Apr 12, 2021 | Science & Technology
By Gilbert Wong Professor Merryn Tawhai’s work on the virtual lung has led to a vital new tool for medical staff caring for patients hospitalised with serious Covid-related illness. The Covid-19 pandemic has taught humanity a lesson in the cruelty of numbers. At...
Mar 28, 2021 | Science & Technology
By Helen Murray New research shows that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause significant damage to the olfactory bulb and brainstem and highlights the importance of monitoring the neurological symptoms of COVID-19. Although COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease, many...
Mar 10, 2021 | Business & Economics, Science & Technology
By Kerry Cullinan Charitable donations from rich countries and individuals are welcome – but they won’t ensure fair vaccine distribution unless the drug-patenting system is reformed, too. It was heartwarming to see 90-year-old Briton Margaret Keenan becoming the first...
Feb 24, 2021 | Science & Technology
By Judith Littleton, Heather Battles & Evelyn Marsters How is it that an infection can be worse or different depending on whether someone has another disease? Why does it matter where someone lives? Why does history make disease progression different in different...
Feb 9, 2021 | Science & Technology
By Manuel Vallee Research shows that disease is invariably related to pollution in subtle but intimate ways, as Manuel Vallee explains. How reliable is the disease information provided by mass media? What gaps exist in their coverage? In particular, how well do they...
Jun 17, 2020 | Science & Technology
By Gilbert Wong Robot caregivers can help maintain independence as we age, but the trick is getting humans to trust them. It will not surprise those with a pessimistic view of humanity to know that even robots suffer racial prejudice. In a study by German researchers...
Apr 22, 2020 | Politics & Society
By Sarah Steingrüber The outbreak demands swift and bold action not only in the direct response to the pandemic, but also in ensuring that monies are correctly spent, that companies do not profit unfairly from misfortune, and that power is not abused by our leaders....
Mar 2, 2020 | Science & Technology
Global alarm is increasing around the growing spread of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. How did it begin? How dangerous is it? What needs to be done now to protect public health? Maria Armoudian speaks with Paul R. Hunter. Paul R. Hunter is a Professor of...
Feb 12, 2020 | Politics & Society
Why are New Zealand houses so damp and mouldy? Is the housing stock to blame? Is it the way houses are constructed? Is it the typology? Lillian Hanley spoke with Philippa Howden-Chapman about the state of New Zealand’s houses, and what effect damp and mouldy homes...
Feb 4, 2020 | Science & Technology
By Helen Petousis-Harris How serious is the new coronavirus pandemic? Are we set for a global pandemic? Helen Petousis-Harris investigates. Just over a month ago the emergence of a previously unseen disease-causing virus was announced. It is officially called 2019...