We are becoming increasingly aware of our impacts on nature, but unfortunately many of the things we do have become so ingrained in our way of life that it is hard to change. Different countries ...
Relative dating is used to arrange geological events, and the rocks they leave behind, in a sequence. The method of reading the order is called stratigraphy (layers of rock are called strata) ...
A ceramic is an inorganic non-metallic solid made up of either metal or non-metal compounds that have been shaped and then hardened by heating to high temperatures. In general, they are hard ...
This interactive looks at the electromagnetic spectrum.
Since the earliest times, humankind has had a close association with clay. From use as a building material, in pottery, for treating human digestive ailments to a multitude of industrial uses ...
Water in the Earth system is influencing all aspects of life on Earth. Pathways, storage, transfers and transformations have an effect on the global climate and human welfare. Within this ...
A mineral is an element or chemical compound that is normally crystalline and that has been formed as a result of geological processes. Examples include quartz, feldspar minerals, calcite, sulfur ...
Use this timeline to explore how humans have relied on fossil fuels in the past and how we are looking for, and using, new energy sources. 200,000 BC – Fire used Records of the first controlled ...
Energy comes from many sources, and to describe these sources we use two terms: renewable and non-renewable. Non-renewable energy resources cannot be replaced – once they are used up, they will ...
Solar energy is transformed into other energy forms for our use on Earth – energy for food (chemical energy), electrical energy and heat energy. Food Solar energy (sunlight) is crucial for our ...
This animated video demonstrates the formation of hydrocarbons over millions of years in the depths of the Earth. Oil and gas forms in sedimentary ocean basins. Dead plankton (organic plant and ...
Mussels are filter feeders. They draw in seawater and filter out phytoplankton and sediments, cleaning the water as they go. This 25-second video is a before and after display of murky seawater ...
Composite materials (composites) are made when two or more materials with different properties are combined to produce a new material. The physical and chemical properties of each of the ...
Advanced ceramics have an amazing range of properties and uses. They can be designed and engineered to solve just about any problem or challenge we face. O-Sialon research at IRL In this video ...
Bioplastics are plastic materials that are either biodegradable or derived from renewable resources or both. Currently, petrochemical-based plastics make up 99% of the plastics market. However ...
Renewable energy is fuel that comes from a source that can be replenished in a short amount of time. This includes solar, wind, water, geothermal power and bioenergy. While renewable energy ...
Bioceramics are ceramic materials specially developed for use as medical and dental implants. They are usually used to replace hard tissue in the body like bone and teeth. Common bioceramics are ...
Rivers and Us is a Waikato Regional Council (WRC) initiative to help teachers, students and communities investigate the water in their local area. It explores how people use water and the effects ...
Farming is a way of life in New Zealand. Farms cover about half of the country’s land and are important to our economy. Agriculture has shaped who we are as a nation, but it has also had a big ...
In pre-human times, almost all of New Zealand was covered in forest, with the exception of high mountain areas. Māori settlers began to clear forest, and by the time the first Europeans arrived ...
This interactive highlights the critical role temperature plays in the world of ceramics.
ESR scientist Dr Chris Nokes describes how adding a flocculant coagulant to muddy water causes the mud particles to group together to form larger heavier clumps that can then be filtered or ...
A water catchment is an area of land and the water that collects and moves through it. A catchment is often bordered by hills or mountains. The water enters via precipitation (rain or snow) and ...
Peter Hall from Scion explains why we need large quantities of carbon neutral energy. Energy is everywhere. Anything we eat or use has energy embodied in it. Every object we produce required ...