A glacier is a large quantity of ice formed from snow that has accumulated and been compacted over a long period of time. About 70% of the Earth’s freshwater resource is stored in glacial ice ...
NIWA’s research vessel the Tangaroa went on an 8-week voyage to the Ross Sea to survey the marine environment and explore biodiversity in the region. The journey from February until mid-March ...
The main current in the Southern Ocean is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), which flows from west to east, all the way around Antarctica. The ACC is the biggest current in the world and ...
In this activity, students read online articles related to fire in Antarctica and discuss why fire is a big hazard there. Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato Scientist in ...
In this activity, students construct models that resemble rain falling on a hillside to observe factors affecting soil erosion and ground stability. By the end of this activity, students should ...
In this activity, students look at what happens when hot and cold water meet. By the end of this activity, students should be able to: discuss how temperature affects the density of water discuss ...
The Planet Four online citizen science project is designed to assist planetary scientists to identify and measure features on the surface of Mars that don’t exist on Earth. Help is needed to ...
Weddell seals and orca are among the top predators in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica, and more than half of the Weddell seal population can be found in the Ross Sea. Information about changes ...
Antarctica’s crabeater seals are the focus of an international study led by the University of Canterbury. The aim is to understand potential environmental and social impacts on one of the ...
The rocky shore is a popular topic in primary school science. Below are some Science Learning Hub resources for primary teachers related to the rocky shore in the Living World strand of the New ...
With 75% of New Zealanders living within 10 km of the coast, many students will be familiar with estuaries. In scientific terms, estuaries are the interface between the land and the sea – the ...
In ecological terms, wetlands are ecotones – transitional habitats between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They provide a mixture of habitats and are capable of supporting a diverse range of ...
This animation shows how snow on the ground is rounded and compacted, sealing off pores between the grains, trapping atmospheric gases. Snow that survives one melting season is called firn ...
Dr Katja Riedel of NIWA explains how ice cores are dated. The researchers often rely on events like volcanic eruptions to determine how old the ice is.
Dr Katja Riedel of NIWA talks about how snow turns into ice and how the air gets trapped in the ice during this process.
This short slideshow shows some of the animals found in the Antarctic benthic zone. Use the Slideshow menu for further options, including view full screen, and go here for the download option.
Dr Candida Savage explains the clues she collects in estuaries and fiords, to understand how changes in land use affect these environments.
Explore this interactive diagram to learn more about life in the sea. Click on the different labels to view short video clips or images about different parts of the marine ecosystem.
