Mammal Genetics Group, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), commented:
"In my view, it is very important for New Zealand to seize this opportunity to show the world how to save a small dolphin from coastal fishing efforts.... If a rich country like New Zealand can't save it's coastal species then that serves as a very bad example to many countries with many fewer resources. We may be fated to lose coastal dolphins in most of the world coasts unless people solve this problem of killing these beautiful animals because the choose a fishing method that does so. " Prof Steve Dawson, Marine Science, University of Otago, comments: "Maui's dolphins have a chance of survival if we are brave enough to remove the fisheries that kill them from within their range. That means excluding gill netting and trawling from Maui's dolphin habitat. There would be no need for restrictions on any other fishing methods. You can read more expert commentary and a round up of conference media coverage on the Science Media Centre website.
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What was big in science news this week...
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Harmful help for Black Robins
A new study has highlighted how a helping hand for nesting native birds almost made a species incapable of surviving in the wild.
 When 1980's conservation workers came across eggs of the Chatham Island Black Robin teetering on the edge of a nest, they thought they were doing the right thing by nudging them back into the centre where they would be looked after --eggs left on the rim of the nest were not incubated and never hatched.
However a new study shows that this seemingly benevolent act was in fact reshaping the evolution of the birds, allowing the survival of evolutionarily unfit 'edge-of-nest-laying' genes in successive generations of robins.
Repositioning of these edge eggs by Wildlife Service staff inadvertently resulted in the rapid spread of this maladaptive trait throughout the population.
Conservation staff ceased repositioning eggs in 1990 and, according to the new research, this lead to a large drop in edge-laying as the behaviour literally died out. Had this trait become more established in the population, the black robin would have become utterly dependent on continued human assistance for reproduction.
The story has come to light following genetic research from University of Canterbury scientists, lead by Dr Melanie Massaro, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE.
Dr Maassaro told the Science Media Centre, "Our study reveals how this valiant effort nearly ended in disaster, and highlights the thin line that conservation efforts must walk between saving a species and rendering it irreversibly dependent on humans.
"It is important that such information enters the public consciousness, so this risk may be avoided in other conservation efforts."
You can read more about the study on the University of Canterbury website.
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Policy news and developments
Biosecurity agreement: Cabinet has approved the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response.
Disability review: The Ministry of Health has welcomed the release of the independent review into residential disability providers' performance and monitoring.
The price of eggs: MPI has announced amendments to the Layer Hens Code of Welfare 2012, in a move to avoid a large increase in the price of eggs.
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SMC seeking summer intern
The Science Media Centre is looking for a summer intern / volunteer to lend a hand with day-to-day operations of the centre.
The successful candidate will work alongside our team, learning more about the breadth and depth of the New Zealand science system and gaining insight into how the media works. We have a number of projects to offer, ranging from data entry and website improvements to writing on science topics and assisting with media briefings and press releases.
We are looking for:
- a reliable self-starter, willing to take ownership of projects and see them through to completion;
- interested in science, environment, health, technology and other research-driven topics;
- solid web skills (content management); excellent writing skills;
- available to help out in our Thorndon, Wellington office for a minimum of 15 hours a week in Jan-Feb 2014
We may consider alternative dates or an ongoing volunteer arrangement if desired. For more information, please contact Dacia Herbulock at the Science Media Centre on 04 499 5476.
To apply, please send an expression of interest and CV with "SMC summer internship" in the subject line, no later than 23 Dec 2013.
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Listed: top science stories of 2013
Its that time of year when people start taking stock and ranking everything in lists of ten - and the world of science is no exception.
With the help of the AusSMC, the New Zealand Science Media Centre has a compiled top ten list of the biggest science stories at home and abroad in 2013.
The top international science stories include:
- The Voyager 1 spacecraft breaking out of the solar bubble into interstellar space.
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels tipping the 400ppm mark in conjunction with the release of the 5th IPCC report on the climate.
- The first synthetic meat hamburger, created from stem cells and costing a cool $400,000 NZD.
Closer to home, top NZ science stories included: - An extra hot summer leading to the 'Big Dry', New Zealand's worst drought in 70 years.
- Local body decisions on water fluoridation creating a splash in public health circles.
- The notorious 'dirty pipe' creating a global food scare based on toxin producing clostridum botulinum bacteria (incorrectly) detected in milk powder.
Check out the full list on the Science Media Centre website. |
Quoted: Otago Daily Times
"The ocean warming has already started, with temperatures off Tasmania having risen by 1.5 degrees Celsius in the past 70 years, which is more than twice the global average rate."
GNS Science's Giuseppe Cortese
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Sciblogs highlights
Some of the highlights from this week's Sciblogs posts:
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Research highlights
Some of the major research papers that made headlines this week.
Please note: hyperlinks point, where possible, to the relevant abstract or paper. Chimp's culture spread similar to humans, not orangutans: A new study from US and New Zealand researchers has shown that chimpanzees exhibit an organised, non-random spreading of cultural traits, such as tool use and certain gestures, over space and time. The authors show that this cultural organisation in chimpanzee societies is similar to ancient humans but not orang-utans, shedding light on the evolutionary origins of cultural behaviour in primates. PNASBio-glue: A simple, novel method for gluing together gels has been developed by French researchers. The glue is made of nanoparticles that act as connectors between the two different pieces and the technique even works for certain biological tissues. A rapid and efficient way to assemble gels or tissues is desirable in many emerging technological and biomedical applications such as microfluidics, surgery or tissue engineering. Nature'Mozart effect' a musical myth: US researcher have dispelled the myth that learning a musical instrument can boost intelligence and educational performance. Their studies found no effect of music training on the cognitive abilities of young children under randomised trail settings. The researchers are quick to note that there are still good reasons to teach music. PLOS ONEExamining nature vs nurture: The degree to which students' exam scores differ owes more to their genes than to their teachers, schools or family environments, according to new British study of 16 year-old twins' exam performance. The authors explain that the findings do not imply that educational achievement is genetically pre-determined, or that environmental interventions are not important, but rather that recognising the importance of children's natural predispositions may help improve learning. PLOS ONEBringing down bird strikes: Discovering what attracts birds to airports will reduce the incidences of bird strikes (birds hitting planes or being sucked into their engines), according to Australian research. Using DNA, the researchers were able to determine what birds that had died at Perth Airport had been eating, allowing strategies to be put in place that would remove their food and take away the attraction of the airport. Investigative Genetics
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Upcoming sci-tech events
For these and more upcoming events, and more details about them, visit the SMC's Events Calendar.
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