Tag Archives: zealand

Embracing the Unconventional: How New Zealand Emerged as a Hub for Indie Games

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TIf you’re just entering the gaming realm, you may not be aware of Pax Australia. This large-scale gaming conference and exhibition occurs annually at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center every October. My favorite area has always been Pax Rising, which showcases indie video games and tabletop games, predominantly from Australia. This year, however, notable changes have emerged, with many outstanding titles coming from New Zealand across the Tasman.

At a booth hosted by Code – the New Zealand Government-supported Center for Digital Excellence – 18 developers from New Zealand showcased their upcoming games, drawing in a busy crowd excited about the local gaming scene. In terms of humor, head lice allowed me to control a parasitic headcrab monster that could seize control of people’s brains and manipulate them like puppets. how was your day is a charming time-loop game set in New Zealand, revolving around a young girl on a quest to find her lost dog. Meanwhile, kill something with friends is a cooperative multiplayer action game featuring bizarre medical trials, where I ripped off my own arm to battle hordes of enemies.

Crowds gather to experience Middle Management, a satirical game focused on office culture developed in New Zealand. Photo: Carl Smith

Two years after the massive success of Dredge, New Zealand’s independent gaming industry continues to flourish. According to an investigation by the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA), local game developer studio revenues have increased steadily each year since 2018, seeing a 38% rise to NZ$759 million (A$657 million) from 2024 to 2025. This amount is nearly double the A$339.1 million generated in Australia in 2024.

This surge in revenue is backed by remarkable successes such as Grinding Gear Games’ acclaimed Path of Exile series, which reported revenue of NZ$105 million between October 2024 and September 2025. PikPok, the studio behind the acclaimed Into the Dead series and the mobile hit Clusterduck, has recorded over 500 million downloads worldwide across all titles. Additionally, projects such as Flintlock: Dawn Siege, Crypto Master, and Dungeons and the Decadent Gambler have seen impressive figures as well. Some of these projects benefit from a 20% rebate provided by NZ On Air, which has paid out $22.4 million by 2024/25 to around 40 companies. For smaller studios lacking new investment, Code has become a vital vehicle for growth.

Founded in Dunedin in late 2019 by the New Zealand Government to support South Island studios, Code received a boost from government investments in 2022 to expand its national program, which not only funds developers but also provides them with industry-best practices. Recent funding rounds yielded nearly NZ$960,000 in prizes across 13 studios, with New Zealand National Party Minister Shane Letty promising double the funding in September, providing an additional NZ$2.75 million per year.

Multiple countries offer federal funding for game development, but what sets Code apart is its emphasis on training developers to compete on a global scale. Its programs encompass not only grants but also mentorship and professional skills workshops (covering areas such as media communication and budgeting). It also provides multiple funding streams, ranging from travel assistance to substantial grants (up to $250,000) for teams poised to grow. The initiative aims to empower developers to become independent. “In today’s environment, publishers and investors want to engage only with those who already have some validation,” states Vee Pendergrast, Code Development Manager. “We built that into our model.”

Mr. Pendergrast emphasizes that industry leaders invited to mentor will offer “cost-effective solutions to expensive challenges.” “Even if they’re receiving a consulting fee, their skills return to the ecosystem.”

According to Code’s estimates, every NZ$1 they invest yields NZ$2.67 in returns, and this is evident in the upcoming console release of Abiotic Factor, a Code-supported title by Deep Field Games, which has sold over 1.4 million copies solely on PC.

“Their games looked fantastic, the demos were engaging, and the developers were skilled at interacting with the media.” – Pax Australia floor. Photo: Carl Smith

At the Code booth during Pax, developers shared similar traits: their games looked fantastic, the demos were engaging, and they had strong media communication skills. One standout for me was Canvas City, a turn-based tactical combat game involving rollerblading. The studio, Disc 2 Games, spun off from Black Salt Games, the creators of the Code-backed hit Dredge. The success of Dredge provides separate funding for Disc 2, enabling them to innovate without growing the original company.

“Code offers excellent support for first-time developers,” says Nadia Thorne, CEO and producer at Black Salt. Since Dredge launched, she has become a mentor for Code. “Many indie studios lack the luxury of [coming to Pax for] this kind of exposure. Pooling our resources allows us to attend numerous shows that we otherwise couldn’t access.”

Kate Stewart and Will Adamson in “Apothecurse.” Photo: Carl Smith

Jevon Wright is developing his first game, Adaptory, after four years. This 2D survival game features players managing a crew that crash-lands in space and must build a base to survive. They discovered Code halfway through its development, allowing them to become part of the broader New Zealand scene. “We all know each other,” they express. “And we’re all here to support one another.”

Will Adamson demonstrating the game Apothecurse also praised the cooperative nature of this scene, stating, “We not only share ideas, experiences, and contacts, but also developers… There’s a true sense of community here.”

Steam lists 61 upcoming games from New Zealand for PC. This figure is impressive for a small nation, yet it’s just a fraction of the 19,000 games released on Steam in 2024 alone. To carve a niche in a saturated market, the games highlighted at Pax all presented something distinct. “We have a multitude of inventive, quirky, Kiwi-oriented products. That’s part of our overall brand,” explains Pendergrast. Consider Middle Management, for instance, an irreverent satire addressing office culture featuring a mind-draining octopus creature, or Dream Team Supreme, where two players control a two-headed robot using two decks of cards to battle monsters.

Not all projects backed by Code have emerged as commercial successes, but some stand out. “We’re happy to share our triumphs and setbacks and the experiences leading up to them,” notes Thorne. “We’re simply striving to make it easier for the next wave of developers.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tiny Fossils Uncover New Lineage of New Zealand Songbirds

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Paleontologists have unearthed a 2.9-centimeter fossil foot bone believed to belong to a bowerbird at the Miocene site of St Bassans in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Recreating the life of the St. Bassin’s bowerbird (Aeviperditus gracilis). Image credit: Sasha Votyakova / Te Papa / CC BY 4.0.

The newly identified species existed in New Zealand during the Miocene epoch, approximately 19 to 14 million years ago, well away from its close relatives in Australia and New Guinea.

“This finding offers significant and unique insight into the biological history of Aotearoa’s avian life,” stated Dr. Nick Lawrence, director of the Otago Institute of Paleogenetics.

“For many around the globe, bowerbirds gained fame from Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries featuring their intricate courtship rituals. Males construct arched structures called bowers, adorned with colorful items such as sticks and occasionally fruit, leaves, or even plastic, to attract a mate.”

Known as Aeviperditus gracilis or St. Bassin’s bowerbird, this new bird species was considerably smaller than its modern counterparts.

“It weighs only 33g, much lighter than both existing and extinct bowerbird species, which typically range from 96 to 265g,” Dr. Lawrence explained.

“Its leg bones closely resemble those of Avenue Bower builders, including the brightly colored Flame Bowerbird and Satin Bowerbird.”

“If this bird is indeed a relative of bowerbirds, it could represent an entirely new lineage of songbirds for Aotearoa,” suggested Dr. Elizabeth Steele, a researcher at the University of Cambridge.

“This is particularly crucial given our limited understanding of the region’s ancient songbird fossil record.”

“St Bathan’s Bowerbird signifies the latest lineage of songbirds with a long evolutionary history in Aotearoa, with the earliest representatives of groups like the Uia, Koukako, Tieke, Piopio, and Mohua found here.”

“All these species likely evolved rapidly and dispersed from Australia to New Zealand.”

“Like many of St. Bathans’ unique species, this bird has no surviving descendants in Aotearoa.”

“The bowerbird seems to have been particularly vulnerable to the cooling temperatures preceding the Ice Age and the resulting shifts in forest composition and distribution, contributing to its extinction,” Dr. Lawrence noted.

An article detailing the discovery of Aeviperditus gracilis was published on October 7, 2025, in Historical Biology, International Journal of Paleontology.

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Elizabeth M. Steele et al. Possible early Miocene bowerbirds of New Zealand. Historical Biology, published online October 7, 2025. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2568099

Source: www.sci.news

How a Skilled New Zealand Dog Triumphed and Secured a Quantum Computer

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Feedback provides the latest insights into science and technology from New Scientist, showcasing recent developments. To share intriguing items you think our readers would enjoy, email us at Feedback@newscientist.com.

Computer vs Dog

Feedback often receives emails that start with striking statements. Elliot Baptist recently wrote, expressing curiosity about the comparison of well-trained New Zealand dogs to quantum computers.

Elliot referenced a Preprint paper by cryptographers Peter Gutman of Auckland and Stephen Neuhaus of Zurich’s University of Applied Sciences. This work documents efforts to develop quantum computers capable of factoring very large numbers, specifically identifying two numbers that multiply to a given target.

This is a significant concern because many encryption systems depend on large numbers that are hard to factor. If a quantum computer is built that can easily manage large numbers, it would compromise the security of numerous servers and transactions. There have been notable advancements; for instance, IBM created a computer capable of factoring 15 in 2001 (5×3, for reference) and upgraded to 21 (7×3) by 2012. In 2019, the startup Zapata claimed they could factor 1,099,551,473,989.

However, Gutman and Neuhaus remain optimistic about the future of encryption, noting that many of the quantum factors are engineered. “Like stage magic, when a new quantum factorization is announced, the fascination lies not just in the trick, but in discerning how it was achieved,” they state.

Consequently, we attempted to replicate quantum factorizations using advanced technology. I utilized a home computer for a detailed explanation, which I’ll leave to readers as an exercise. The Abacus method is simpler, but larger numbers necessitate an Abacus arranged in 616 columns.

Now, let’s consider the dog method. To replicate the factorizations of 15 and 21, researchers trained dogs to bark three times. “We took the recently proofed reference dog, depicted in Figure 6, and commanded it to bark together for both 15 and 21,” they wrote. “This task was more complicated than expected, as Scribble performed exceptionally well and hardly barked.”

Elliot admits that he “is not qualified to judge the discussion’s validity,” and remarks that the Feedback team might be even less so. Readers with a deep understanding of quantum computing and encryption are encouraged to write in and elucidate what is happening globally. Feedback may not grasp the explanation, but try presenting it to one of the cats and note their reactions.

Robot Response

Feedback received inquiries about next year’s “inspirational” conference focused on love and interactions with robots, slated to occur in Z Jiang, China.

Tim Stevenson pointed out that I failed to mention a critical detail: the attendance fee. Feedback thrives on diligence, so I revisited the conference website and discovered it costs $105.98 to register. I suspect the actual tickets could hold higher prices, but I didn’t want to register just to find out.

Meanwhile, Pamela Manfield weighed in, disagreeing with Feedback’s stance. However, she acknowledged the controversy, especially given the Trump administration’s cuts to research funding.

Seasonal Injuries

Nicole Golowski wrote to spotlight research from 2023 that may have flown under our radar. She remarked it was akin to “obvious findings.” The study on “Penis Fracture: Merry Christmas Price” exemplifies this notion, as Nicole puts it, “It speaks for itself.”

Using data from Germany between 2005 and 2021, researchers examined whether “tears of the tunica albuginea surrounding the corpora cavernosa” were more frequent during certain times of the year, particularly around the holiday season. The Christmas period (December 24th-26th) and summertime exhibited a higher incidence of such injuries, while unexpectedly, the New Year (December 31st to January 2nd) did not follow this trend. The researchers proposed that “Christmas may be a risk factor for penile fractures due to the heightened intimacy and joy associated with the festive season.”

The study concludes: “Last year’s Christmas penile fractures rose in frequency. This year, let’s avoid doing anything that leads us to tears.”

Apologies for any typos: Feedback noted that this section seemed to curl up defensively.

Have you shared your thoughts with Feedback?

Stories can be submitted to feedback@newscientist.com. Make sure to include your home address. Check our website for this week’s and past Feedback editions.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Document the Struggle to Safeguard Endangered Birds in New Zealand

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Rangers aiming to install stoat traps in the KEA Basin, New Zealand

Robin Hammond/Panos Photos

A massive conservation initiative is being undertaken throughout New Zealand to eliminate invasive species, allowing various native and endangered birds to thrive.

Kiwis that live on the ground

Robin Hammond/Panos Photos

The nationwide predator eradication initiative, documented by photographer Robin Hammond, boldly aims to exterminate three invasive species introduced by humans: rats, stoats, and possums. These predators have decimated the populations of ground-nesting birds like kiwis. This ambitious plan includes the controversial aerial application of sodium fluoroacetate poison targeting these mammals (as seen in the main image).

Biodiversity Ranger Steven Cox releases a young kiwi

Robin Hammond/Panos Photos

“It’s conservation through culling,” states Hammond. “It’s a tough choice, yet inaction leads to significant losses in our bird populations.”

Efforts are also focused on ensuring kiwis and other birds are large enough to withstand mammalian predation (as shown above).

Staff releasing Takahe birds

Robin Hammond/Panos Photos

In the wild, kiwi eggs have only a 5% chance of maturing into adults. However, adult birds like the non-flying hawk (as shown above and below) have significantly better survival rates.

Conducting a final health assessment and attaching transmitters to Takahe birds

Robin Hammond/Panos Photos

Stuffed Auckland Island merganser (Mergus australis)

Robin Hammond/Panos Photos

Unfortunately, it’s already too late for certain birds, like the Merganser from Auckland Island (illustrated above). After its disappearance in 1902, it has since been confined to museum exhibits. “I’ve witnessed flocks flying around Wellington without even knowing they existed as a child,” states Hammond. “Though, you can now hear their songs, something that was not the case before.”

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient Karawon Fossils Discovered in New Zealand, Dating Back 19 Million Years

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Paleontologists have unearthed a new species of large passerine birds based on fossilized remains from the Bannockburn Formation near St. Bathans in Otago, New Zealand.

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina Tibicen), adults and juveniles, in Tabeumi, Fiji. Image credits: Charles J. Sharp, https://www.sharpphotography.co.uk / CC by-sa 4.0.

The newly identified bird inhabited New Zealand during the early Miocene period around 19 million years ago.

It has been named St. Batan’s Caloun (MioStrepera Canora), closely related to the Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina Tibicen) found in New Zealand today, likely exhibiting an entirely black plumage.

“We’ve experienced a lot of excitement and hard work,” shared Dr. Paul Scofield, senior curator at the Canterbury Museum.

“We probably haven’t encountered a member of this large magpie family for just five million years.”

“New Zealand’s ecosystem has undergone significant transformations over millions of years, welcoming diverse species throughout various eras,” noted Dr. Trevor Worthy, a researcher at Flinders University.

“There’s a notion that we should strive to restore New Zealand to its pre-European ecosystem.”

“However, that ecosystem had been in a constant state of flux for millions of years.”

“By the time humans arrived, Aotearoa had already lost much of the floral diversity that once thrived.”

“There were limited tree seeds available, but the decline of the choloun and other pigeons indicates this loss.”

“Different plant and animal groups emerged between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago.”

“Even more have come since humans began to inhabit the land.”

“New Zealand’s pre-European ecosystem isn’t inherently better or worse than any other period in the past.”

“The fossil record hints at the absence of a utopian state and encourages us to celebrate the diversity present today.”

The fossilized remains of MioStrepera Canora were found at the St Bathans fossil site, which was once located at the bottom of a vast prehistoric lake.

“The research revealed that the Miocene bird population in New Zealand bears surprising similarities to contemporary Australian birds,” Dr. Scofield mentioned.

“New Zealand was vastly different during the Miocene, between 200,000 to 5 million years ago.”

“If you walked through New Zealand’s forests during that time, you would have seen abundant eucalyptus, laurel, and casuarinas, much like the forests of Australia today.”

“The most significant factor shaping New Zealand’s current landscape was the extinction of many plants and animals that thrived in warmer climates, following a rapid cooling that began around 13 million years ago.”

“It was likely not the only bird call you would have heard in ancient New Zealand.”

The discovery of MioStrepera Canora is detailed in a paper published in the journal Palz.

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Worth it et al. A large-scale clastatin passerine (Aves, Artamidae, Cracticinae) from the early Miocene of New Zealand. Palz published on June 25th, 2025. doi:10.1007/s12542-025-00736-x

Source: www.sci.news

Twenty million years ago, the giant freshwater crayfish inhabited New Zealand.

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The fossil record of freshwater crayfish is surprisingly sparse, mainly containing trace fossils, some body fossils, and rarely gastroscopy. Paleontologists from Flinders University, the University of New South Wales, the Canterbury Museum and the University of Canterbury have discovered that the small molars (jaws) of the lower jaw of Gondwannan freshwater crayfish have a stiff, robust apatite layer. They discovered eight jaw fragments of a fossil freshwater crayfish that lived in New Zealand during the early Miocene period.

Swamp Yabby (Cherax Latimanus), Australian freshwater crayfish species. Image credits: McCormack & Raadik, doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5026.3.2.

Prehistoric freshwater crayfish grew to about 25 cm long compared to about 8 cm of today’s New Zealand species.

“Crayfish were important creatures in ancient settings,” says Dr. Paul Scofield, senior curator at the Canterbury Museum.

“The crayfish’s body does not fossil because it is made from the wrong chemical elements. However, the molars in the jaw are made of different materials, like mammalian teeth, so they do fossil because they are made from different materials.”

“This means that we can clearly say where freshwater crayfish lived in prehistoric times. It will speak more about prehistoric ecosystems and how they worked.”

Dr. Scofield and his colleagues sifted through hundreds of thousands of small fossil fragments found near St. Batan in central Otago and used microscopes to identify prehistoric crayfish to identify each piece.

Crayfish were identified from eight jaw fragments each, about 4 mm in length.

An exciting observation was to show that the three lower jaws showed that the three types lived together.

There are currently only two species in New Zealand and live in different parts of the country.

Fragments are very rare. One distance of the 100 kg fossil fragments recovered from St. Batan produced only one fragment.

“We also identified the first fossilized Yabby buttons, which are calcium deposits that form in the stomachs of crayfish,” said Dr. Trevor Worthy, a paleontologist at Flinders University.

“Historically, paleontologists have often misidentified Yabby buttons as fossilized fish teeth.”

“Several fragments like these are sitting in boxes of museum collections around the world and are marked with question marks. Now we can say what they are.”

“Small fossils can reveal a lot about prehistoric life,” said Dr Vanessa de Petri, a paleontologist at the University of Canterbury.

“It’s not just about big sexy bones, it’s about the little things. Every piece has a story to tell.”

Team’s result It was published in Alcheringa, Australian Journal of Palaeontology.

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Trevor H. Worthy et al. Decapoda, Parastacidae, of the fossil mandible from the early Miocene of New Zealand. AlcheringaPublished online on April 13th, 2025. doi:10.1080/03115518.2025.2488056

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Ichthyosaur Fossil, 98 Million Years Old, Unearthed in New Zealand

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New Zealand paleontologists have discovered a partial skeleton. platypterygoid ichthyosaur It dates back to the Cretaceous period.

a pair of Platypterygius sp. Image credit: Dmitry Bogdanov / CC BY 3.0.

“Ichthyosaurs are a clade of secondary aquatic marine reptiles that lived in the oceans for much of the Mesozoic, first appearing in the Early Triassic and eventually becoming part of the Cenomanian.'' It became extinct at the Turonian border.”

“Cretaceous ichthyosaurs were once thought to be a group with low diversity and disparity, the result of a long-term decline since the Jurassic.”

“However, recent studies have produced a growing body of evidence that Cretaceous ichthyosaurs were much more diverse than previously thought.”

“Ichthyosaur fossils were first recorded in New Zealand by von Haast in 1861 from Pott Mountain in the central South Island,” they added.

“Over the next 150 years, ichthyosaur fossil material was recovered from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.”

The new New Zealand ichthyosaur was discovered in the Coverham area at the northern end of the Waiau Toa/Clarence Valley.

The specimen is a disarticulated partial skeleton preserved in a tubercle.

Its origins date back to 98 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, about 4 million years before ichthyosaurs finally became extinct.

“This material comes from the condensate that was discovered.” on site “It lies within the Swale Silt Formation of the Split Rock Formation, a siliciclastic unit deposited during the Cenomanian period and found throughout southern Marlborough and northernmost Canterbury on New Zealand's South Island,” the paleontologists said.

“All Cretaceous ichthyosaur material ever described in New Zealand comes from the North Island.”

This specimen is the most completely preserved ichthyosaur known from New Zealand.

It has a well-preserved pelvis and dorsal fin, adding to the known data set of these elements, which are poorly preserved in Cretaceous species.

“Although the specimen is too fragmentary to be formally named, this taxon has an extremely reduced basioccipital extracondylar area, a scapula with a prominent acromion process and a strap-like scapular shaft, and A complete left pelvic girdle with an elongated depression “located on the anteroproximal aspect of the ischium” is shown, the researchers said.

They suggest that it is a late-diverging member of the platypterygian ichthyosaurs and is closely related to East Gondwanan species. Platypterygius australis and many European Cretaceous ichthyosaurs.

However, it appears to be unrelated to the Cretaceous ichthyosaurs of western Gondwana, suggesting potential regionalism in the Cretaceous ichthyosaur populations of Gondwana.

“New Zealand ichthyosaurs add to the known diversity of Gondwanan-Cretaceous ichthyosaurs, and suggest that ichthyosaur populations were distributed regionally, rather than internationally, near the margins of Cretaceous Gondwana. “This may indicate that,” the scientists concluded.

of findings will appear in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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George R.A. Young others. A platyptera ichthyosaur from the Cenomanian region of central New Zealand. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontologypublished online October 30, 2024. doi: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2408391

Source: www.sci.news

New Zealand Revealed: Unearthed Fossils of Rare Whitefly and Plantain Insects

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Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of whitefly from fossils found in Miocene crater lake deposits at Hindon Mar, near Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand.

Close-up of two small pupae Miotetraleurodes novaezelandiae It is attached to the leaves of angiosperms. Image credit: Drohojowska others., doi: 10.1007/s12549-024-00628-z.

Adult whiteflies are small insects about 3 mm in size, and immatures are even smaller.

The fossil discovered at Hindon Maar is approximately 1.5mm x 1.25mm and was preserved by pasting it on the back of a fossilized leaf.

It has a black, oval body and has some similarities with modern whiteflies, such as shape and color, but differs in that all parts of the body are clearly defined by deep sutures.

“Fossils of adult whiteflies are not uncommon, but unusual circumstances are required for the pupa (the protective shell in which the insect emerges) to become fossilized,” says palaeontologist at the University of Göttingen and former postdoctoral researcher at the University of Göttingen. says Dr. Uwe Kaulfus. University of Otago.

“About 15 million years ago, the pupal leaves must have been torn off the tree, blown into a small lake, sunk to the deep lake bed, become covered in sediment, and become fossils.”

“It must have happened in quick succession because the fossils of the small insects are so well preserved.”

“The new genera and species described in our study are Miotetraleurodes novaezelandiaerevealed for the first time that whitefly insects were an ecological component of ancient forests in the South Island. ”

“It was difficult to see much with the naked eye, but when we looked at the fossils under a microscope we could see amazing details,” said Emeritus Professor Daphne Lee from the University of Otago.

“The fact that they are still alive on leaves is incredible and extremely rare.”

“These small fossils are the first of their kind to be found in New Zealand, and only the third pupa fossil of this type known worldwide.”

“These new discoveries from the Otago fossil site are an important contribution to our understanding of New Zealand's past biodiversity and forest ecosystem history. It means we have a new appreciation for the importance of it.”

“Most people are interested in big fossils, big charismatic fossils, but most of the animals in the forest are insects.”

“New Zealand is home to 14,000 insect species, 90% of which are found nowhere else in the world.”

“The discovery of these tiny fossils shows that this insect group has been present in Aotearoa New Zealand for at least 15 million years.”

“This provides a well-dated calibration point for molecular phylogenetic studies.”

of study Published in a magazine Paleobiodiversity and paleoenvironment.

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J. Drohojovska others. The first Miocene whiteflies and parrots (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodoidea and Psylloidea) from Aotearoa, New Zealand. Paleobio Paleoembupublished online on October 1, 2024. doi: 10.1007/s12549-024-00628-z

Source: www.sci.news

Newly discovered abalone species found in the waters of New Zealand

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Named Haliotis pilimoana, the newly identified gastropod species is found only on the Manawatawi Three Kings Islands, off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

Shell Haliotis pilimoana Manawatawhi Three Kings Islands (AD) and Haliotis virginia (EG). Scale bars – 5 mm in. (AC) and 0.5 mm in. (DG). Image courtesy of Jean-Claude Stahl.

Abalone Family Haliotidae) are herbivorous marine gastropods that inhabit hard substrates in shallow, non-polar regions worldwide.

Several haliotiids are the basis of wild capture and/or aquaculture fisheries.

Additionally, the shells are often used in art, cultural practices, jewelry, and are prized among shell collectors.

Currently, there are approximately 70 species recognized by science, with many subspecies and forms, all belonging to this genus. Haliotis.

Haliotis pilimoana It lives under rocks and in crevices in the Manawatawhi Three Kings Islands at depths of 5-47 metres.

The new species differs subtly but consistently from New Zealand’s native abalone in that its spiral threads are thinner and more numerous. Haliotis virginia are at the same stage of development.

“Haliotis pilimoana Superficially it resembles specimens from the North Island (except near Wellington) population. Haliotis virginia “The shell morphology is similar but differs significantly in that at comparable stages of development, the dorsal surface has consistently thinner spiral threads that are more evenly spaced and closely spaced, and the stigma is more tightly coiled,” said Dr Kelly Walton, a researcher at the University of Otago and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and colleagues.

“These differences are between shells from the northernmost part of the North Island, closest to the Three Kings Islands, and Haliotis pilimoana“The former is obviously a cruder carving.”

“Haliotis pilimoana The mainland population is even more different. Haliotis virginia Average shell shape: Generally, the carapace has a lower profile, more angular carapace margin, and a flatter, wider, and more clearly delimited umbilical edge, especially in the carapace.

According to the study authors: Haliotis pilimoana Has a remnant distribution in or diverged from the Three Kings Islands Haliotis virginia It is unclear what his status will be after the quarantine period.

“The shallow coastal fauna of the Three Kings Islands is highly endemic,” the researchers said.

“The cause of the increase in local endemism in the Three Kings Islands is unknown, but the phenomenon is certainly influenced by successive periods of connectivity and isolation during glacial periods since the Miocene.”

“Strong upwelling can make water quality more stable during glacial cycles.”

“Given the Three Kings region’s small size, easy access from mainland New Zealand, proximity to major shipping lanes and high abundance of endemic species, the area has the potential to benefit from enhanced marine protection.”

Discovery Haliotis pilimoana It has been reported paper In the journal Mollusc Research.

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Kelly Walton others. Haliotis virginia Gmelin, 1791 and a new species of abalone (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Abaloneidae) from New Zealand. Mollusc ResearchPublished online August 30, 2024; doi: 10.1080/13235818.2024.2390476

Source: www.sci.news

The Kakapo Parrot: A Species with Ancient Origins in New Zealand, According to Paleontologist

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Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is a species of flightless parrot endemic to New Zealand.

Kakapo (Strigops habroptilusImage courtesy of Jake Osborne.

“Our research has prompted us to rethink our native fauna,” said Dr Paul Schofield, from Canterbury Museum.

“Many species that were thought to be iconic natives of New Zealand – the classic example being the takahe – are now known to be relatively recent species that arrived from Australia only a few million years ago.”

In their study, Dr Schofield and his colleagues focused on the so-called St Bathans Fauna, a collection of more than 9,000 specimens from 33 palaeontological sites and individual deposits near the village of St Bathans in Central Otago, New Zealand’s South Island.

These sites, once the bed of a large prehistoric lake, provide the only significant insight into non-marine life in New Zealand from 20 million years ago (the Early Miocene).

Rare creatures in the St Bathans fauna include: Hercules’ Unexpected a giant parrot that scientists have named Squawkzilla, two mysterious mammals, flamingos, a three-metre crocodile, a giant horned turtle, and a giant bat.

“Twenty-three years of excavations at St Bathans have changed our ideas about the age of New Zealand’s fauna and the importance of some animals over others,” Dr Schofield said.

“For example, we previously thought that birds like kiwis and moas were the oldest representatives of New Zealand’s fauna.”

“We are now beginning to realise that the kakapo, New Zealand’s little wrens and bats, and even the odd freshwater limpet are the true ancient inhabitants of New Zealand.”

The authors conclude that this rare group of animals became extinct as a result of a dramatic drop in temperature over the past five million years or so.

“The work at St Bathans has transformed our understanding of the non-marine vertebrate fauna of New Zealand during the Early Miocene, around 20 million years ago,” Dr Trevor Worthy, from Flinders University, said.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of a project that continues to discover brand new things about what animals lived in New Zealand’s lakes, rivers, and surrounding forests at such a pivotal time in history.”

“Every year we find new specimens – amazing discoveries of new species that we never could have imagined when we first started working there.”

“The animals that lived in New Zealand 20 million years ago were very different to those found today,” said Dr Vanessa De Pietri, from the University of Canterbury.

“For example, there was another giant eagle that was not related to Haast’s eagle (Hieraethus Moulay)”

“We had a lot of pretty unusual songbirds, we had alligators and maybe even some small mammals that we call waddling mice.”

“Research is still ongoing to understand what it was exactly.”

This study paper Published in the journal Geobios.

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Trevor H. Worthy othersSummary of the Early Miocene St Bathans fauna of New Zealand. GeobiosPublished online August 6, 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.geobios.2024.03.002

This article has been adapted from an original release by Canterbury Museum.

Source: www.sci.news

Kim Dotcom to be Extradited from New Zealand to US

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New Zealand’s justice minister has announced that Kim Dotcom will be extradited to the United States to face criminal charges related to the file-sharing site Megaupload. This decision could finally bring an end to a legal battle that has spanned over a decade.

Kim Dotcom, a German-born resident of New Zealand, has been contesting his extradition to the US since a 2012 FBI-ordered search of his Auckland home. Despite repeated legal challenges, New Zealand’s courts have upheld the decision for his extradition, with the country’s Supreme Court affirming the ruling in 2020.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has signed the extradition order for Dotcom, stating, “Having carefully considered all the information, I have determined that Mr. Dotcom should be extradited to the United States to stand trial.”

Dotcom, who is facing charges including money laundering and copyright infringement, has argued against being held accountable for the actions of users on his site. Despite his claims, the courts have ruled in favor of his extradition, citing violations under New Zealand law.

US authorities allege that Dotcom and other Megaupload executives caused significant financial losses to film studios and record companies by profiting from copyrighted material shared on the website.

Following the shutdown of Megaupload, the site was rebranded as Mega in 2013 with a New Zealand domain. Dotcom is no longer associated with the company, which now focuses on online privacy services.

Megaupload executives who were arrested alongside Dotcom have faced legal consequences, with some striking plea deals and others receiving sentences. The unfolding legal saga has drawn attention to issues of copyright infringement and online file-sharing.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Discovery of Ancient Dwarf Penguin “Pacdiptes hakataramea” in New Zealand

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Pakdipthes hakataramea Body size would have been similar to that of modern humans Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor)It is approximately 40-45 cm (15.7-17.7 in) in length.

Artist image Pakdipthes hakatarameaPhoto courtesy of Tatsuya Niimura / Ashoro Museum of Paleontology

Pakdipthes hakataramea It lived in New Zealand about 24 million years ago (Late Oligocene Epoch).

This new species was very small, about the size of a little blue penguin. World's smallest — They have anatomical adaptations that allow them to dive.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea “This fossil fills the morphological gap between modern and fossil penguins,” said Dr. Tatsuro Ando, ​​a paleontologist at the Ashoro Museum in Ashoro Town.

“In particular, the shape of the wing bones is very different, and it was unclear how penguins' wings acquired their current shape and function.”

“The humerus and ulna show how penguins' wings evolved.”

“To my surprise, Pakdipthes hakataramea It was very close to the condition of modern penguins, but the elbow joint was very similar to that of older types of fossil penguins.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea This is the first penguin fossil to be found in this combination and is a key fossil that will shed light on the evolution of penguins' wings.”

Fossilized remains Pakdipthes hakataramea The fossils were discovered by palaeontologists Craig Jones and Professor Euan Fordyce during a series of field expeditions in the Hakataramea Gorge in South Canterbury in 1987.

“Analysis of internal bone structure compared with data from modern penguins shows that these penguins had microanatomical features indicative of diving behaviour,” said Dr Carolina Lock, a palaeontologist at the University of Otago.

Modern penguins have excellent swimming abilities, thanks mainly to their dense, thick bones that provide them with buoyancy when diving.

in Pakdipthes hakatarameaAlthough the medullary cavity containing the bone marrow was open, the cortical bone was quite thick, similar to that seen in modern little blue penguins, which tend to swim in shallow waters.

ability Pakdipthes hakataramea Their ability to dive and swim depends on a unique combination of bones.

“Penguins evolved rapidly from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene. Pakdipthes hakataramea “This is a significant fossil from this period,” Dr Locke said.

“Their small body size and unique bone combination may have contributed to the ecological diversity of modern penguins.”

Discovery Pakdiptes hakataramea teeth, paper In Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

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Tatsuro Ando othersA new small penguin fossil discovered from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand and morphofunctional changes in penguin wings. Journal of the Royal Society of New ZealandPublished online July 31, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2362283

Source: www.sci.news

Rare nothosaurus fossil discovered in New Zealand

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The 246-million-year-old specimen is the geologically oldest marine reptile to inhabit the Southern Hemisphere.

This image shows a nothosaurus swimming along the ancient Antarctic coast of what is now New Zealand about 246 million years ago (during the Triassic Period). Image courtesy of Stavros Kundromichalis.

“Reptiles dominated the seas millions of years before dinosaurs dominated the land,” said Dr Benjamin Kear from the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University and his colleagues.

“The most diverse and geologically longest-surviving group are the sauropods, with an evolutionary history spanning more than 180 million years.”

“This group included the long-necked plesiosaurs. Nothosaurus was their distant ancestor.”

“Nothosaurus could grow up to 7 metres (23 feet) in length and swam using four paddle-like limbs. It had a flattened skull with a web of narrow, conical teeth that it used to catch fish and squid.”

The 246-million-year-old Nothosaurus fossil was discovered in 1978 in rocks found along a major tributary of the Balmacaan River at the foot of Mount Harper in the Harper Ranges of New Zealand's central South Island.

“The New Zealand nothosaurus is more than 40 million years older than the oldest sauropod fossil yet found in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Dr Keir, lead author of the paper. paper Published in the journal Current Biology.

“We show that these ancient marine reptiles lived in shallow coastal environments rich in marine life within the Antarctic Circle at that time.”

“The oldest nothosaurus fossils date back to about 248 million years ago and were found along an ancient low-northern latitude belt that stretched from the remote northeastern to northwestern edges of the Panthalassa superocean.”

“The origin, distribution and timing of the arrival of nothosaurs in these remote areas remain a matter of debate.”

“Some theories suggest that they migrated along Arctic coastlines, swam through inland seas, or used ocean currents to cross the Panthalassa superocean.”

Morphology and biogeographical context of the earliest sauropod-finned fish in the Southern Hemisphere. Image courtesy of Kear others., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.035.

New fossils discovered in New Zealand overturn these long-held assumptions.

“Using a time-calibrated evolutionary model of the global distribution of sauropods, we show that nothosaurs originated near the equator and then rapidly spread north and south at the same time that complex marine ecosystems were being re-established after the great extinction that marked the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs,” Dr Kear said.

“The beginning of the age of the dinosaurs was marked by extreme global warming, which allowed these marine reptiles to thrive in Antarctica.”

“This also suggests that the ancient polar regions were likely routes for their earliest global migration, similar to the epic transoceanic journeys undertaken by modern whales.”

“There are surely fossils of long-extinct sea monsters still waiting to be discovered in New Zealand and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere.”

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Benjamin P. Kear others2024. Earliest southern sauropods reveal early globalization of marine reptiles. Current Biology 34(12):562-563; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.035

Source: www.sci.news

Fossils of Giant Crabs Discovered in New Zealand

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Paleontologists have described a new species of crab genus false calcinus A large fossil specimen discovered in Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand.

Pseudocarcinus karlaubenheimeri. Scale bar – 5 cm. Image credit: Barry WM van Bakel & Àlex Ossó, doi: 10.1080/00288306.2024.2314472.

false calcinus It is a monotypic genus of the Crabidae family. Menippiidae.

Among them is a very large species called. Tasmanian giant crab (Pseudocalcinus gigas).

Also known as the giant southern crab, it lives on rocky and muddy bottoms off the coast of southern Australia.

“Alive 'Southern Giant Crab'” Pseudocalcinus gigas “It ranks among the largest crabs that have ever lived,” said Utrecht University paleontologist Barry van Bekel and colleague Alex Osso.

“This bird is now endemic to the cool-temperate South Australian continental margin, although there is one record of a female being caught off the coast of New Zealand's South Island.”

“Scientists recognized and described the unique set of morphological characters of this monotypic genus and constructed a corresponding new family and superfamily.”

“Unfortunately, the geological history of this remarkable group of crabs is largely unknown.”

named Pseudocarcinus karlaubenheimeria new member of this genus lived in New Zealand about 8.8 million years ago (Miocene epoch).

Six specimens of this species were collected from Waitoetoe Beach. Urenui formation The Taranaki Basin is home to a series of volcanoes. Mojakatino Volcano Center It erupted offshore, leading to the formation of a specific paleoenvironment.

“this is, false calcinus It lived in what is now New Zealand,” the researchers said.

According to the team: false calcinus Males have one normal-sized claw and one extra-large claw.

“In modern oceans, crabs have larger absolute claw sizes in temperate regions than in tropical regions, but in temperate oceans their claws are smaller relative to their body size.”

“The Miocene of New Zealand was home to two species of giant crabs with the largest known crushing claws. Thumidocarcinus giganteus and Pseudocarcinus karlaubenheimeri”

“Clearly, food sources, metabolic conditions and calcium carbonate availability were favorable to these species.”

“Thumidocalcinus Extinct by the end of the Miocene. false calcinus It is currently only known from Australian waters. ”

team's paper Published in New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics.

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Barry W. M. van Bekel and Alex Osso. A new “Southern Giant Crab'' discovered in a Miocene continental slope paleoenvironment in Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, published online on February 27, 2024. doi: 10.1080/00288306.2024.2314472

Source: www.sci.news

Australia and New Zealand are not facing an end with the venture recession

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Image credits: Kirilum (Opens in new window) / Getty Images

Australia and New Zealand face the same challenges as other technology companies. Valuations are falling, early-stage funding is rising, and investors want their companies to focus on sustainable long-term growth and a clear path to profitability.

All articles on TechCrunch+ are available to members only.
Use discount code TC Plus Roundup Save 20% on a 1-year or 2-year subscription.

But Australia and New Zealand’s isolation from the rest of the world creates a sense of urgency to build global products. After all, “doing more with less isn’t hard; it’s the norm,” writes TechCrunch’s Rebecca Bellan.

Check out what Australian and Kiwi investors are thinking about venture capital in these regions right now.

thank you for reading,

Karin

Pitch deck must be machine readable

Image credits:Kirilum (Opens in new window) / Getty Images

AI may not replace humans at everything, but it is taking over some tasks in the name of speed and efficiency. Believe it or not, one of those tasks is looking through the pitch deck. Making your pitch deck machine readable is not difficult. And the good news is you don’t have to sacrifice creative design or a good story.

VC has a terminology problem, this is how to solve it

Image credits: Nick Lowndes/Getty Images

It’s not a big deal to have technical conversations between engineers. It’s the quickest way to get your point across. But when talking to customers or people who aren’t familiar with the terminology, being direct is a better strategy, writes North Zone principal Molly Alter.

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Securing generated AI across the technology stack

Image credits: Matejimo/Getty Images

According to Forgepoint Capital VP Connie Qian, the rapid pace of AI innovation is creating “new considerations around cybersecurity, ethics, privacy, and risk management.” As the regulatory landscape evolves, startups must focus on ensuring their interfaces, applications, and data layers are secure.

Ask Sophie: I work on H-1B at OpenAI. How can I explore immigrant independence?

Image credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch

Dear Sophie

I signed OpenAI’s letter threatening to resign unless the board resigns. I’m his AI engineer on his H-1B. PERM passed and EB-3 I-140 was approved. However, my priority date is not current yet. If Altman can’t return home, how can he stay in the U.S. and start exploring new opportunities at AI startups?

— Brave Employees

Source: techcrunch.com

Newly Discovered Black Hole Found in New Zealand Restroom

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black hole butt

Roger Sharp added another item to his summary of feedback about black holes that can be found on surface maps of our planet (October 7).visitors to Nelson’s Mai Tai Esplanade ReserveNew Zealanders may feel relieved after entering a Blackhole public toilet.

Feedback points out that installing a toilet in an astrophysical black hole would eliminate the need for some expensive parts of modern waste treatment facilities, particularly sewage piping systems and septic tanks.

insert a needle into the patient

How far is it okay to insert a needle a little too deeply into someone’s abdomen? 365 surgeons from 58 European countries gave their opinion on this topic. Their thoughts, desires, and perhaps even dreams are distilled into a study called “.Relevance of Veres needle overshoot reductionBy researchers from the Netherlands and Malta.

These are the needles used to inflate the patient before performing the internal looking and subsequent cutting and manipulation tasks that are the highlight of most laparoscopic surgeries. A special type of needle called a Veres needle has long been the standard device for puncturing and injecting air into people who enter a shop for repairs. This performs much the same function as a simple type of needle used to inflate a soccer ball.

This study investigates the desire and need for a new and better Veress needle design.

The researchers said that surgeons “felt it was important to have a firm grip on the needle shaft, as most respondents held the needle rather than the grip.” The reason is that some surgeons try to stabilize their hands by touching the abdominal wall with their fingers during insertion, and the grip is too far from the abdominal wall. The data also shows that the maximum overshoot should be limited to 0 to 10 mm. ”

Almost every professional activity has a specific tolerance for error. Publication of this paper will make the public more aware of professionals’ general tolerance for overinsertion of injection needles in laparoscopic surgery patients.

goaf gangue

Unfamiliar scientific terminology can be fun, especially when the words are mined from depths that are unfamiliar to most people.

The same goes for gangue and goaf. He came across the feedback while reading a report by Zhanshan Shi of China’s Liaoning University of Technology and colleagues.Simulation test study on filling flow law of gangue slurry in goaf”.

Goaf is the waste that accumulates during mining. Gangue is a seemingly worthless portion of ore extracted from a mine. Goaf necessarily has gangue.

There are also mysteries. The report states that “there is little research on flow rules for gangue slurries in the Goahu sedimentary rock mass.”

This report is a reminder that there is always something yet to be unearthed, even if it is just information.

wooden board

In the vast forest of nominative determinism of people whose names are hilarious and almost eerily related to work, a few trees, namely the names of some people, are particularly suited to the purpose. One is Marlin E. Plank, who served as a forest products research technician at his Pacific Northwest Research Station in Portland, Oregon. He spent much of his professional life estimating how much commercially useful wood could be obtained from certain types of trees.

Stewart Harrison told Feedback of his joy upon discovering Planck’s 1982 paper.Harvesting wood from ponderosa pines in western Montana”.

A trip through the library found more plankitudes, including a plank on a log.Estimating the volume of small-diameter logs of ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine”.

Planck’s most sophisticated log paper may be the one he co-authored with Floyd Johnson in 1975 called .Empirical log rules for Douglas fir in western Oregon and western Washington”. This describes a better way, a low-key and practical way to estimate how much wood you will get if a tree is plank-harvested.

Plank and Johnson said: “The traditional procedure for estimating timber aggregates is based on theoretical log rules, defect deductions, and overrun factors. This procedure is indirect, subjective, and complex. It is also clearly inaccurate. Theory A better procedure is described that is based on actual wood recovery rather than the wood recovery above.”

Planck passed away in 2014. The Planck memorial website says:To plant a tree in your memory, visit the Sympathy Store.”.

Blindfold measures

Greg Rubin squints at a fellow computer security expert who warns that information on a video screen can be extracted from the reflections of video chatters’ glasses (October 28).

he says: “This is what my community has.” is known about For many years. I also sometimes comment on the reflections I see during video calls. Personally, I recommend using simple defense strategies for long and boring conference calls. Close your eyes and take a nap. ”

Mark Abrahams hosted the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founded the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Previously, he was working on unusual uses of computers.his website is impossible.com.

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Source: www.newscientist.com