News

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

  • Climate science may help predict mussel production

    News article
    Sea temperatures influence mussel production, but the link between the two is not always clear. Sea temperatures have been rising globally with climate change, but temperatures also fluctuate with shorter-term climate variability, along with other factors that influence food supply for the mussels.
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    Global experts confirm NIWA's finding on Southwest Pacific's coldest ever temperature

    Media release
    A World Meteorological Organisation panel has confirmed a finding that a temperature of -25.6°C observed at Eweburn, Ranfurly in New Zealand on 17 July 1903 is the coldest temperature recorded for the Southwest Pacific Region.
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    Is extreme weather the new normal?

    News article
    New Zealanders have just experienced one of the driest summers on record – great for beachgoers and cricket lovers, but far from ideal for farmers and orchardists relying on rain to maintain productivity.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    Weekly update to help media assess likelihood of extremely dry weather preceding a drought. Regions experiencing severely to extremely drier than normal soils conditions are deemed “hotspots”.
  • Unique animal communities may need special protection

    Media release
    New Zealand’s underwater mountains are home to unique animal communities which need careful environmental management, new research reveals.
  • NIWA discovers 141 new creatures

    News article
    The work of NIWA biologists has discovered 141 new marine creatures in the past three years, an important contribution to a worldwide register of the planet’s underwater life.
  • Pick of the Antarctic pictures

    Blog
    Hundreds of amazing images have come back from NIWA’s NZ-AU Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage 2015 on RV Tangaroa.
  • Taking the pulse of Antarctica’s ocean ecosystem

    Media release
    NIWA scientists have anchored an echosounder to the sea floor of Terra Nova Bay that could reveal the mystery of silverfish reproduction under the Antarctic ice.
  • Antarctica research voyage achievements

    Media release
    Dr Richard O’Driscoll, Voyage Leader aboard RV Tangaroa for the NZ-Australia Antarctica Ecosystems Voyage 2015 says the research project accomplished all science objectives they set out to achieve.
  • Scientists return from successful Antarctic research voyage

    Media release
    NIWA deepwater research vessel Tangaroa docks in Wellington today to complete a successful six-week New Zealand-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems voyage.
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    Voyage leader's final update

    Blog
    Now back on dry land, Voyage Leader Richard O'Driscoll reflects on the final days of RV Tangaroa's 2015 Antarctica expedition.
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    NIWA’s research receives international recognition

    Media release
    World-class climate and ozone research by scientists at NIWA’s Lauder Atmospheric Research Station has been recognised by meteorology’s leading organisation in Geneva, making Lauder the fourth upper-air site in the world to be certified by the global climate-data network.