Issue 11 - Science

SA L I E N T

ISSUE 11

Science

CONTENTS 04—09

12—15

16—19

News

Foraying Into the World of Fungi (Feature)

I Visited the Anti-Covid Mandate Protests (Feature)

20—21

22—24

25

Centrefold

The Recruitment Toolbox (Feature)

Poem

26—28

29—35

36—38

Spotlighting Science PhD candidates (Profile)

Culture & Columns

Entertainment

About Us Salient is published by, but remains editorially independent from, the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA).

Salient is funded in part by VUWSA through the Student Services Levy. Salient is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

The views expressed in Salient do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, VUWSA, or the University.

Complaints Complaints regarding the material published in Salient should first be brought to the Editor in writing (editor@salient.org.nz). If not satisfied with the response, complaints should be directed to the Media Council (info@mediacouncil.org.nz).

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Find Us Twitter @salientmagazine Facebook fb.com/salientmagazine Instagram @salientgram www.salient.org.nz

In Conversation With Dr. Siouxsie Wiles EDITORIAL Dr. Siouxsie Wiles is a microbiologist and head of the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland. She’s been the media’s go-to doctor to consult about new diseases for many years, but the pandemic made her a household name.

Known widely for her incredible science communication, Siouxsie won the 2021 New Zealander of the Year award for her work breaking down complex information about Covid-19 for the general public.

I got to chat with Siouxsie about what makes science exciting.

Siouxsie started off studying microbiology because she had read about plagues in Robert Wilkin’s The Fireside Book of Deadly Diseases and was “blown away by tiny microorganisms causing havoc”.

She spent most of her early career “fascinated by figuring out how things work”; the pandemic made her look at the bigger picture.

Siouxise “mind blowingly” realised that you couldn’t respond to microbes and organisms without responding to humans. Attaching a human aspect to her scientific research has helped keep her motivated over the years. That’s why she’s so enthusiastic about science communication; as a publicly funded scientist, she feels a moral obligation to make her research accessible.

Since 2020, Siouxsie has been working with The Spinoff to produce explainer articles and infographics, helping New Zealanders wrap their heads around Covid-19. I particularly admire all the illustrations she’s created with (ex-Salient Designer) Toby Morris from The Spinoff, which she calls “the most incredible collaboration of her life”. Their ‘Flatten The Curve’ graphic went viral around the world.

Children have an innate curiosity about the world around them but Siouxise reckons that, as we grow up, we receive subtle messaging that curiosity is frivolous and that we should focus on more serious matters. She wants students to remember that science isn’t about cold hard facts, but rather about curiosity and investigation.

Siouxsie has many suggestions on how you can engage with science. The Department of

Conservation runs ‘citizen science projects’ which are practical ways for everyday people to contribute to conservation research. Te Papa is currently conducting an Aotearoa-wide mosquito census, which requires regular folk to catch, freeze, and send mosquitos to the museum. Maybe the next time you want to #treatyourself, splurge on an ant farm or a crystal-growing kit.

Ultimately, Siouxsie believes science is exciting because it “delves into the unknown”. I couldn’t agree more.

This week’s Science Issue celebrates science in all shapes and forms. Maia forays into the world of foraging mushrooms, Bridget breaks down psychometric testing, Zoё investigates alternate facts at anti-mandate protests, our news team dissects Aotearoa’s first Emissions Reduction Plan, a group of Science PhD candidates share what they’re currently researching, and much more.

Science is everywhere. As Souxise puts it, “the cake baking in your oven is chemistry, the scum growing in your bathroom is biology”. Nurture your inner child and stay curious about how the world works, because there are so many exciting questions we have yet to answer.

Ngā manaakitanga, JANHAVI GOSAVI (SHE/HER)

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VUW Announces Social Media Lab to Research Political Misinformation Words by Azaria Howell (she/her) Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) has announced the creation of a research lab investigating political misinformation on social media. Directed by VUW political science and communications professor Dr. Mona Krewel, the lab will examine the relationship between social media and politics.

In an interview with Salient, Krewel said, “I worked for this since the 2020 election when we first ran the New Zealand Social Media Study (NZSM) [...] I’m very proud and very excited that we now have this new internet, social media and politics research lab.”

Prior to the introduction of the Internet, Social Media & Politics Research Lab, Krewel investigated political misinformation during the 2020 election alongside Professor Jack Vowles and a team of undergraduate student coders.

The NZSMS monitored over 3000 social media posts from political parties and public figures.

Krewel says that political misinformation has increased since the pandemic, saying, “polarisation seems to have increased around vaccination [...] we need to conduct studies like the New Zealand social media study and have constantly have an eye on that.”

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Krewel is now working with five undergraduate coders to run a new wave of the New Zealand Social Media Study, with a special investigation into politicians’ attitudes on the anti-mandate ‘freedom convoy.’

Data has not been released for this wave of the study yet but Krewel says, “it is important that you watch these developments early and have an eye on that stuff, and call it out when you see it to actually prevent such things.”

Krewel is proud to see infrastructure for social media research and hopes the lab will “bring all of the social media researchers around the university together.”

The social media lab will release data and updates monthly.

Undergraduate coder Alex Maitland is happy to see a permanent lab studying social media misinformation.

In an interview, Maitland said, “I think it’s important for research to be conducted on and about these platforms, given how much influence they have over society. I hope our research has a beneficial impact on our communities in Aotearoa, and helps politicians better understand how to develop effective communication strategies that avoid mis- and disinformation.”

“We Can Change the System”: Greens & VUWSA Words by Beth Mountford (she/her)

17 May saw the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) and the Green Party host an event in the Hunter Lounge, fronted by Tertiary Education Spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick. The event, titled “This is How We Change S**t,” was a panel discussion centred around how students can make effective change.

Swarbrick started the event by stating a few “wins” that students have had over the past couple of years, nodding to the inquiry into student accommodation, which led to the instatement of the Pastoral Care Code. She also pointed out the success of the petition to end laundry fees in student accommodation, which happened just last week.

my time here is waiting for lectures to download,” she said.

Harris also noted that cultural norms around politeness can make it difficult for Pasifika students to seek academic help.

“In our cultures when you question someone, you are challenging them, you are telling them ‘you’re a shit teacher.’ It’s very very offensive, which is why many of our students would not raise their hands or seek help outside of class.”

She attributed these successes to what would become the theme of the evening; how we change shit is indeed through “mobilising our position”.

“I think that students are fed up on a campus-bycampus and university-by-university basis but there hasn’t yet been that really high level coming together in solidarity and action to totally change it all”, said Swarbrick.

Other panellists then introduced themselves and who they represent, sharing their experiences of hardship within the university and the frustrations with trying to change shit.

Kelly Mitchell, co-president of Ngāi Tauira, said that tauira Māori have “unique cultural obligations” which they are expected to fulfil within the university, exemplified by the introduction of tikanga at the law school, which she described as “not something that lecturers or the uni is doing on their own.

“There are expectations in every paper, with every lecturer, with every faculty […] [for tauira Māori] to participate, be visible, and help”, she said, adding that the issue is that “it’s often something you can’t refuse to do.”

Co-president of Ngāi Tauira Mason Lawlor agreed, emphasising the difficulty of being expected to give time to “random kaupapa”. He credited the University, though, on “coming more to the table, interacting more with tangata whenua in a more Māori way”.

Edwina Harris, President of the Pasifika Students’ Council (PSC), highlighted the issue of online learning for students without devices or internet access.

“A lot of our students don’t have access to devices or they share devices, a lot of us don’t have access to the internet. I have no internet at home so most of

Amber-Rose Stinton, President of VUW Disabled Students’ Association, said that Covid-19 had allowed for online learning, “which is something that disabled students had been advocating for for quite a while”.

Oh housing, Stinton stressed the implications of poor quality stock, particularly for people with conditions such as pneumonia. “The quality of housing, damp, mould will exacerbate pre-existing conditions. [Yet] this is the condition that most students will be living in,” she said.

Housing is also a particular issue for international students, said Timothy Tan, President of the VUW International Students’ Association. He said that not being familiar with the housing market makes it very difficult to go “flat hunting.”

“In some cases we face discrimination when they know you are not from New Zealand they will ask for more of your bank account to prove that you can pay rent,” he said.

Swarbrick summed up the discussions by saying, “Solidarity is about recognising that each of us are different and each of us face different barriers but ultimately when we stand shoulder to shoulder and try and fight back… then we can change the system.” www.salient.org.nz

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Breaking Down the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan Words by Salient News Team

Last week on 16 May, the Government announced Aotearoa’s first Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) with the aim to “prepare New Zealand for the future” through cutting emissions from agriculture, transport, energy, waste, and gas.

The plan details how the Government will work with industry and iwi to reduce emissions, through various programmes, to slash Aotearoa’s greenhouse gas output and push us “towards a productive, sustainable, and inclusive economy.”

The 343-page document outlines a vision for Aotearoa to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which keeps us in line with our commitment to the Paris Agreement— keeping global warming within 1.5°C of pre-industrial levels.

Critics have said the plan lacks ambition, questioning if it really is the “most significant day in New Zealand’s history for climate action,” as Minister Robertson claimed. In a statement, Te Pāti Māori said, “There is much to support in the plan, and policies we have pushed for that we’re glad the government has adopted. But in no sector does the plan have the level of ambition required, which is also clear in transport, with the Government failing to prioritise free and accessible public transport.” The plan has also been criticised for reportedly only reducing emissions by 4.1% by 2025.

Salient went to Parliament to find out what this announcement means for students.

Transport Investment: $1.2 billion This investment aims to “reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 181,000 cars off the road between now and 2035,” and builds on previous record investment into transport and infrastructure.

to those making the switch to environmentallyfriendly alternatives, such as electric vehicles, bikes or scooters.

Reducing Reliance on Private Transportation •

$350 million has been allocated to reduce reliance on cars and private transportation.

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This involves rolling out new cycleways, creating walkable neighbourhoods, and “making public transport more accessible and easier to use.”

Fair Pay for Bus Drivers •

$61 million announced to support fair pay and a sustainable workforce for bus drivers.

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The announcement comes after many Wellingtonbased drivers went on strike to protest poor working conditions under NZ Bus.

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A further $40 million over four years is set to decrease emissions from Aotearoa’s public transport system.

Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) •

LGWM seeks to improve transport and create a more liveable city.

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The exact funding is not yet confirmed.

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Projects that will be progressed as part of LGWM include: delivery of bus priority measures, a masstransit system between the train station, hospital and eastern/southern suburbs, improvements to walking and cycling facilities, and improvements to Interislander ferry access.

Additionally, a nationwide ticketing strategy will be implemented by 2025, with one singular transport card to be used across the whole country for all services.

What Was Announced: A vehicle scrap-and-replace scheme called ‘The Clean Car Upgrade,’ reduced reliance on private transportation, fair pay for bus drivers, and ‘Let’s Get Wellington Moving’ finally gets moving.

The Clean Car Upgrade •

$569 million has been allocated to this vehicle scrap-and-replace scheme.

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Targeted at low and middle-income households only.

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The scheme will provide financial assistance

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Photo: Salient News Team at ERP Media Lock-up

Source: Emissions Reduction Plan

Housing, Energy, and Waste What Was Announced: The Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme, 100% renewable electricity generation, and increased kerbside collection of food waste.

Housing •

The Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme will provide grants for insulation and heating for low-income New Zealanders.

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Improved standards for insulation will ensure that new buildings require 40% less energy to heat.

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Nothing has been stated about the currently damp, old, and mouldy housing stock.

Energy •

$5 million to develop measures on the electricity market which support renewable and costeffective energy, whilst driving down emissions.

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A full energy strategy is set to be developed by the end of 2024, but 100% renewable electricity generation is the goal.

Waste •

$103 million has been allocated to waste infrastructure.

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The initiative increases kerbside collection of food waste, ensuring that most households have access by 2030.

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Composting and organic processing of waste to tackle methane emissions are also on the radar.

Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) What Was Announced: Priced agricultural emissions will fund the CERF. CERF •

This fund aims to support projects which promote environmental sustainability and climate action.

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$4.5 billion has been initially allocated to this fund from the current emissions trading scheme.

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Aotearoa will be the first in the world to price agricultural emissions, which will subsequently fund the CERF.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said, “we will directly recycle the costs of pollution back into projects that reduce emissions. This means the polluters are paying, not households”.

Hot Takes Many have criticised the plan for not going far enough, but Climate Minister James Shaw is confident it does enough to combat the effects of climate change. He said, “We are treating the climate emergency with the gravity that it requires”, yet he acknowledges the plan has a “Labour hue”. Shaw stated that if the Green Party held more power, New Zealanders could have expected a more progressive approach to climate change.

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H e a dline Junkie:

A Bite-Sized Look Into the Big Stories

Words by Ethan Manera (he/him) and Beth Mountford (she/her) Laundry Fees Scrapped in Halls

Miley Cyrus’ Jet gets a Zeus-ian Zap

Students have won their battle to remove laundry fees in Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) halls of residence. A petition launched by William BellPurchas earlier this year garnered 1600 signatures and resulted in meetings with university staff to discuss the current fee scheme. Director of student and campus living Rainsforth Dix announced last week that the charges would be abolished by the second trimester, a welcome victory for hall residents struggling with the cost of living crisis.

Former child star and “Wrecking Ball” singer opened up about the “traumatic” moment her plane was struck by lightning earlier this year. Cyrus spoke out about the terrifying experience, saying she knew something was coming after waking up feeling “not quite right”. The incident caused the aircraft to make an emergency landing yet all passengers fortunately remained “unscathed”.

Seymour Takes a Tumble Act leader David Seymour was captured on video slipping over a wet drain, a humiliating blunder which was aired on TV3’s Newshub. The video showed the MP for Epsom partaking in a staged walk across the Discovery NZ car park for the intro to a news story before falling victim to a slippery threat underfoot.

Despite the embarrassing slip up which saw Seymour’s legs imitate something of a 2011 shuffle, he quickly caught himself managing to trot up a flight of stairs physically unscathed. A chipper thumbs up signaled that the pro-gun politician still has the spring in his step following his infamous dancing with the stars experience in 2019.

Oriental Bay Gets Fresh Sand Wellington’s favorite (and only) inner-city beach has been refreshed this week. A TikTok video shows diggers, dumptrucks, and other heavy machinery parked up in preparation for the biannual renewal of sand. The sand needs to be enhanced twice a year due to “wind and wave action” which causes the sand to wash away. The coarse blonde sediment originates from Nelson where 22,000 tonnes were purchased in 2004 for the Oriental Bay and Freyburg beaches.

Graduation a Hoot Despite Undesirable Weather Freshly-minted graduates marched down Lambton Quay from Pipitea campus to celebrate the concluding of their studies last Tuesday. After a classic Wellington day brought light showers and gloomy clouds overhead, the march was at risk of cancellation, but VUW made the call at 11:30—the show must go on.

Grads slayed their way down the Quay with friends and whānau cheering from the sidelines. Salient Editor Janhavi Gosavi left no crumbs. Congratulations to our hard-working and intelligent graduates.

Wellington Faculty of Science Gets a New Dean Professor Louise Dixon, a leading forensic psychologist and internationally lauded researcher, has been appointed as Dean of the Wellington Faculty of Science at VUW. “The [Faculty] is conducting leading research and teaching in many areas, from climate change, to biodiscovery, to mental health,” she says.

“I’m privileged to be leading a Faculty that is making a real, positive impact on people’s lives.”

VUWSA Turns 123!

The Victoria University of Wellington Students Association (VUWSA) celebrated their 123rd birthday last week with free cake in the Hub. The delicious slabs were decorated with the numerals 123 and were thoroughly enjoyed by students, one second-year student saying, “It’s so moist and dense, absolutely bussin”. One stale piece of the chocolate pleasure currently sits rotting in the back Salient office fridge.

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SPOTS Study Aims to Tackle Blood Donation Stigma Words by Azaria Howell (she/her)

SPOTS, the Sex and Prevention of Transmission Study, aims to tackle discrimination surrounding blood donation, prevent HIV, and creating an equitable blood service for Aotearoa. The study is sponsored by Auckland University, Otago University, and backed by community public health organisations including the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, Te Whāriki Takapou, and Body Positive.

Auckland University Associate Professor Peter Saxton leads the research team at SPOTS. With academic expertise in HIV prevention, Saxton is passionate about health equity for members of the queer community. He says he wants the study to trigger a brighter future for public health, “with zero unfair discrimination in blood donation policy.”

Saxton told Salient in an interview that the study will help to “strike a more inclusive policy around blood donation,” working alongside the New Zealand Blood Service.

Saxton said SPOTS will help Aotearoa reach a goal of zero HIV transmissions by 2025. The study seeks a “contemporary picture” of what safe sex and HIV prevention in Aotearoa looks like, examining dynamics of age, race, sexual orientation, and safe sex practices.

Due to recent developments in safe sex such as PrEP, a pill which reduces the risk of acquiring HIV by up to 99%, safe sex in Aotearoa looks different that it did before. SPOTS aims to use this contemporary data to reflect the efficacy of new HIV medication, in addition to examining undiagnosed cases of HIV The latest statistics from Otago University show Aotearoa’s HIV numbers are declining. According to the Otago University’s AIDS Epidemiology Group, “The number of people first diagnosed with HIV in New Zealand last year is the lowest since the late 1990s.”

The study is currently ongoing, with over 2,000 participants already signing up. SPOTS includes a survey on safe sex and attitudes towards blood donation, with an opportunity for participants to provide a blood sample for testing.

SPOTS will conclude in June, with preliminary data being released soon after. Saxton says this data will be used to paint a clear picture of what safe sex

looks like in Aotearoa, using data “to inform the next decisions around what a future blood donation policy might look like.”

Blood donation policies are changing to be more equitable for members of the queer community.

Canada, for example, has recently lifted a ban on gay men from donating blood, following similar steps that the UK took last year, based on individual risk assessment for HIV. The New Zealand Blood service states that they “regularly review donation criteria as new evidence emerges.” Criteria was last changed in 2020, with deferral periods shortened from a 12-month ban on donation for men who have engaged in sexual acts with men to a threemonth deferral. The deferral policy also applies to people from countries with a high prevalence of HIV, as well as all sex workers.

Currently, the New Zealand Blood service policy states that men are banned from donating blood, regardless of HIV status, within three months of having sex with another man. SPOTS lead researcher Peter Saxton wants to improve this, “in a way that makes sense for Aotearoa.”

Saxton added that the policy needs to reflect up-to-date data, saying, “We believe we can do much better around policies affecting men who have sex with men. We know that safe sex has evolved and we know that there’s a lot of interest in the community to take part in blood donation.”

Saxton outlined his hopes for the future of blood donation in Aotearoa, saying, “some people could donate a lot sooner [...] It might mean that some people could donate immediately. But it also might still mean that it makes sense to have deferral for some people, if the data suggests that the risk of undiagnosed HIV is high.”

The study is available for cisgender and transgender men, transgender women, and non-binary folk who are having sex with men. The study is also available for members of the community who have not had sex.

Saxton says SPOTS are “keen to hear from a broad cross section [of people],” as it gives the study better recommendations for the New Zealand Blood Service.

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Foraying Into the World of

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Words by Maia Ingoe (she/her), Illustrated by Lillias Ovenden-Carlyle (she/her) What makes a scientist? Is it a lab coat and a framed university degree? Or, does it look more like an enthusiast fumbling through their neighbourhood bush? A bookshelf filled with flora and fungi field guides, or maybe a phone camera roll with nothing but mushrooms?

Sometimes, science is lucky enough to drift out beyond peer-reviewed journals and into the lives of everyday people. This is the case for mycology, the study of fungi.

Fungi enthusiasts might call themselves ‘mycophiles’ or ‘foragers’ if they’re hunting edible mushrooms, while others prefer ‘fungling’ or ‘foraying’ to

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describe venturing into the bush or street to photograph and admire fungi. While not scientists themselves, fungi enthusiasts contribute to the chronically understudied area of mycology through their passionate exploring. And thanks to social media, fungi enthusiasts can connect, learn, and engage with science easier than ever before.

I reckon the reason why fungi have captured the interest of so many people might be because they’re simply so damn cool. Fungi are elusive: the parts of them we see and photograph—mushrooms—are only spores.These fruiting bodies burst through the ground or rotting wood overnight, staying only a short while before disappearing again.

Mushrooms are beautiful and varied, growing in bright blue of the Aotearoa native WerewereKōkako (Entoloma hochstetteri), the gumdrop orange of Hygrocybe waxcaps, the dark tumourlike Gerronema waikanaense. Some of them are delicious, with unique textures and tastes. Fungal spores can also be ugly and toxic: Myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) is a plant-attacking fungus, and the black mould growing on your bathroom windowsill might be Stachybotrys chartarum, a toxic variety of microfungus. Some fungi combine their strengths with algae or bacteria, making species like lichen. And I’d be amiss to leave out the Psilocybe genus of fungi, those with psychedelic compounds.

All of these are only the fruiting bodies of fungi. The majority of the organism extends out from under the mushroom spore, in a vast underground network we call mycelium. Mycelia are the foundations of ecosystems, breaking down organisms and regenerating soil for new growth. Unlike plants, fungi don’t photosynthesise—they get their food from decomposition. Fungi are present at the beginning and end of the life cycle of every tree, plant, and animal.

Everything we are currently learning about fungi’s place in the ecosystem is new. Scientists are still grappling to understand the range of services provided by mycorrhizal fungi, a kind of mycelium that swaps nutrients for carbon with trees, providing a communication network between plants.

Information is constantly being contradicted and discoveries are still being made. In Aotearoa, approximately 7500 species of fungi have been identified, estimated to be only a third of our total biota. Globally, fungal species are estimated to be in the millions, and only about 120,000 have been discovered so far.

Take a look at the list of Aotearoa’s most endangered species, and you’ll notice that 49 of them are fungi.

As an amateur mycologist, Shirley Kerr has a few discoveries to her name. She is the author of A Field Guide to New Zealand Fungi, featuring over 600 species of fungi that she has found, photographed and identified. In her library, she has another 30,000 photographs of fungi, not all of them yet identified.

“Once people start noticing fungi they get hooked up pretty easily. It’s like going down a rabbit hole,” Shirley said. When her fungi fascination began, Shirley was using film slides for her photographs.

After a few years, she finally met other enthusiasts at a Fungi Foray: an annual five-day event organised by the Fungal Network of New Zealand (FUNNZ).

At the Fungi Foray, professional mycologists, university professors, students, and amateur forayers meet to find and identify as many fungi as they can.

“It’s not just for the nerds,” Shirley says with a grin.

Thanks to social media, budding enthusiasts don’t have to wait years to cross paths with professionals and those with similar interests. Facebook pages such as Mushroom Hunting New Zealand and Mushroom Photography New Zealand are platforms for sharing photographs and knowledge to identify fungi finds. “It’s done a huge amount for getting people interested in fungi,” Shirley says. www.salient.org.nz

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On Instagram, too, the hashtags #nzfungi and #fungiphotography reveal a plethora of amateur fungi photographers and foragers. @mycobugs’ feed features bursts of bright colour among greens and browns, a collection of diverse finds from fungling outings around Pōneke and Aotearoa. @blackforager, the account of Columbus-based Alexis Nikole, contains a flood of video content on edible fungi, foraged, and cooked up into delicious creations.

Liv Sisson’s day job in Ōtautahi has nothing to do with fungi. But on Instagram, her account A fungi(rl) in NZ (@liv_mosss), which has 15.6k followers, joyously documents her fungi foraging and recipes.

Her social media account started as a field guide for herself and, eventually, her entire feed was overtaken by fungi. Liv is clear that her account is far from a scientific paper, but it brings mycology—what sometimes seems like an intimidating field—down to an everyday level where it’s easy and fun to engage with. “I’m not a mycologist, I’m not a scientist, I’m an extreme hobbyist and a massive enthusiast. So I use it to communicate in a way that’s really authentic to me,” Liv says.

“You can go foraging in your own garden, on your own street, it’s just a matter of putting that lens on, looking around and seeing what you find.”

While Liv has always had an interest in ecology, it was the unique diversity in Aotearoa that inspired her. Just like our birds, fungi have evolved here in an isolated landmass, resulting in incredibly unique biodiversity. Werewere-kōkako is an enduring fan favourite, featuring on our $50 note.We also have Tawaka (Cyclocybe parasitica), an edible native mushroom with a wide creamy cap and a thick veil covering the gills, and Tūtae Whetū, more commonly known as basket fungus (Ileodictyon cibarium) for how it blows up into a white netted ball. Take a look at the list of Aotearoa’s most endangered species, and you’ll notice that 49 of them are fungi.

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The edible mushrooms most commonly sought in foraging are introduced species such as the field mushroom (Agaricus campestris) and Porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis). Introduced fungi were stowaways, their spores hidden in the roots of trees brought here by European settlers who aimed to colonise Aotearoa’s landscape in the image of a British homeland. Many of these introduced species are now easily found in urban areas.

The best way to start foraging? “Go for a walk!”

Liv says. “I think there’s this perception that to go foraging, you’ve got to go to some really pristine, perfect, faraway landscape. But really, you can go foraging in your own garden, you can go foraging on your own street, it’s just a matter of putting that lens on and looking around and seeing what you find.”

As well as field guides and social media, forayers have another tool up their sleeve: iNaturalist. iNaturalist is a free app that connects inquisitive people with those qualified to identify different species. You can upload photos of a mushroom or plant that you spotted on a walk, and within hours other users will have identified it.

Sometimes discoveries occur in the most unexpected places; walking home through Mount Vic in 2017, Te Papa scientist Laura Shephard noticed an odd puffball-like fungus. She uploaded it to 2017’s version of INaturalist, and it was identified as a sandy spitball (Battarrea phalloides)—it was the first time it had been recorded in Aotearoa.

By looking for fungi in our gardens, streets, and parks, we begin to see nature where we might not have noticed it before. It challenges our perception of the world as not just around us, but thriving below our feet.

Māori have known this all along, foraging long before colonisation and European settlement.

Mātauranga Māori views the environment as a whole and humans as a key part of it; kaitiakitanga, for example, is a mutually beneficial duty of care and guardianship between the environment and tangata whenua. In te ao Māori, the environment provides sustenance for people as well as having its own mana and mauri, so people take as well as give.

Aotearoa’s conservation mantra of ‘leave no trace’ is contradicted by Mātauranga Māori and the practice of foraging. In some contexts, however, we should consider whether something has more value staying rooted in rotting wood. At Zealandia ecosanctuary in Karori, a pekepeke-kiore or icicle tooth fungi (Hericium coralloides), an edible species, was thriving at the bottom of the Beech Track earlier this year before it was removed on 9 May, breaking the sanctuary’s rules.

“When it comes to foraging, I think it pushes us to go further than leave no trace and really think about what my relationship is to this land and fungi. How can I make that a reciprocal relationship rather than just to take?” asks Liv. Next time you are walking through Te Aro, Mount Vic, or Kelburn, take a look at what’s around your feet. The botanical gardens or Zealandia are prime fungi spots, but you don’t have to go far to search for fungi. They are growing all around us, just under the soil, weaving between the roots.

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“I Visited the Anti-Covid Mandate Protests. Here’s What Happened.”

Words by Zoë Mills (she/they) Photos by Viola Bates (she/her) CW: brief mentions of paedophelia Since the anti-Covid mandate protests shut down Parliament grounds last February, groups of smaller protests have sprung up across the city to protest everything from vaccines, mandates, to the Prime Minister herself. Last April, Unite, a leading organiser of February’s events, took to the streets for a 14-day series of protests across Wellington city. Each day had a new theme or demand relating to Covid-19— themes ranging from “misinformation,” to “police brutality,” to specific amendments acts.

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I wanted to understand why the protestors believe in what they do so strongly (and what their thoughts are on Chris Rock decking Will Smith at the Oscars).

Most of all, I wanted to figure out: Can we truly separate politics and science?

When I arrive on day seven, the rally is in full swing.

A large crowd had flocked to the roads outside of Government House, making their presence known with banners, an array of musicians, and even sausage sizzle. A handful of police watched quietly towards the back; I felt like I was at a festival instead of an anti-mandate rally.

“I’m here today for these draconian legislations that are going through without any cotnsent from the people, when it’s meant to be a democracy, you know, and they keep slipping these things in under the mat”

The first protestor I spoke to was Sam, a self described “peace-loving hippy.” Sam had travelled from Manawatū to attend the rally. His main reason for being there was about legislation—“I’m here today for these draconian legislations that are going through without any consent from the people, when it’s meant to be a democracy, you know, and they keep slipping these things in under the mat,” he tells me.

As he speaks, a soar of cheers yelling “FREEDOM!” interrupts him. “Freedom means that I don’t have to abide by every single rule the Government lays down […] a lot of them don’t really know what it means to live as a normal person,” he continues.

Sam says he doesn’t trust the vaccine due to it not being tested for long enough. In particular, Sam felt it was unfair that his mother’s work required her to get vaccinated to keep her job. “My mum’s a nurse, she knows her shit. She didn’t want to get it, but she had to get it […] It’s just so frustrating. Being treated like a child day in and day out, you know?”

I look around. The placards present ranged from bullet-point quotes from the Public Health Act, to

photos of Jacinda Ardern. Since arriving 20 minutes ago, I’ve been told multiple times to “do my own research.” Where does Sam get his information from?

“It’s the age of information and why there’s information everywhere. And it’s up to you to take bits of information and go with you.” It’s a shared sentiment; Facebook, Google, and instantmessaging app Telegram appear to be the main sources of the crowd’s information.

While Sam was pretty indifferent on Dir. General Ashley Bloomfield’s resignation, he did have opinions on more pressing issues—could he beat Bloomfield in a boxing match?

“I don’t know his history, he might be a secret taekwondo master, like, I’ve got no idea […] I would have gone for the shin.”

“He’s a doctor. He knows his weak spots,” I add.

“Exactly! And like he could be a bad mofo behind closed doors. We don’t know,” Sam says, laughing.

www.salient.org.nz

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Even though she’s here for the anti-mandate rally today, Alex’s main mission is freeing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is often viewed as a symbol for free-speech and the free-press.

Surprisingly, a huge chunk of protestors at the rallies actually were vaccinated—largely due to their employers requiring that they do so. One protester, Alex, tells me that she’s always vaccinated her kids. Once a lecturer at the Victoria University of Wellington, she now works as a free-press activist, her main cause being freeing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. “I always vaccinate my kids,” Alex tells me. “I started doing a bit of research when they asked my daughter for an HPV vaccination a few years ago, but I’ve always been pro […] then I discovered about the nanotech that they use in the aluminium nanoparticles as an adjuvant to get those vaccines into the cells. And the problem with that is it’s causing all manner of issues.”

This theory has been disproven. A few vaccines contain small amounts of aluminium salts. Aluminium salts work by holding the antigention at the injection site for longer, so it gives time for a strong immune response to begin. There is currently no evidence found that the salts cause any serious effects. As for nanotech, it’s a common conspiracy theory. The lipid nanoparticles (liposomes) used in the mRNA vaccine are harmless. The liposomes act as “vehicles delivering the viral protein template,” which allows the vaccine to act more efficiently.

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Alex stands beside a poster she made, a bright blue banner with the words “DON’T EXTRADITE #ASSANGE” across the front. Clearly, Alex’s main mission, even though she’s here for the anti-mandate rally today, is freeing Julian Assange, who is often viewed as a symbol for free-speech and the freepress. “WikiLeaks is the only media company in the world, with, I think, it’s about a 15-year record now of not a single document they’ve ever published that has been retracted,” she tells me.

And as for her thoughts on Chris Rock vs. Will Smith?

“What a load of puppet show rubbish.” She lets out an exasperated sigh. “[I]t’s basically distracting us when Pfizer has just released nine pages of our aftereffects from vaccines, and shown that most of the women that were pregnant in the trial actually lost their baby.” This claim has since been debunked

by MedSafe, who confirmed last November that the Pzizer vaccine did not pose any safety concerns for pregnant women whatsoever.

I take my shot at asking Alex a question that would end our chat on a good note. What’s one thing that unites us? “We [both] have our future freedom from being enslaved by war criminals, and basically a tech-nocracy, and we have that in common, that we’re on the same side—you actually haven’t figured [that] out yet.”

like an axe, she’s easy to talk to. Kat used to work as a dairy farmer and now lives in Palmerston North, from where she travelled to be here.

Kat’s less concerned with pseudo-science and is more concerned with informed consent—she feels that the Government didn’t give her enough of it.

I ask her about her thoughts on misinformation. “I believe that’s what the Government has been giving us [is disinformation] […] Disinformation is false information which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a Government organisation to a rival power or the media,” she explains to me.

Kat didn’t seem too fussed about the vaccine itself. In fact, she was actually planning on getting vaccinated when her mother fell ill amidst the pandemic: “Six months before my mum passed, I was not leaving the house […] I fully bought into it.

And I was actually going to go and get vaccinated,” she tells me.

What was the turning point that made her change her mind? “They told me I had to.”

She’s less concerned with pseudoscience and more concerned with informed consent—she feels that the Government didn’t give her enough of it.

The following day, the turnout was considerably smaller. Numbers dwindled, but the 20 or so protestors didn’t let their lack of numbers lessen their enthusiasm. While a sausage sizzle wasn’t present (to my disappointment), New Zealand flags hung over the Willis Street New World, and speeches were being made through a small P.A. system. Two policemen hung back from the crowd, unfazed.

Today’s theme was misinformation but the theme felt lost in the number of other causes printed amongst signs.

The last protestor I spoke to was Kat, a grandmother from Palmerston North. “My grandchildren are living with fear and anxiety, and I don’t understand why they are so afraid,” she tells me. She enthusiastically agrees to a chat and, although her sign is shaped

It’s a common sentiment shared by the protestors— personal freedom is a big theme at all of the rallies but, unlike Alex, Kat is a bit more sceptical about some of the theories promoted by other protestors here. “I want to just go along and believe that, you know, they’re sticking nanotechnology in our vaccines, and the vaccines are really bad for you, but in actual fact…” she trails off. It’s an answer I’m not expecting, and when I bring up Bloomfield’s resignation, she gives a sympathetic nod. “I don’t blame him […] It has been a long, difficult two years, not just for us, but for them, too. So, good on him if that’s what he wants to do.”

It’s a response that takes me by surprise—I wasn’t expecting sympathy toward Bloomfield, particularly since I was standing near a man holding a badlyphotoshopped image of him.

And was Kat team Will Smith or Chris Rock? She shakes her head concernedly. “I believe that [Hollywood] has one great big paedophilic ring. I believe there was a lot of satanic worship and rituals that happened, within the elite […] Yeah, buggers. I really don’t care.”

www.salient.org.nz

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LAB RAT, SEB WESTCOTT, 2022.

The Recruitment Toolbox: Navigating the Maze of Psychometric Testing Words by Bridget Scott (she/her) As graduation rolls around, another generation of outgoing students are realising how much debt they’re in and are beginning a frantic hunt for a job that could pass as a career. Thus heralding in the season of cover letters, resumes, rejections, and despair. Of all the recruitment stages, psychometric testing is used to examine candidates for specific capabilities and characteristics, and stands apart.

Built by developers and administered by niche companies, these assessments quickly spiral into a confusing maze where the right answer eludes even the most contentious graduate.

ministries, commercial law firms, and consultancies can attract a massive amount of interest in available positions. For them, psychometric testing is one tool used to sift through applications in the pursuit of finding someone who will fit in well to a company and aren’t “just going to use the job and the training and go somewhere else.” From Skee’s perspective, students applying for intern and graduate roles might actually have an advantage in taking these exercises than those further along in their careers, due to more recent experience with standardised testing and assessment under exam-style conditions.

The purpose and application of psychometric testing varies. Generally, tests are standardised, sat under a time limit, and attempted within 48 hours of the applicant being notified. There are straightforward literacy and numeric reasoning tests that examine fundamental skills that most university students would be comfortable with. However, other assessments comprising of abstract reasoning tests focussing on patterns, video games appraising strategy, or personality quizzes evaluating emotional intelligence, employ obscure tactics to extrapolate inferences about applicants. Drawing on positive psychology principles, they attempt to place candidates on a spectrum that measures their openness, contentiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

This has not been the experience of Sabrina Swerdloff. With the end of her Bachelor of Science in Economics, Maths, and Statistics right around the corner, the third-year student has been applying for graduate roles for 2023. After applying for more than a dozen roles, she’s been invited to sit up to five different sets of psychometric testing, all of which have been immensely stressful, reminiscent of “doing an exam for uni—but more of them in a shorter time frame.” After being hit with multiple rejections, her frustrations are mounting. The assessments have started to feel like an arbitrary IQ test, where dismissal of her application says, “fuck you, you don’t have an innate talent we’ve decided to measure.”

Skee Jackson, a Senior Talent Development Consultant at H2R Consulting, explains that, for employers, recruitment is a resource-intensive exercise. Big organisations like government

Skee doesn’t deny the characteristics assessed are relatively narrow, saying that for most people “it is what it is”. Instead, she recommends applicants reframe their thinking. She emphasises the importance of young professionals on “knowing www.salient.org.nz

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where [their] strengths lie” and remembering that testing is just one measure of applicants’ competencies. Ideally, companies administering the tests should provide feedback to applicants— this is a priority for H2R as they believe strongly in “respecting people’s time and maintaining transparency and engagement throughout the process.” At a practical level, however, this will vary depending on who is facilitating the assessment— the organisation looking for staff or an internal recruitment team or an external company—and their respective policies. Sabrina got in touch with one company that offered feedback but was disappointed to be read an automatically generated pdf that simply said she “ performed in the average range” and “should be able to benefit from further training in this area.”

Millie Douglas is a Senior Career Consultant at the Victoria University of Wellington’s career centre and works with students to navigate the recruitment process. She acknowledges that students can find psychometric testing frustrating, and is often surprised when students share their results with her, observing they are “often not fair” and “don’t reflect the same experience of that student” she has. However, she reminds students that developing these assessments takes significant resources and every time a test is sat, the data is used to inform and improve these processes.

When asked how to approach psychometric tests, Millie’s perspective differs from Skee as she argues preparation is possible: “In a perfect world, as soon as someone says you’ve got a test, don’t assume you’re going to do well in it, even if you’re smart and capable.” She warns students that the two–three practice questions that usually precede the official test are often unusually easy and lull candidates into a false sense of security. Well-designed tests get more difficult as candidates progress and too often candidates find that “three minutes later, the questions are tough and they’re struggling.”

Instead, she recommends that once invited to complete a test, candidates should try to find out exactly what they will be assessed on. If the information isn’t easily available, then an email to the hiring company or test administrators is needed—find out what the test is, which company developed it, and whether they will provide practice tests themselves. When balancing job applications with study and extracurriculars, students should

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arm themselves with the hard facts needed to work smarter rather than harder. Then it’s time to practise.

Searching for the test on Google should generate a number of practice tests to help applicants become comfortable with the format before valuable test time is wasted. If the company won’t share the specifics of a test, the CareerHub website has a range of sample tests that act as a “brain gym,” helping students to approach assessments with confidence .

For fourth-year student Kirsty McCulloch, a couple of days spent practising prior to taking her logical reasoning test requested by law firms and large corporates noticeably improved her results. But not all tests are made equal. Nervous about disclosing her dyslexia to companies early in the hiring process, Kirsty found that because she processes words on screens easier than on paper, she performed better on skills and game-based assessments Millie says that, theoretically, the purpose of standardised testing is that anyone doing a similar test in similar conditions should get a similar result.

But if candidates feel a test was unfair, especially for cultural reasons, game developers are often responsive to feedback—even if the companies administering tests are uninterested. For Kirsty, some tests encouraged applicants to be in touch with game developers if they experienced issues. However, she notes that jumping through administrative hoops to liaise with corporates within the 48 hours the test was available was not a practical solution.

Millie stresses that the recruitment process is a holistic one and “most companies score candidates on every part of the selection process.” Applicants should take heart that a strong cover letter and résumé can balance out weaker testing results and know that the recruitment toolbox is constantly growing and evolving. This is affirmed by Skee, who advises companies to ask “what are the potentials” in candidates.

For students, the pressures of psychometric testing can be moderated through practice, a professional mindset, and using the resources available through CareerHub. In the short term, applicants should know that job hunting invokes a stressful mess of emotions in even the most reasoned candidates, but support out of the maze is waiting for those who reach out.

A TransMasc Moon Why do we call ourselves dogs?

Love the mutts, the bastards, the wolves and coyotes– dogteeth, I call myself, houndstongue– the idea of lycanthropy is appealing.

Why do we gravitate to the canine?

Loyal pack animals for a culture so misunderstood– teeth to rend the ones who hurt us, tongues to tend the ones who love us– perhaps we seek to hunt our hunger.

Shed your skin wolf man, become yourself!

Maybe we shall see each other again in a different skin– and recognise ourselves solely by our eyes.

Sitting alone If you’re not sure of your purpose in life, lay your hand flat in the light.

Palm up, heartline and lifeline, in line with the sky.

The light has travelled an incomprehensible distance to be there with you.

Your purpose was to catch it– You are holding hands with the sun.

- Platun Bond

www.salient.org.nz

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Spotlighting Science PhD Candidates

It’s scientifically proven that scientists are hot. Here are five PhD students at the Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) who are researching some pretty fascinating science-y shit. Big brain energy.

Sahir Hussain (he/him) Hola! I’m Sahir. I’m a PhD student in Neuroscience, which is the most meta science ever because it’s brains trying to understand how brains work. It’s like I’ve been given the latest phone and I have to break down how it functions and interacts with the outside world with zero prior knowledge, and I think there is something inherently cool about that.

My research looks at how a father’s drinking before conception affects the development of their children. While a father does not carry the baby during pregnancy, alcohol has the ability to disrupt gene expression in the sperm, which may cause developmental problems in the child. I’m trying to look at what changes are taking place in the offspring’s brain and their related behaviours, and whether these “hangovers” are seen in the grandchildren as well.

Favourite lab technique: Asking other people for help, particularly Bry and Alex ;) Favourite science podcast: Smooth Brain Society (selfish plug)

Bryony Thorne (she/her) Kia ora! I’m Bry, and I’m a PhD candidate in Cell and Molecular Bioscience. My research is also Neuroscience-based, so I spend my days contemplating how little I really know about the brain. I’m trying to understand what goes on in the brain in disorders like depression and anxiety.

We already know that serotonin and the brain’s energy supply are really important, and I’m trying to link these two aspects together. This means I’m studying mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) in the brain and if they differ with altered serotonin signalling or between sexes. Every now and then, I get to do experiments that produce pretty pictures, and in this one you can see all the mitochondria stained red in a brain section.

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My favourite (and least favourite) part about research is exposing sex and gender biases that persist in science. It’s 2022, can anyone tell me why people are still only studying men?

Favourite place to cry in the lab: PCR set up room Least favourite lab technique: Western blot

Alex Lister (she/her) Hi everyone! I’m Alex, a Cell and Molecular Bioscience PhD student.

Doing postgrad in Bio was definitely the path for me; there is still so much we don’t know about our own bodies! Science provides us tools to answer tricky questions, but we also need creativity and collaboration to use them well. The more people that get involved with science and ask questions, the closer we get to those answers.

My research focuses on the interaction between serotonin signalling and the immune system. You may be familiar with serotonin in terms of mental health and SSRIs, but did you know it’s also a major player in early brain development? I’m studying whether serotonin signalling is affected by a maternal infection, i.e. if a pregnant person had a virus (looking @ you Covid-19), does that change how the foetal brain develops? To do this, I use an animal model treated with a virus look-a-like (to trigger the immune system), then assess the expression of serotonin-related genes, visualise brain connectivity (such as the neurons in my photo!), and study offspring behaviour.

Fave Lab Technique: Microscopy!

Fave Science Podcast: The Habitat (Sorry Sahir, Smooth Brain Society is good too)

Kate Witt (she/her) Kia ora! I’m Kate and I’m a PhD candidate in Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience. I’m trying to understand some of the biological and genetic mechanisms underlying certain symptoms in psychiatric disorders, so that we can develop better treatment. I specifically examine the behaviour of rats with a genetic reduction in the dopamine D1 receptor. In other words, I get to play with rats all day and see how they act. Like Bryony, I’ve found a huge sex bias in the literature with hardly any research examining the D1 receptor in females, even thought we know dopamine interacts with estrogen. We (all scientists) need to do research that includes all sexes! Males aren’t the only ones struggling with psychiatric disorders and yet that’s what (most) research focuses on (animal models, specifically).

All of the misinformation surrounding Covid-19 and vaccines highlights the importance of understanding science. Unfortunately, science tends to be very inaccessible to the general population—whether it’s journals that require an expensive subscription or the use of terminology that only experts understand. Our role as scientists, neuroscientists in particular, is to uncover the inner workings of our brain and to make our research accessible for all.

Favourite lab technique: Effort-based learning paradigms (rats are so smart!)

Favourite Netflix science doco: Human Nature www.salient.org.nz

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Zoe Smeele (she/her)

Hi I’m Zoe, a second year PhD student studying a honey bee parasite, Varroa destructor, and a virus it transmits to bees, deformed wing virus (DWV).

Together this parasite and pathogen represent a severe threat to the beekeeping industry globally. My thesis is focused on testing the use of a control strategy for DWV using a molecule called double-stranded RNA, which can be used to inhibit expression of DWV genes in a sequence specific way through a pathway called RNA interference.

I decided to study viruses, because they are absolutely everywhere and incredibly cool. We think of them as being “bad” or “nasty,” but they can be essential for some organisms to live! We don’t know that much about them and I think the importance of understanding their dynamics and how they evolve should kind of go without saying.

Favourite thing about working with bees: Watching the new bees chew their way out of the cell!

It never gets old!

Favourite thing to listen to in the lab:

FILM

Recently it has been the new Florence + The Machine album and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

85 Ghuznee St, Te Aro, Wellington www.splendid.nz @splendid.nz

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Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling The Science of Sleep Hygiene Words by Rebekah Ward-Johnston (she/her) It’s 10.30 p.m.

You’ve had a full-on day of classes, quizzes, watching lectures, and work.

Racing from one thing to the next.

Finally, you can tumble into bed for a deep restful sleep. You snuggle down, pick up your phone and start scrolling through reels on Instagram… you look at the clock—12.00am… you put your phone down, close your eyes… and in the silence of the night, your mind starts thinking… …to-do lists, that time when you were six years old, you re-write parts of an essay, think about your neighbour’s mother’s cat, the plight of the Patagonian Toothfish…

Another couple of hours roll around… and finally you drop off into an unsatisfying sleep.

Suddenly, your blaring alarm abruptly disrupts your slumber, you slap the alarm off, and roll over to sleep a little longer.

Sound familiar?

So how does one break the crap sleep cycle?

There are three things to consider • The physiology of sleep • How your lifestyle plays into your sleep routine • Managing those busy thoughts Physiology Melatonin is a hormone that helps your body fall asleep. Blue light from screens can disrupt the production of this hormone. You can also encourage your body to make melatonin at the right time of day, throw open your curtains in the morning to get sunlight on your face when you wake up, and turn down the brightness of lights in the evening.

Caffeine: I’m not sure I need to spell it out, but in case I do need to… caffeine is a sleep killer!

If you must have a triple shot americano or a V Pocket Rocket hit, make sure you have them before lunch time, so you’re not battling caffeine to get to sleep.

Restlessness: if you find yourself tossing and turning, probably because you’ve been on the go all day, you can actually turn off the restless feeling through deep breathing, meditation, and relaxation exercises. Insight Timer is an app that has free guided relaxation exercises to help with sleep. Another option, if you have Netflix, is the interactive guided Headspace meditation.

Lifestyle; Routine: wake up and go to sleep roughly the same time every day. If your routine is out of whack, start by moving your wake-up time half an hour earlier every couple of days. And as you move your wake-up time, move your bedtime. This may mean that you’ll also need to adjust your evening routine.

And whilst we all know there are going to be times where you are studying late into the night, try to keep your study to 9–5. It’s a great habit to get into, for when you enter the working world. It also gives you time to have a life outside of studying.

Calming the busy mind with thoughts that crowd in Find ten minutes in your day to sit and do nothing, no music, no phone, no people. Just sit somewhere quiet, breathe and let your mind wander. Give your brain some time during the day to deal with the thoughts that have only had the chance to surface at bedtime. Some people find journalling super useful.

Write a to-do list—think of the list as a place to park your tasks. It frees up the brain for more important things… like sleep.

Now, if sleep still eludes you, head down to Student Health for extra help. www.salient.org.nz

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THE ROMANCE OF SCIENCE—from Rock Dog Podcast Words by Tharushi Bowatte (she/her) Your honour, I am a woman in STEM. Even worse, I have a science communication podcast.

Am I a pervert if I think science is romantic? Perhaps science is just the vessel for the romance. Regardless, the romance is certainly immense.

In first-year, I took CHEM114. It remains the hardest paper I’ve ever done. But it was also the site of the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to me: learning that an electron is at once a particle and then a wave.

Electrons are the negatively charged particle/ wave orbiting the nucleus of an atom. They can get passed around between elements, leading to the unique chemical configurations that make up every solid, liquid, and gas we know of. They don’t come

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in either particulate or waveform, but sometimes in the former and at other times the latter. That’s exactly how I feel! Neither here nor there. Wave-particle duality tells me the universe is inherently abstruse, contradictory, and nonsensical. Gosh, I’m blushing.

Being a receptacle for the romance of science can be overwhelming. Scientific knowledge can be like a steroid. My brain gets so jacked. Like a gym rat, I get all sentimental about the work I’m doing, how far I’ve come and how far I can go. Of course, like a gym rat, things can get unhealthy. Forget the quizlet dreams, how about basing your entire selfworth on grades? To my comrades in STEM: Take care of yourself. Don’t let the romance devolve into obsession. Stay with the magic.

Am I being too poetic if I think science reveals magic?

A river starts as a dribble at the highest peaks. In the excitement of the storm, it cuts through the land (there’s an argument to be made that soil is just displeasing cake) and fans out into the sea. The river says, “maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way.” The friends are one million invertebrates dressed in colours unknowable to our human eyes. Hey, we’re the friends too! Humans have always settled next to water bodies. “Aha! A water body!” we say as we fumble around in our water bodies. If 60% of me is water, then it makes sense that I feel a bit wild when the moon’s all big and yellow out the car window. Lunar magic pushes the tides onto the shore. Every wave a pensive sigh.

Just wait until you hear about the Cambrian explosion. Or katabatic winds. Or the moa hypothesis… There’s a lot to take in. Nobody said science is easy. They often lie, though, and pretend it’s rational. I disagree. Science is very rhetorical and when weaponised, it can be vicious. Nonetheless, what I like best about science is that it reminds me how insignificant I am. Isn’t existence pretty futile?

Isn’t it nice to be the result of stochasticity? To just randomly be here! I grasp onto this and hold it to my chest. I am here despite it all. A conglomerate of flesh and fluids in a universe of infinite possibility.

Check out some of the episodes I’ve put out so far: What’s the deal with Rock Dog? I talk about why I started Rock Dog and what I think ecocriticism is.

What is the Anthropocene?

I introduce the concept of geological timescales and some of the ways scientists have generated a narrative of Earth’s history. I then critique the concept of the anthropocene, which is a trending buzz word in the world of ecocriticism.

Is Bird of the Year Nationalist Propaganda?

I examine the rhetoric behind our monomania with native birds and problematise how this has been used to construct our national identity. At its best, Bird of the Year is a fun educational campaign. At its worst, it reveals Aotearoa’s inability to swallow its colonial past.

So what is science, then?

A) Perverse B) Romantic C) Futile D) Ironic E) Magical F) Vicious I think science is a conversation. It’s all of the above and more. Rock Dog podcast is my conversation with and about science. I push my words into a microphone made of metals extracted from deep Earth. If extreme pressure and an arbitrary combination of elements had not been slowcooked underground over geologic timescales, I could not leave 30-minute sound fossils for future ears. Technology is our dangerous collaboration with time. The good thing about time is that it is not linear. It expands and contracts. Different timescales occur simultaneously. Whether I am a blip in the grand story of Earth does not matter. I was here.

With you. With everything: crystals, love, ungulates, erosion, proverbs, whispers, volcanoes, space, linen, and clouds. We are and were at once a particle and then a wave. At once an ancestor and then a descendant.

Episodes to come: Narratives of Ecology.

I’ll be talking to fellow interdisciplinary traveller (a conjoint-BA/Bsc student) Margarita Montes about how different narrative forms can mediate or express ecological concepts. We discuss the urgency of interdisciplinary thinking in the context of climate catastrophe, and how ecology as a discipline provides evidence of human–non human interdependencies.

Can the law protect the environment?

I’ll describe the emerging literature on Earth Jurisprudence, a conception of law which acknowledges the reciprocal nature of the relationship between the environment and humans.

I question whether Earth Jurisprudence is an appropriate pathway when much of its concepts have been plagiarised from indigenous legal customs. I’ll use the Whanganui River as a case study of how our current legal system obstructs decolonising law. www.salient.org.nz

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Live, Laugh, Lav Words by Lav (she/her)

CW: discussions of coercive rhetoric in a sexual relationship Hi… This boy I was seeing and falling for (and him for me) ended things after the first time we had sex.

He can’t have sex without a condom, essentially, and I’m not on anything hormonal and don’t want to be.

He says he “wants to feel confident” during sex and that he gets anxiety when he uses a condom. Told me it feels better and he can stay harder without one.

And so he ended it?? Totally unexpected and I feel like absolute trash. He dumped me because he doesn’t want to get used to having sex with a condom. I feel so shitty and worthless. Please help.

Dear reader, I am so sorry that this has happened.

Condom related anxiety or dysfunction is common, and maybe even normal! But it is something a person can overcome. I don’t know what he is thinking, but it is disappointing he isn’t willing to work on a shortcoming he has.

It seems he only values a fantasy of what ‘good’ sex is and is only willing to live in that fantasy. He is also willing to put you, himself, and others at risk of not just an unwanted pregnancy but also a whole myriad of sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

I am glad that you weren’t in a position yet to compromise on that, and that this person decided not to be in your sexual or romantic life anymore. Take time to mourn the loss of this potential partner, but know that you deserve someone who wants to work through challenges with you, not run away from them.

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Hey!!

I really want to know why are tickles actually better than sex?

Thanks <3 Wow, a great question with many answers!

Firstly, do you have a tickling fetish? Many kinds of tickling fetishes exist. Are you into tickle torture? Just regular tickling? Tickling with a sprinkling of bondage? Sometimes tickling is deeply enmeshed with powerplay and exists as part of BDSM. If that doesn’t sound like you, then I have a bunch of other ideas.

Maybe you enjoy tickling because of all the attention your skin is getting. Touch is a super important part of foreplay, so are you having enough touch in your sex life otherwise?

Another reason - for tickling to cause a reaction, there is a good amount of trust AND anticipation that needs to happen. Most people can’t be tickled by a stranger that walks up to them on the street, your body just won’t elicit any response.

Think about it, how often do you giggle and scream before you’re even touched? Trust and anticipation are both building blocks of good sex.

Maybe it is that with tickling there’s no expectations to do anything, arrive anywhere or perform a certain way, and you get to laugh and play without any pressure. And how good is laughing?

And finally, maybe the sex you’re having is uh… just not that great?

Hope this helped my ticklish reader.

Have a question or need some advice? Send all your queries to loveandsexsalient@gmail.com.

Do Drugs Words by Teddi (they/he/she)

As someone with chronic pain, I rely on drugs, which each interact differently with pain. I’m not endorsing drug abuse, but I think conversations about pain relief should be open so more people know what side effects to expect, and less people leave the hospital feeling clueless.

Here are my experiences:

fog so it’s harder to study on (but not everyone gets that). It can also make you constipated so it’s not good to take if your body already struggles with that. I have been on and off Codeine for many years and it’s effective so I’ll give it an 8/10 if I don’t have to think, and a 6/10 if I do have to think.

Paracetamol 8/10

Tramadol 5/10

This is my homie. I take this most days at the moment as it is the MVP of immune system support. I love how it has minimal side effects so I can still do uni work while taking it. While it doesn’t have the biggest effect on pain, it still is helpful for inflammation. A solid 8/10.

This conflicts with another one of my medications so I have limited experience. It’s stronger than Codeine but less effective than Sevredol. I didn’t get any side effects from it but if you’re on any SSRI then it can cause serotonin sickness.

Brufen 4/10

Pain just feels like background noise when you’re on this. Simply no thoughts are available.

But because it’s a type of morphine, there is a chance of having a drug hangover. Overall, I reckon napping is the best way to cancel out being in pain, and sevredol lulls me to sleep.

The day after taking it is rough, so doing any assignments is near impossible for two days.

Also known as Ibuprofen. I don’t take this as often as I take another anti-inflammatory that is from the same family. This is rougher on the stomach and, as someone who is lazy and often dry-swallows pills, it is not very good for me. When I do take Brufen I also have to take Omeprazole, which makes a clicking noise when swallowed because it’s a gel capsule that is half-filled with powder. A 4/10 for me purely because I hate Omeprazole but I’d give it a 6/10 for everyone else.

Methoxyflurane 9/10 Green whistle. Leaves a bad aftertaste that can’t be rid of with water. Can only be taken while supervised. Super effective when inhaling but it wears off quickly.

Codeine 8/10

Sevredol 3/10

Fentanyl -2/10 I don’t remember much from taking this. I did feel like I was dying from pain before getting this to have no feeling whatsoever so it’s really effective. Aside from that I don’t remember the rest of the hospital stay nor the month really. I needed to be looked after when I needed this so if you get recommended this at the hospital make sure you have a good support system for when you are discharged.

Another I am well acquainted with. If you’re not used to it then the high you get will definitely be noticeable. Personally, Codeine gives me brain www.salient.org.nz

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Pasifika Students’ Council Indigenous Science

Indigenious peoples conceive and manage their livelihoods in harmony with nature and in accordance with agro-ecological conservation, natural resources sustainable management, climate change adaptation, and mitigation practices. It’s a value system on behalf of the land, for the people.

That’s just the way things go—but is not recognised by western science. Let’s get into the wackness.

Nauru is the smallest state in the South Pacific, and third-smallest state by area (21km) in the world. It’s home to the 12 tribes of Naruans, which you can be born into from your mother’s side. Each tribe has a chief and the nation has had an independent government since 1968.

For the last thousand years or so, birds have flown over the island, migrating south and excreting little dimes of phosphate. When annexed by Germany in the 19th century, the nation was converted to a strip mine, to unearth all that phosphate goodness.

Phosphate mining in Nauru involves scraping off the surface soil and removing phosphate from the walls and columns of ancient coral. Nauru’s surface is now a terrain of coral mountains, scattered with pits that were dug for mining equipment. 80% of Nauru is uninhabitable, and its population of 10,000 or so is confined to the contaminated coast, where silt and phosphate runoff contaminate the waters.

Phosphate is a mineral our bodies need to maintain healthy teeth, bones, heart, function, muscles, and blood vessels. It’s found in genetic material such as DNA and RNA, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), whilst playing a major role in nucleotides and attachments which form our membrane. Phosphates activate protein and act as a buffer, keeping the pH of a substance neutral. Overall, it’s naturally occurring.

Phosphate also helps plankton and plants to grow, which are at the bottom of most food chains, and eventually this phosphate climbs up the chain to humans.

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Human interactions with the ecosystem, such as wastewater treatment, industrial discharge, fertilisers, and agriculture, lead to increases of phosphate within the water. This limits other nutrients in the moana, as oxygen depletes and leads to eutrophication, killing aquatic animals. And what is Aotearoa’s investment in Nauru? Agricultural products—the same ones which add more pollution into the waterways, including phosphate.

Colonialism has buffered Naruans ability to culturally transmit traditional knowledge for governance over the ecosystem they call home. This knowledge system is deep, distilled from generations of work anchored in the community over time. It is different to the western system of empirical labbased science, but is equally valid and efficacious.

It reflects an intimate understanding of the symbiotic nature of life and centres it as a priority in the motu. Naruan experts need to be brought together to assure the correct delivery of knowledge for decision-making for the future.

International attention to indigenious knowledge and science encourages hope for the future. Peter Thomson, a Fijian diplomat and the UN’s special envoy for the Ocean, said, “Holders of diverse knowledge systems, including indigenious and local holders will be essential to the success of this decade.” But they haven’t caught up yet, and while they do, the land and people continue to pay the price.

When the land dies, there is no greater crime, as the land is innocent. The land only ever cared for us.

Indigenious science doesn’t just require validation, it needs more from you now. It needs you to take action.

Ngāi Tauira—Māori Students Association He kai pūtaiao, he kai mā te hinengaro:

Words by Phoebe Sullivan (she/her; Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Ngāti Whātua ki Ōrākei, Tainui-Waikato)

Mātauranga Māori is the understanding of knowledge originating from our tīpuna (ancestors).

It is the Māori world view and perspectives, defined by pūrakau (stories) like the separation of Papatuānuku and Ranginui, Māui fishing up the sun, or the fight between Tāne-Māhuta and Tangaroa.

These stories have been translated into te reo me ona tikanga, moulding our understanding of who we are as Māori.

Our mātauranga is then practised by our people, as they look to the natural environment—the turning of the tides, change of the wind, warmth of the air, and phase of the moon (it’s like a scene out of Moana) to inform us of our time to dive, time to chuck our nets out, plant our māra (gardens), and, to get a little deep here, a time for us to rest, rejuvenate, and to replenish (listen to your māramataka app folks).

Our knowledge isn’t just practical and beautiful like our wāhine (women) on the marae (whuuu) it’s also relevant to inform our understanding of the world!

For instance, if we take the name Rāhui Pōkeka (commonly known as Huntly) there are a lot of important indigenous practices behind it. It is said that the lakes of the area were populated with tuna (eels). The lakes were so overfished that a tohunga put a rāhui pōkeka on the area (rāhui being ritual restriction and pōkeka being a chant).

The name Rāhui Pōkeka is a recognition of tikanga, namely tapu and mana, through the practice of

kaitiakitanga. It speaks to the importance of ensuring that we should only ever take enough of what we need to balance the needs of the environment.

Or for some poetic vibes, we can recognise our knowledge through the prominent Taranaki whakatauki, “he manawa piharau.” The whakatauki refers to the determination of the piharau (eellike fish) to swim upstream and ultimately defy all odds. However, the whakatauki also holds a more practical meaning to the fish swimming upstream. To the people of Taranaki, this was a sign of migration of the piharau, which usually happened during the night, but was also a representation of waters turning—the piharau would swim upstream to migrate where the waters were warmer.

Anyways, that’s enough lecture vibes. But, just an FYI, if you didn’t know now you know, and it isn’t your fault you didn’t know either. Colonisation has played a massive part in our understanding of the world. It has suppressed, stigmatised, and disconnected us from understanding our own knowledge, and knowledge that we might not have been aware of its existence in the first place. Even today, we still hear comments like it “falls far short of what can be defined as science itself.” Like, bro, you fall short, indigenous knowledge is cool, it’s in, and it’s here to stay, decolonise, and reclaim!

Rāpua ngā mea ngāro—“seek what has been hidden”.

www.salient.org.nz

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Word of the Week: Science Te Reo Māori: Pūtaiao New Zealand Sign Language:

WEEK 10 ANSWERS

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SUDOKU

THEMELESS 3: TOO MANY THEMES!

ACROSS

DOWN

1. “A merry old soul”, in a nursery rhyme (3,4,4)

1. Modern instrument with a name derived from the French for ‘loud wood’ (4)

7. With 7-Down, ‘Midsommar’ and ‘Hereditary’ director (3,5)

2. Overshadowed (7)

9. Wind instrument in a ‘Legend of Zelda’ title (7) 10. Actor Wil of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ (7) 11. What 1-Across called for, along with his pipe and bowl (8,5) 13. Kidnaps (7) 16. Frequent wrapping for sushi (7) 18. 1952 hit by 26-Across that was later rereleased as a posthumous duet with his daughter (13) 23. Its state capital is Montgomery, the hometown of 26-Across (7) 24. Dampen (7) 25. Feature of a potato or a hurricane (3) 26. Jazz musician who sang at JFK’s inaugural gala (3,4,4)

3. Homer epic that starts with “Sing, O Goddess!” (5) 4. Holy item hidden under the Louvre in ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (5) 5. “Let’s go, my liege!” (7) 6. Carmen whose name is one letter away from 17-Down (7) 7. See 7-Across 8. Sexual double-meaning (8) 12. Drench; soak (8) 14. Sure; particular (7) 15. Island below Foveaux Strait (7) 17. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ villain whose name is one letter away from 6-Down (7) 19. Like a moth to a ___ (5) 20. Marisa of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (5) 21. Existing (5) 22. Joint with the patella (4) www.salient.org.nz

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Aries Mars is moving into the house that represents your body, so be wary of all that could cause accidents.

Take caution when chopping vegetables or when walking through swinging doors. Are there band-aids on hand?

Cancer You’re probably still feeling a little dizzy from last week’s eclipse.

It’s okay to be “a lot,” Cancer. If anyone says otherwise this week, tell them to go find less.

Libra You may finally uncover the answer to a long pondered mystery this week. You could be looking at some long awaited closure from that situation that happened a while ago, that you never really understood.

Capricorn You’re finally feeling at home with something (or someone).

Sometimes your shyness is misinterpreted as a coldness but suddenly you’ll be stepping into your confidence and shocking people with the warmth underneath. Awww, cute.

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Taurus Time management will be your best friend if you give it the opportunity. As we near the end of the tri, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the workload. Remember, the universe wants you to succeed!

Gemini Determinism, self confidence, and positivity all look so good on you!

You’ve had a lightbulb moment and have finally found you muchlonged-for direction. Keep trusting your instincts, baby! They’ve taken you this far.

Leo

Virgo

‘Fair-weather friends’ is a term practically made for you, Leo. This is a sign to drop all your flaky mates. I think you’ve outgrown most of them anyway.

My brother’s favourite insult is accusing people of the DunningKruger Effect. That’s when someone with low ability at a task overestimates their skills. If my brother wrote these horoscopes, he would be pointing fingers at you.

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Venus moving into your seventh house this week! Sorry, I know that sounds like random astrology jargon. All you need to know, lovely Scorpio, is that this is great for all matters of the heart.

Aquarius Time to face a challenge you’ve been avoiding. Unfortunately, you’ve procrastinated so long that you’ve turned a small problem into a massive one. It may be hard, but trust me, you’ll feel amazing after you’ve fixed it.

Sag, this week I’m here to tell you that your generosity isn’t going unnoticed. WE SEE YOU, SAG! Stop feeling so underappreciated!

Expect more words of praise this week and accept all compliments graciously.

Pisces I’m going to have to tell you off like I’m your mum this week.

Could you please start looking after your belongings? Stop leaving things out to be broken. You’re the reason we can’t have nice things.

THE SALIENT TEAM YOU CAN THANK THESE PEOPLE FOR YOUR WEEKLY FIX.

Editor Janhavi Gosavi

News Editor Beth Mountford

News Editor Azaria Howell

Designer Alice Brown

Chief Reporter Ethan Manera

Sub-Editor Lily Holloway

Features Editor Ronia Ibrahim

Staff Writer Bridget Scott

Staff Writer Maia Ingoe

Staff Writer Zoe Mills

CENTREFOLD ARTIST

This week’s amazing centrefold is brought to you by: Seb Westcott Instagram: @iamsebwestcott

Social Media Manager Seren Ashmore

Podcast Manager Francesca Pietkiewicz

Website Manager Annalise Scott

Contact Us features@salient.org.nz poetry@salient.org.nz editor@salient.org.nz designer@salient.org.nz chiefreporter@salient.org.nz news@salient.org.nz

CONTRIBUTORS

Teddi

Rebekah Ward-Johnston

Puck

Sahir Hussain

Phoebe Sullivan

Kate Witt

Sophia Willis

Tharushi Bowatte

Alex Lister

Elisapeta Dawson

Niamh Vaughn

Bryony Thorne

Lav

Platun Bond

Zoe Smeele www.salient.org.nz

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