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Nic Rawlence

Lecturer in Ancient DNA, University of Otago
I have an undergraduate degree and Master of Science from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, and a PhD from the University of Adelaide (Australia). I worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Australia (University of Adelaide) and New Zealand (University of Waikato and University of Otago) before taking up a permanent position as a Lecturer in Ancient DNA in the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago in 2017. My research focuses on reconstructing past ecosystems and testing for the impact of climate change and humans on these ecosystems. I use ancient DNA, palaeontology and archaeology to address research questions.

Humans, rats and dogs pushed the takahē into Fiordland – new genetic research maps its dramatic journey

Dec 05, 2023 05:36 am UTC| Nature

Takahē are a striking bird and a national treasure in Aotearoa New Zealand. But the history and origin story of this flightless swamp hen have become a point of scientific debate. Our latest research uncovered the...

The true origins of the world's smallest and weirdest whale

Jul 11, 2023 06:43 am UTC| Nature

The pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata, is the weirdest whale youve probably never heard of. It is the smallest of the living baleen whales and restricted to the Southern Hemisphere. Its tank-like skeleton is...

Taxonomy, the science of naming things, is under threat

Nov 14, 2018 11:52 am UTC| Science

Museums are cathedrals of science, but they are under threat worldwide as part of a malaise of undervaluing museum collections and the field of taxonomy, the science of naming biodiversity. The Museum of New Zealand Te...

Economy

Nigerians throw naira notes around to show love: but it could land you in jail

The legal implication of physically damaging the naira, Nigerias currency, came into focus recently with the prosecution of at least two celebrities by the countrys Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Nigeria has a...

The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system

Given the spate of news about international trade lately, Americans might be surprised to learn that the U.S. isnt very dependent on it. Indeed, looking at trade as a percentage of gross domestic product a metric...

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Politics

Taiwan is experiencing millions of cyberattacks every day

Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety of grey zone tactics to pressure...

How the Mandela myth helped win the battle for democracy in South Africa

Political history scholar Jonny Steinbergs 2023 book Winnie Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage is a double biography of South Africas most famous political figures Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandela and their role...

Sudan’s civil war is rooted in its historical favouritism of Arab and Islamic identity

The current civil war in Sudan goes beyond a simple power struggle between two generals. It reflects a deep-rooted crisis within the countrys governing structure thats been present since it gained independence from the...

South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently painted a rosy picture in which the countrys youth democracys children had enormous opportunities for advancement, all thanks to successive post-apartheid governments led...

Sadiq Khan on track for third term as London mayor – but nearly half of Londoners dissatisfied with performance

Polls have consistently shown that the incumbent mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, appears to be on track to win a third term in office at the upcoming mayoral elections on May 2. One poll we commissioned as part of our...

Science

IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

About a trillion tiny particles called neutrinos pass through you every second. Created during the Big Bang, these relic neutrinos exist throughout the entire universe, but they cant harm you. In fact, only one of them is...

The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble. Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this...

Dark matter: our new experiment aims to turn the ghostly substance into actual light

A ghost is haunting our universe. This has been known in astronomy and cosmology for decades. Observations suggest that about 85% of all the matter in the universe is mysterious and invisible. These two qualities are...

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Technology

K9 Finance Joins Shibarium Puppynet, Unveils Major Bone Crusher Update

K9 Finance has unveiled significant upgrades to its Bone Crusher product and secured a spot on the Shiba Inus Shibarium Puppynet allowlist. This milestone marks a pivotal advancement in their decentralized finance (DeFi)...

EU Seizes Two Tesla Cybertrucks at Belarus Border Amid Russia Smuggle Attempt

In striking enforcement of EU sanctions, Lithuanian authorities at the Salčininku border crossing with Belarus confiscated two Tesla Cybertrucks. These vehicles, not yet released in Europe, were suspected of being smuggled...

Shiba Inu Insider Drops Major Shiba Eternity Update; Community Anticipates Enhancements

Shiba Eternity: Lucies Tease Unveils Play-to-Earn Features and Breeding Mechanics The Shiba Inu community is buzzing with excitement following a recent announcement from a critical team member about Shiba Eternity, as...

BYD Shark Debuts in Mexico, Rivals Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning

This month, the streets of Mexico will showcase the BYD Sharks debut, an advanced hybrid electric pickup set to rival the Tesla Cybertruck and highlight BYDs cutting-edge hybrid technology. BYD Shark: A New Hybrid...

SHIB Exec Connects Shiba Inu to Bitcoin; Open Interest Falls 7%

SHIBs marketing officer, Lucie, emphasized similarities between Shiba Inu and Bitcoin, highlighting both projects foundational anonymity and community-driven development. Meanwhile, a 7% drop in open interest raises...