Featured

Dr Karen Pollard is an Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She is also the Director of the University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory, and her research interest is stellar evolution and pulsating stars. Origins and early influences Karen started her astronomical journey at a young age. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Karen has lived...

This article is focused on constellations visible in the Southern Hemisphere, specifically New Zealand in May 2019. As we approach winter in the Southern Hemisphere, we say farewell to some constellations and welcome others. Read on to find out what celestial objects you can observe this month in New Zealand! Planets Venus is visible in the morning this month and rises before...

Estuarine mudflats are usually seen as bare and fruitless wastelands, but in fact, they rank as one of the most productive habitats on Earth. They provide food for vast numbers of shorebirds and supply us with tasty shellfish. Mudflats also play a pivotal role in filtering coastal waters from various pollutants that we put there. These ecosystem services would...

The Elaine P. Snowden Astronomy School is a five-day event for Year 13 students interested in studying Astronomy or Physics at university. The programme runs from 13-17 April and students will spend time at both the University of Canterbury's Ilam Campus and at Mt John Observatory in Tekapo. Applications are now open, closing 8 March. Learn more.

The notion that good nutrition is good for the brain is not a new idea. What is relatively new is that, until recently, there were very few well conducted studies examining whether a broad spectrum approach using doses of nutrients higher than what you could get out of a daily diet, could treat a mental disorder. At our lab at...

Learn about the wonderful celestial objects you can observe in the night sky in July!

Are NZ fish oil supplements safe, true to label and can they provide a health benefit? I recently co-authored an article in the New Zealand Medical Journal looking at whether omega-3 fatty acids contained in 10 fish oil supplements sold in NZ are true to label, accurate with health claims and safe to consume. Overall, although likely to be safe...

The He Puna Pūtaiao Programme was established by the College of Science in 2013 and is designed to give Year 10 Māori students from selected schools the opportunity to work alongside scientists and learn about scientific research. Puna means to well up or to flow, so symbolically represents youth or rangatahi. Its meaning may also incorporate research because in a...

An exciting Professional Day for STEM teachers hosted by the University of Canterbury on 12 Nov, 2019, attracted over 70 secondary school teachers from South Island high schools. It's so important to facilitate collaborations and ongoing communications with local school teachers. Education is a critical part of our jobs as University academics, and school teachers are our colleagues and partners...

We were flown down to the ice in a USAF ski modified Hercules aircraft (LC130), or ski-herc for short. The flight time was about 9 hours, and an hour and a half before landing we began passing over the Transantarctic Mountains!   After landing, we were driven to Scott Base and given an orientation tour, dinner, and a warm bed. The...