HineRuru Services

01/09/2025

🙌🏼

🐋 Huge groups of humpback whales are gathering off South Africa - and scientists aren’t sure why.

Humpbacks were once thought to be mostly solitary, usually only coming together in small numbers around food. But in recent years, researchers have documented "super-groups" of 20 to over 200 whales feeding together in the Benguela Upwelling System, one of the ocean’s most productive regions.

This behavior was first recorded between 2011 and 2015 and has become more common since then. The sudden shift has puzzled scientists, though it may be linked to booming fish and krill populations or the recovery of whale numbers after the end of large-scale whaling.

There could also be a cultural aspect. Humpbacks are known to share hunting techniques, and in these big gatherings younger whales might be picking up new skills. Whether this is a comeback of old behaviors or an adjustment to today’s oceans, it highlights how much we still have to learn about these giants of the sea.

07/06/2025

🌳🍄‍🟫💡

Researchers at ETH Zurich, a leading science and technology university in Switzerland, have developed an innovative glow-in-the-dark wood using bioluminescent fungi.

The fungi used, such as Armillaria mellea (commonly known as honey fungus), naturally emit a greenish glow in the dark.

By integrating the fungal mycelium into the wood’s structure, scientists created a hybrid material that glows without the need for external power sources like electricity or batteries.

The project is part of a broader movement in sustainable design and living architecture, where biological systems are incorporated into buildings and public infrastructure.

The wood-fungi composite remains biodegradable and renewable, making it a highly eco-friendly alternative to traditional lighting solutions.

It offers a soft, natural light ideal for pathways, parks, or residential streets, especially in places aiming to reduce energy consumption and light pollution.

This research showcases how biodesign could shape the future of urban environments, blending nature with modern needs.

Beyond aesthetics, it also holds practical value for off-grid areas, emergency lighting, and artistic applications in urban planning.

25/04/2025

🇳🇿

18/04/2025

❤️

In the hills of Makara on the coast of Wellington nearly 75 kiwi are settling into their new home.

Full story ⬇️

05/04/2025

The Aotearoa Geographic Board reinstate 20 traditional Māori names of Taranaki landmarks today.

'This was the first time the AGB had agreed to a Te Reo Māori only name for a geographic feature, “without an English descriptor”'

Photo Credit: Alex Stead Photography.

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05/04/2025

🔥

05/12/2024

Kaitiakitanga in action on the whenua ✨

05/12/2024

Whanau 💯♥️

Sandra Heihei is the 17th generation of her family living in remote Taemaro Bay. She and her husband Alfonso live off grid and are among kaitiaki of this ancestral coastal land. Passing on knowledge of and respect for the whenua is her goal.

22/08/2024

🙌🏼

28/06/2024

Happy Matariki!!

19/05/2024

🐝🫶🏼

Thank you, bees! 🐝

29/04/2024

🤯🙈

Building anything in New Zealand takes too long and costs too much. The government plans to solve this with new legislation that will greenlight big projects in one go. Which projects? That’s a secret.