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Read about the important science being undertaken at NIWA, and how it affects New Zealanders. 

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Scientists say methane emitted by humans ‘vastly underestimated’

Media Release
20 February 2020
NIWA researchers have helped unlock information trapped in ancient air samples from Greenland and Antarctica that shows the amount of methane humans are emitting into the atmosphere from fossil fuels has been vastly underestimated.

Hotspot Watch 19 February 2020

Hot spot
19 February 2020
Nearly all of the North Island has reached official hotspot status, with only a few isolated areas that have not quite reached hotspot criteria. Current hotspots in the South Island now include Nelson and nearby parts of Tasman, much of Marlborough, along with northern Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, and parts of Ashburton and Selwyn districts.

Giant squid and glow-in-the-dark sharks surprise scientists

Media Release
17 February 2020
A giant squid and several glow-in-the-dark sharks were surprise finds for NIWA scientists last month on the Chatham Rise during a voyage to survey hoki, New Zealand’s most valuable commercial fish species.

Auckland set to break dry spell record

Media Release
13 February 2020
Auckland is set to break a climate record on Saturday for the region’s longest dry spell, according to NIWA forecasters.

Hotspot Watch 12 February 2020

Hot spot
12 February 2020
Across the North Island, the past week once again featured little if any rainfall for most locations. Soil moisture levels in the lower South Island have improved markedly from last week.

Hotspot Watch 5 February 2020

Hot spot
5 February 2020
A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Forecast shows Auckland region to stay dry

Media Release
4 February 2020
Aucklanders should not expect any decent rain for more than 10 days, says NIWA principal scientist and forecaster Chris Brandolino.

Science of the high seas

Feature story
1 February 2020
Ever wondered what fish is served in a Filet-o-Fish at MacDonald’s? It’s hoki. Fish fingers at the supermarket? Chances are, they’ll be hoki too.

Gone fishin'

Feature story
1 February 2020
If you want a healthy fishing industry, you need to know how healthy your fish stocks are. Sam Fraser-Baxter talks to a scientist who went to sea to find out.

Scientists recreate the week it snowed everywhere

Feature story
1 February 2020
NIWA has teamed up with Microsoft for a new project using artificial intelligence to combine historic weather records with breakthrough handwriting recognition tools.

The man of many pathways

Feature story
1 February 2020
Dr Rob Bell worked out a long time ago that sea-level rise is much more than a scientific problem. No wonder then that people say his ability to listen is one of his best traits.

The Hill

Feature story
1 February 2020
Castle Hill, on State Highway 73 between Darfield and Arthur’s Pass in the Waimakariri Basin, was named for the imposing array of limestone boulders in the area that mirror the look of castle ruins.

Embracing the revolution

Feature story
1 February 2020
Technology and Innovation General Manager, Dr Barry Biggs, looks at the impact of the fast-moving world of “tech” on NIWA’s science.

Unlocking the mysterious marine life of eels

Feature story
1 February 2020
Tiny, translucent eels may hold the answers to one of the fish world’s great mysteries. Zen Gregor investigates.

Hitting the high notes

Feature story
1 February 2020
Dr Kameron Christopher plays a mean sax. Campbell Gardiner checks in with NIWA’s new Chief Scientist for High Performance Computing and Data Science.

Hotspot Watch 30 January 2020

Hot spot
30 January 2020
A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Hotspot Watch 22 January 2020

Hot spot
22 January 2020
A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Hotspot Watch 15 January 2020

Hot spot
15 January 2020
A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

It’s a colourful life under the Antarctic ice

Feature story
13 January 2020
The rich diversity of marine life near Scott Base in Antarctica has stunned scientists diving under the ice to set up environmental monitoring sites.

Hotspot Watch 8 January 2020

Hot spot
9 January 2020
A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

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