Alison Ballance
RNZ
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Past articles by Alison:
Finding DNA in fingerprints
A new method of finding DNA in fingerprints could take some of the guesswork out of crime scene analysis. → Read More
Fat happy kākāpō chicks
Thirty four kākāpō chicks are putting on plenty of weight in wild nests as the rimu fruit ripens, and 23 chicks are also being hand-reared, in episode 13 of the Kākāpō Files. → Read More
On the island
More than 160 kākāpō eggs have been laid and the first 21 chicks have hatched, but there is also news of the first chick death, in episode 9 of the Kākāpō Files. → Read More
The chicks are hatching
The first two chicks of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have hatched and the exciting news keeps coming in, in episode 7 of the Kākāpō Files. → Read More
Biggest risk to ageing well is loneliness
Yoram Barak says there are some simple ways of maintaining a healthy brain into old age. Good social relationships are key. → Read More
Can an introduced parasitic wasp control a nuisance beetle?
After years of trials, Scion entomologists believe New Zealand could safely introduce a parasitic wasp to control the eucalyptus tortoise beetle. → Read More
Antarctica's ice is melting
Research reveals new evidence about past, present and future impacts of climate change on Antarctica's ice. → Read More
Edible bioplastic - food wrap of the future?
University of Otago researchers are developing the ultimate heat-and-eat: an edible bioplastic food wrap, using waste from the corn and shellfish industries. → Read More
World-first probe into an active submarine volcano
Geologists on board the JOIDES Resolution research ship are attempting to drill into the flanks of the submarine hydrothermal Brothers Volcano. → Read More
Sea lion whiskers reveal marine secrets
Tiny samples collected from the teeth, tissue and even whiskers of marine animals can reveal where they feed and travel. → Read More
The sobering science of drinking and driving
Waikato University research shows that drinking socially makes it harder to tell when you're too drunk to drive - and even a low blood alcohol level makes our driving unsafe. → Read More
Urban lizards
A hunt for urban lizards in New Zealand involves more than a thousand buckets as well as citizen scientists. → Read More
Using noble metals to kill cancer
The winner of the 2017 Hill Tinsley Medal is developing anti-cancer drugs based on noble metals such as platinum and iridium. → Read More
Inherited heart disease: you're not doomed by your DNA
Anna Pilbrow says that a complex interaction of genetic factors underpin our risk of getting heart disease - and leading a healhy lifestyle lowers the risk. → Read More
Drug discoverer recognised with a top science honour
The 2017 MacDiarmid Medal has been awarded to chemist Peter Tyler, for his work designing and creating new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer. → Read More
Top science award goes to a 'supervolcanologist'
The 2017 Rutherford Prize has been awarded to Victoria University of Wellington geologist Colin Wilson for his work on supervolcanoes such as Taupo. → Read More
SOFIA - a flying telescope with a unique view of space
NASA's SOFIA observatory is a 2.5 metre telescope mounted in the back of a plane. It observes the birth and death of stars and the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. → Read More
Solving the mystery of the Kaikōura bubbles
Mysterious bubbles and warm water, known as Hope Springs, which appeared after the Kaikōura earthquake, appear to be coming from deep in the earth's crust. → Read More
We need to talk about gene drives and gene editing
Genetic tools will help New Zealand meets its aim of being Predator Free by 2050 - but we need to understand what they are and have a public conversation about their use. → Read More
The lowdown on tropical cyclones
As Cyclone Cook passes over New Zealand's east coast, triggering evacuations and cutting power, Alison Ballance looks at the science of tropical cyclones. → Read More