Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

According to a new report, New Zealand is one of only seven countries that meet WHO air quality standards, alongside others like Australia, Iceland, and the Bahamas. · Meanwhile, a report by Swiss air quality firm IQAir shows that South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East dominate the list of the world’s worst polluters. · Chad ranks as the most polluted country, with air quality more than 18 times worse than WHO guidelines. Bangladesh, Pakistan,…

Auckland University has opened He Āhuru Mōwai, a dedicated support centre for Māori students, but ACT’s tertiary spokeswoman Dr Parmjeet Parmar argues that “special spaces” based on ethnicity undermine inclusion and send the wrong message—that Māori students cannot succeed alongside others. · Parmar calls for support based on need rather than race, criticising universities for enforcing separation instead of fostering diverse learning…

This honey glazed crispy pork belly is basted in honey to contrast a Spanish dry rub that includes smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.  · It’s so good it’s like meat candy. · ingredients: · - 600-800grams  pork belly - 2 tsp kosher salt - 2 tsp cumin - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika - 1/2 tsp garlic powder - 1/4 tsp cayenne powder - 1/4 cup honey - 3 tbsp dry sherry · Instructions · 1. Keep whole or slice into 2 10" x…

Dr. Frankenstein might not have needed a lightning bolt to bring his monster to life after all. A new study from Stanford suggests that life might have been kickstarted by constant zaps from “microlightning” between water droplets. · The most profound missing link in the evolutionary tree is the very first one: how did living cells arise from non-living matter? It’s thought that early Earth contained a primordial soup of ingredients essential…

Cheerful, prank-loving leprechauns are beloved symbols of luck and prosperity in Ireland and for the millions of Americans with Irish roots. But centuries-old legends about the diminutive shoemaking creatures painted them differently, as mischievous and sometimes menacing tricksters. · Irish folklore, rich with medieval accounts of dark fairies and goblins, portrayed the mythical humanoids—always described as no more than two or three feet…

In a landmark ruling, the Waitangi Tribunal on 18 March 1983 found that the Crown’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi included a duty to protect Māori fishing grounds. · One of the early claims to the tribunal (Wai 6) was made by Te Āti Awa of Taranaki, who opposed the construction of an outfall to discharge waste from the Motunui synthetic fuels plant, 6 km east of Waitara, into the Tasman Sea. · The tribunal found that industrial waste…

While we're not short of divisive topics in 2025, there are valid reasons as to why we're turning to chatbots for emotional support – and why people are also very much against it. So how willing are you to embrace this new form of therapy? · With the technology developing and evolving faster than the academic community can study and publish evidence-based studies on it, there's nonetheless a growing body of expert commentary surrounding AI…

Just because a mine has been exhausted of its ore, that doesn't necessarily mean it has no value. A 2023 study suggests that the shafts of such abandoned mines could serve as energy-storing gravity batteries. · First of all, just what is a gravity battery? · Well, in a nutshell, it's a system in which electricity is generated by releasing a heavy load, allowing it to drop. That electricity can then be used at times when demands on the…

Across the US, egg prices have slowly come down, thanks to both supply and demand issues leveling out and a reprieve in avian influenza outbreaks. But it's a volatile industry and one unlikely to stay consistent. So, it's a perfect time to look at protein alternatives that can even offer more bang for your buck. · After the price of eggs in the US climbed to a 45-year high in February, there was understandable panic about the cost and the…

On March 14, 1951, Albert Einstein was sitting in the back of a car, getting ready to leave his 72nd birthday party at Princeton University. Photographers had been asking Einstein to pose for the camera all evening, and when UPI photographer Arthur Sasse turned his camera on him, the theoretical physicist playfully stuck out his tongue. · The lighthearted photo Sasse captured pleased Einstein so much that he ordered multiple prints to send to…