Alys Clark, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau and Jo James, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The placenta is one of the least studied organs, but it is the cause of problems in one in ten pregnancies. A virtual placenta is helping researchers to pick up at-risk pregnancies sooner.
Recent allegations of cheating by university students in online exams suggest the students are adapting faster than the education system itself – and that should change.
New Zealand’s approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for 12-15 year olds will bring the number of people eligible for the jab to 85% of the population, raising the chance of reaching collective immunity.
Jay Marlowe, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
World Refugee Day on June 20 is an opportunity for New Zealanders to reflect on what more could done to protect some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
An emissions trading scheme is New Zealand’s main policy to tackle climate change. But to bring down emissions quickly enough, other policies will need to transform transport and agriculture.
Basil Sharp, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Moving New Zealanders rapidly into electric vehicles is a good idea, but success will still depend on a number of difficult to predict economic forces.
A complete switch to biofuels is neither feasible nor desirable, but they could replace some fossil fuels in transport and heating. If biofuels are produced from waste products, that’s even better.
Allen Rodrigo, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
There are several earlier examples of people studying infectious pathogens being infected in the laboratory, even while working under strict biosafety conditions.
We may never know whether the pandemic began with a leak at the Wuhan lab. But even the possibility shows we need a universal biosafety code to prevent something similar happening in future.
Michelle Wise, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The latest advice is to offer COVID-19 vaccines to women at any stage of pregnancy to protect them from a higher risk of severe disease – and to give their babies an early boost of antibodies.
Meg Parsons, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau and Lara Taylor, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
Indigenous marine governance is experiencing a revival throughout Oceania, building on traditional worldviews that acknowledge connections between people and all parts of ocean ecosystems.
Craig Stevens, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; Louise Kregting, Queen's University Belfast, and Vladislav Sorokin, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Ocean waves are a massive source of energy, but it’s challenging to design power generators for the harsh environment. Allowing marine organisms to grow on engineered structures could help.
Shane Cronin, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau and David Dempsey, University of Canterbury
One of the lessons we must take from the Whakaari tragedy is the cumulative nature of risk. Repeated visits to the volcanic island by tour guides placed them near unacceptable risk limits.
Nicola Gaston, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The government’s 10-year target is to increase research and development funding to 2% of GDP. Investment in science in the latest budget is out of step with that goal.
Age and education level are the main factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. While this affects Māori and Pacific communities, basic access to health care and information is more important.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University