NZSM Online

Get TurboNote+ desktop sticky notes

Interclue makes your browsing smarter, faster, more informative

SciTech Daily Review

Webcentre Ltd: Web solutions, Smart software, Quality graphics

GIGO

Story Ideas

I am often asked whether we have difficulty finding story ideas for the NZSM, and where we get the ideas for the stories we do run.

Some of the ideas spring from the curiosity of the NZSM team -- we're all voracious readers and we all have a tendency to ask "why?" and "how?". If there's something happening out there that interests us, and that we don't fully understand or know much about, there's a good chance that that holds true for a good proportion of our readers. There's also a good chance that one of our readers can tell us about it, or that we can find someone working in the appropriate field.

We do have an increasing number of researchers who provide us with material on their work. They recognise the need and desirability of having the general populace more aware of science and more aware of the science that is going on in New Zealand. We've worked hard to encourage this, reading university memos, organisational newsletters and conference proceedings to find out who is doing what, and asking for information. It can be surprising, the gems that we find this way.

We're lucky, too, in having an involved readership. Story suggestions and just plain questions come in regularly. In some cases we aren't able to help -- I don't think there is anyone in the scientific arena working on perpetual motion machines, for example, despite apparent perpetual interest. In other areas, we can be of assistance. The ultraviolet story in this month's issue sprang from a reader request. We're pleased to be able to oblige.

The story, in fact, involved all the avenues mentioned above. Our reader wanted to know about ultraviolet's effects on his health. I wanted to know why putting my baby in front of the window would help his touch of jaundice -- I'd always thought UV didn't get through glass. Obviously my knowledge was incorrect, incomplete or out-of-date. And we knew who to ask for further information on the issue.

So, by all means, keep those requests for information coming. We can't guarantee we'll be able to cover all of them, but we'll do our best.

Vicki Hyde is the editor of New Zealand Science Monthly.