On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

News

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

  • Hotspot Watch for 21 December

    Hotspot
    An update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Summer Series week 1: NIWA's year of science

    Media release
    A year is a short time in science but a lot happened in 2016. NIWA highlights its top scientific endeavours of the past 12 months.
  • Bountiful Bryozoans

    News article
    A new fully illustrated electronic identification guide, Bountiful Bryozoans, has just been released to help people identify this group of marine creatures in the wild.
  • Citizen science monitoring of water a win-win, research shows

    Media release
    New research has revealed that citizen science monitoring of water is a win-win for scientists and volunteers—one gains access to new data, and the other the skills and confidence to become involved in discussions over what is happening to their streams.
  • Hotspot Watch for 8 December 2016

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture anomalies across the country.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 1 December 2016

    Hotspot
    A weekly update for Thursday 1 December 2016 - describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Public help sought for fish research

    Media release
    NIWA scientists are asking for help from people who have had a long association with East Northland, Hauraki Gulf or Marlborough Sounds.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 24 Nov 2016

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Hottest November temperature in 15 years

    News article
    The hottest November temperature in New Zealand in at least the last 15 years occurred yesterday, when Gisborne reached a sizzling 34.8°C at 4.00 pm.
  • Scientists detect huge fault rupture offshore from Kaikoura

    News article
    Scientists surveying the seabed in areas affected by last week’s earthquake have confirmed a 34km rupture in the offshore continuation of the Kekerengu Fault, known as the Needles Fault.
  • Hotspot Watch for 17 November 2016

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Stamps show colourful side to Antarctica

    News article
    A bright pink sea star and an orange sea spider are among the strange creatures of the Antarctic sea floor featured on new commemorative stamps.