15 Nov 2023

Science: Bug name trouble, element creation and echidna rediscovered

From Nine To Noon, 11:45 am on 15 November 2023
Left to right: Anophthalmus hitleri, illustration of a star exploding,  Sir David's long-beaked echidna.

Photo: Wikipedia, Pixabay

Science correspondent Allan Blackman looks at a new debate among zoologists about whether it's time to change scientific names that are now problematic - like the Hitler beetle or the Trump moth. Astronomers have witnessed the creation of rare heavy elements in the aftermath of a collision between two neutron stars that were booted out of their home galaxy about a billion light years away - it's helping fill some gaps on where our elements come from. And a long-beaked echidna named after Sir David Attenborough has been captured on film for the first time in 60 years.

Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.