News

Three quarters of New Zealanders believe more funding for health and medical research should be a government priority and that the government should invest more funding in health research, according to a survey just released. The poll of more than 500 Kiwis was conducted by Roy Morgan Research for a national health umbrella organisation, New…

Scientists have discovered just what it is that makes the tails of New Zealand glow worms light up and now hope to use the knowledge to aid medical research. The small glow worm larvae that later bloom into a flying insect produce their light using a chemical reaction that is different to all other glowing…

It is clear family and friends will play a critical role in meeting rapidly rising palliative care needs predicted within the next 30 years. However, this is not recognised in most mainstream palliative care policy, writes the University of Auckland’s Merryn Gott Being at home, in our own bed, surrounded by loved ones, is an…

While expecting her first child, Dr Clare Reynolds switched from normal fizzy drinks to diet. It was a rational move – the lesser of two evils, she figured – yet when she checked what research had been done, she found surprisingly little. That prompted Reynolds, a researcher at the University of Auckland-based Liggins Institute, to…

New Zealand has a high rate of self-harm among young people, but there are ways to help them cope, writes Victoria University psychology professor and Listener columnist Marc Wilson. “All the people I see hurt themselves,” said the clinical psychologist from the Youth Specialty Service. “What do you mean, like accidents?” I asked. “No, they…