Lord Ernest Rutherford — TEACHING RESOURCE
If asked to name a famous Kiwi scientist, most New Zealanders will reply with Ernest Rutherford. He is featured on the New Zealand $100 note, and throughout Aotearoa, there are many monuments and plaques erected to his memory. He is an ongoing inspiration for scientists around the world – for example, Rocket Lab named one of their engines after him.
Rosalind Franklin was so much more than the ‘wronged heroine’ of DNA
At the centre of Rosalind Franklin’s tombstone in London’s Willesden Jewish Cemetery is the word “scientist”. This is followed by the inscription, “Her research and discoveries on viruses remain of lasting benefit to mankind.” As one of the twentieth century’s pre-eminent scientists, Franklin’s work has benefited all of humanity. The one-hundredth anniversary of her birth this month is prompting much reflection on her career and research contributions, not least Franklin’s catalytic role in…
The healing power of data: Florence Nightingale’s true legacy
When you’re in a medical emergency, you don’t typically think of calling a statistician. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has shown just how necessary a clear understanding of data and modelling is to help prevent the spread of disease. One person understood this a long time ago. Were she alive today, Florence Nightingale would understand the importance of data in dealing with a public health emergency.
Vitamin C – the antiscorbutic
Vitamin C - the antiscorbutic - VIDEO. Dr Sean Bulley outlines some of the history surrounding the discovery of vitamin C and explains why its chemical name is ascorbic acid. He outlines its main function in the body. He explains why humans, unlike most other mammals, have lost the ability to synthesise their own vitamin C. Point of interest What is the recommended daily dose of vitamin C? Which fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamin C?
If Planet Nine exists, why has no one seen it?
Planet Nine is dead; long live Planet Nine? For some years, scientists have debated the existence of an unseen planet at least five times the mass of Earth in the outer reaches of the Solar System. Now, the hypothesis has been dealt a blow by a new analysis of distant, icy objects, which questions the evidence that they are under the gravitational pull of a huge planet. The findings do not rule out the possibility of a ninth planet orbiting the Sun, and astronomers say more data will be…
Tasting Platypus Milk: Linking Specimens and Stories
Zoological knowledge typically comes from one of two primary sources: the living and the dead — observations of animals going about their business in their habitats; and the study of preserved specimens. We rarely get the whole picture of an animal’s natural history without both, and each feed into how species are portrayed to those that have never seen them.
