The shallow, snaking, braided channels of Canterbury's Waimakariri River - and the heavily-developed pastureland around it - have been captured by a NASA satellite.

It might sound like something straight out of the 2006 horror comedy Black Sheep, but woolly mutants are leading our scientists toward intriguing discoveries - and innovative new products.

While many of us may find the sounds of chewing or breathing off-putting, for some they're unbearable - and new research has shown their brains are going into overdrive.

Scientists have ruled out any suggestion this morning's 5.2 quake was linked to the mass whale stranding at Farewell Spit.

Source: Plastic Oceans

Supermarkets are being urged to create a plastic-free aisle in every store to prevent tons of waste packaging ending up in the world's oceans.

Six scientists crammed into a tiny dome for 12 months to replicate living on Mars. What could possibly go wrong? One reveals the 'stinkiest' issue.

Kiwi scientists could soon have a new way to safely get an up-close look at erupting volcanoes: send in the drone.

A war-era DC-3 aircraft is playing an unlikely role in a state-of-the-art scientific survey of Antarctica's sea ice.

COMMENT: There's danger in relying on crowds. But crowd wisdom is often cited as the justification for the idea of efficient asset markets.

COMMENT: An easy way to coat surfaces with wonder material graphene may soon put foldable phones in our pockets.

A reader has come upon a colourful find - and it took an evolutionary ecologist to tell us what the funky parasite is.

We can expect normal temperatures in the coming months but less rain.

New Zealand scientists have voiced fears over the new US administration, with one independent association arguing efforts to get more science in society had veered toward "street warfare".

There was nothing unusual about the late-night 5.1 quake that shook Marlborough and the lower North Island on Wednesday, says a scientist.

Kiwi scientists have reconstructed more than 34 million years of our climate - including a period when New Zealand was up to 8C warmer - using 2000 samples of fossilised tree pollen.

The dramatic, kilometres-deep canyons that lie hidden beneath our waves need protection from human pollution and damage, scientists say.

The Mangateretere pond was the most likely pathway by which contaminated water entered the Brookvale Rd borehead 1, the Havelock North

Mining on the moon has moved a step closer and billionaire Peter Thiel, along with Kiwi firm Rocket Labs, are at the forefront of making history.

COMMENT: What are the big five applications that explain the proliferation of drones over this period?

A new fellowship has been launched to attract global "visionary entrepreneurs" to New Zealand with up to 400 spaces available.

A Kiwi scientist has unexpectedly discovered what appears to be a huge undersea volcanic eruption near the main island of Tonga.

Researchers have pooled results from a number of studies on deception to establish the fail safe ways to determine if someone is telling the truth.

Top researchers team up with police, drawing on analytical skills to detect, prevent and disrupt unlawful acts.

A new report warns a parasite commonly found in cat faeces alters the chemistry of the human brain, making it fertile ground for Alzheimer's to take hold.

Experts have revealed the 10 surprising traits that might show people are more intelligent than their peers.

Anti-GM campaigners have launched a video on social media urging the Māori party to condemn Government's proposed changes to the Resource Management Act, which would remove their right to remain GM Free. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Scientists just back from an annual white-capped albatross census in the remote and windswept subantarctic islands are hopeful for the welfare of the iconic endemic seabirds.

The number of unprovoked shark attacks across the world fell last year, in the wake of a record figure in 2015 that scientists partly put down to warmers waters created by a strong El Nino system.

Is there a cure for fake news? New research has found that misinformation on climate change can psychologically cancel out the influence of accurate statements.