Rocket emissions in the upper atmosphere can damage the ozone layer but are neither measured nor regulated. It’s a policy gap we have to close if the space industry is to grow sustainably.
Martin Brook, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Building too close to cliffs and slopes, weak soils, lack of vegetation and increased rainfall all played a part in the massive storm damage to Auckland. The city needs to change the way it uses land.
The cost of living is important. But there are even bigger problems rumbling beneath the surface of New Zealand politics that the MMP electoral system may be ill-suited to deal with.
Recent political polls in New Zealand and elsewhere have consistently failed to reflect eventual outcomes. Voters and pundits alike should avoid reading them too literally.
As the start of the school year looms, school uniform prices will be front-of-mind for many families already facing a cost of living crisis. What can be done to reduce the burden?
Ardern’s resignation will come as a shock to many, given the international reputation she earned over the past five years. But it’s less of a surprise for close watchers of NZ politics.
An upgraded global response to future potential pandemic threats would give the best chance of eliminating new infectious diseases at source before they spread globally.
A new gecko species in New Zealand was named te mokomoko a Tohu in consultation with a local Māori tribe. This could be a good example for how taxonomists might approach the naming of new species.
Shane Cronin, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano set new benchmarks for volcanic phenomena and efforts are under way to identify other submarine volcanoes around the world that could pose similar threats.
AI is already on the payroll in many workplaces – how well human employees interact with it can depend a lot on their existing attitudes and anxieties.
The hero of Cervantes’ classic 17th century novel has been sorely misrepresented since the early 20th century as a symbol of nationalist and Islamophobic ideas.
There would be no life on Earth without invertebrates, but they are understudied and underappreciated. The Bug of the Year competition aims to change that, so have your say and vote!
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University