Feijoas are popular in Aotearoa/NZ, fruiting in autumn in warm regions. NZASE Science Communicator Mike Stone explores what we know about feijoas and how they may be a useful context in horticulture and science classrooms.
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Concrete is a composite material made of a binder (cement and water) and a filler (aggregate, a mix of stones). Its chemistry is complex but simple principles can be explained.
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Processes above and below the water can cause upwelling at the coast and at places in the ocean. This leads to significant phytoplankton activity, and the resultant food web is the source of many of our fisheries. Only a few isolated studies have focussed on upwelling in Aotearoa NZ; much of what we know comes from this, together with knowledge from similar situations world-wide. Often upwelling is inferred from observations of cool water near the coast. NZASE Science Communicator Mike Stone investigates the process and its implications.
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Using digital tools in science also helps us embed the digital technology curriculum, a requirement for all subjects up to Y10. Mike stone reviews Arduino Science Journal, Micro:bit, Kiwrious, Minecraft EDU and ChatGPT.
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Citizen Science projects can involve students in “real” science and connect them with scientists, both of which are very engaging. The projects are not hard to find and there is a huge variety. They offer rich and meaningful ways to develop students’ understandings about science and about the Nature of Science. Mike Stone talks to […]
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What does it look like to care for the land when we lean into mātauranga Māori? Regenerating Papatūānuku weaves together soil science, environmental policy, and Indigenous values, showing how farmers, scientists, and iwi can work together to restore soil vitality, honour wairua and mauri, and farm in ways that sustain land, water and life.
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On January 12, 2022, at 4.47 pm, the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcano erupted violently for 11 hours. This was the biggest eruption seen worldwide in 140 years, and the first with such a wide array of measuring instruments available. Scientists have pored over the data and now have a better understanding of the processes involved. NZASE’s Mike Stone adds to last year’s article with what we now know.
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Scientists recently announced an important breakthrough in fusion experiments. What did they achieve and why is it important? NZASE Science Communicator Mike Stone investigates.
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Our country is unusual for having only one type of native land mammal. Pekapeka/bats are found all over the world, but, like many of our indigenous species, ours are unusual and unique. While they are found in bush and we don’t often see them, there are populations in some cities. Pekapeka can be a useful […]
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Vaping is becoming more prevalent among teenagers. A 2021 survey of Y10 students in Aotearoa New Zealand showed that 40% have tried it, including the 10% who vape daily (compared with 1.3% who reported smoking daily). And, more than 20% of rangatahi Māori vape daily. While much is still unknown about vaping, some of the […]
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