Scion scientists featured recently on Radio New Zealand’s show “Our changing world”. The topics covered show some of our diverse research areas:

• Biofuel potential of waste pine – developing ways to extract sugars from waste softwood to produce biofuels.
• Termite gut microbes – how enzymes produced by microorganisms could help break down wood to make biofuels.
• Torrefaction – a way to make waste pine more energy dense.
• Buddleia biocontrol – the buddleia leaf weevil is having a real impact in reducing a common weed in young pine plantations.
• Modified zeolite – a volcanic mineral may be a potent tool in efforts to reduce algal blooms in lakes.
• Bioplastics – plastics made from plant fibres including wood are the way of the future.
• Waste 2 Gold – testing new technologies to transform organic wastes to useful byproducts.
• Forest health – Scion’s collections of fungi and insects are a fascinating look into the history of our forest health.

Podcasts of these interviews can be heard from the RNZ website (www.radionz.co.nz).