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All these animals have a better sense of direction than you. How does it work?
What do godwits, robins, bogong moths, eels, monarch butterflies and humpback whales have in common?
They all migrate, travelling from one part of the globe to another, sometimes all the way across hemispheres.
And we’re still not quite sure exactly how they do it.
In fact, it’s one of the greatest mysteries in biology—how so many different kinds of animals find their way with such precision across vast distances, in the dark, over the seas, tossed by storms, sometimes alone, sometimes never having made the journey before. Keep reading...
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Exploring the extremely weird world of animal evolution
Huge congratulations to illustrator Giselle Clarkson, who last Friday was named one of New Zealand’s 2023 Arts Laureates. Giselle invents and draws all all the cartoons for our Just So column—as well as illustrating books and picture books, and drawing her own book-themed comic strip. She’s also got her own book coming out later this year. Watch a neat video about her work here.
If you missed a Just So—a column about how animals solve various challenges in their lives, from how to deal with waste to how to defeat their enemies—they’re all collected here.
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Which is the best photo?
It's time for you to be the judge for the Ockham Residential People's Choice award. Thumb through the finalists and pick five of your favourites to vote. See the finalists here...
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Don't fence me in
Rising from the banks of the Mata-au/Clutha River up to the foothills of the Mt Pisa Range, Tinwald Farm plays a crucial role when it comes to widening the agricultural horizons of ākonga (learners). The working high country farm gives students the opportunity to undertake everyday agricultural tasks that enable them to not only meet academic requirements but, more importantly, gain the experiences and knowledge that will allow them to step into employment in pastoral farming/rural-based workplaces.
"We’re interested in showing students how farming is changing and responding to the issues that we all face," says Tinwald Farm owner Amanda Currie. "The future for farming will demand innovation. We also want to contribute to our local community, so working with Otago Polytechnic to provide a practical and positive on-farm learning experience for students is a perfect fit." Keep reading...
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From the archives: Where the seabirds go
Did you know that some New Zealand seabirds quit our shores when it’s cold and head for summer in Hawai’i, Siberia, California... even Alaska?
In fact, dozens of seabird species take flight during winter on epic migrations across the planet—and recent advances in tracking technology mean we can now follow them.
What we’re learning has upended scientists’ ideas about the lengths animals will go to in order to raise a family. Keep reading...
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