A sleek, human-driven submarine and a cutting-edge underwater sensing system are among the impressive innovations of a team of Auckland Uni engineers.

In Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, you can find one quarter of the world's seabird species - and around 20 per cent of its whale and dolphin species.

Dr Brett Mullan of the National Institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) explains our holiday season weather and warming world.

Onlookers appeared more fascinated than frightened when four menacing fins surfaced in the shallows at Coopers Beach two days in a row.

There's never a dull day for rescue helicopters.

A burst water main in Upper Hutt which caused a "pretty spectacular" fountain of water and hindered the train service has been fixed. A

A controversial Greenpeace TV ad has been given the green light after the dairy industry attempted to shut it down.

The glorious thing about a New Zealand summer is that just as the official holiday fortnight ends, the best has yet to come.

The talk around the nation's water coolers is that it is colder and wetter than usual this summer. But the grumblings don't stack up with the stats.

Alpine Pure last year renewed its consents with the West Coast Regional Council, and has applied to do the same with the Westland District Council.

A fire fighting helicopter pilot had an unexpected passenger hitch a ride in his monsoon bucket on Monday.

It is an uncontroversial fact that the state of the country's freshwater resources has for decades been moving towards ecological collapse.

Almost a third of Northland dairy farms are significantly non-compliant when it comes to effluent discharges and the region's top

This week, the Herald takes a look at Kiwis who are dedicated to helping our animals. Today Jamie Morton talks to Project Jonah's Daren Glover.

A NZ family is mourning the loss of their2-year-old girl after she tragically drowned after she was found unconscious in a backyard swimming pool.

A daredevil who posts videos of himself jumping into pools from dangerous locations at hotels was left severely injured after his latest stunt.

A Melbourne landlord has been blasted after a tenant revealed he had installed a coin-operated toilet, requiring tenants to pay per flush.

Creating "designer" ecosystems for degraded waterways could boost river restoration efforts around the country.

Any of the drunken teens who partied on a Wanaka island yesterday could have drowned, say despairing authorities.

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray are the New Zealand Herald's athletes of the year. Andrew Alderson explains why.

How narcissistic are Kiwis?

Aimee Spicer had been waiting for an engagement ring for three years - but when she was finally given one, it wasn't what she expected.

COMMENT: As we head into another sweltering Kiwi summer, the water quality of our lakes, rivers and streams will continue to disappoint and enrage.

A record amount of rainfall in Australia has closed its famous national park at Uluru in what is described as a "twice a century" weather event.

The boat was trying to cross the Whangapoua Harbour bar.

As summer starts to heat up, Kiwis are getting creative in a bid to stay cool.

A large leopard seal seems to have made its home in the waters of Auckland harbour.

A grassroots environment group is ramping up a lobbying campaign for more stringent "bottom line" rules around freshwater quality.

Scientists are still trying to understand the strange tsunami activity that occurred in last month's 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake - and have called upon people to help them.

The man in his mid 20s disappeared near Lion Rock just after 6pm last night.