On Sunday, 21 September 2025, a group of primary school educators from across Aotearoa will take part in a special astrobiology field trip exploring two of New Zealand’s most otherworldly landscapes: Ōrākei Kōrako and Wai-O-Tapu.
Schedule: Meet at Ōrākei Kōrako at 9:00 for the 9:30 AM ferry. Guided walk until approximately 12:00 pm. Then travel to Wai-o-Tapu (30 minutes drive) to be there approximately before 1 PM for lunch. After lunch, visit Ōrākei Kōrako.
Our geothermal sites are local taonga. From an astrobiology perspective, the taonga is represented by the powerful analogues for environments that they are, environments where life might have first emerged on Earth. With their steaming vents, colourful silica terraces, boiling mud pools, and acidic springs, both locations offer a real-world laboratory to explore how early microbial life could thrive in extreme conditions. Similar sites are actively studied as analogues for Mars and Europa by astrobiologists around the world.
The day offers primary teachers a unique opportunity to connect local science and mātauranga Māori with big universal questions:
- What is life?
- How did it begin?
- Could it arise elsewhere in the Universe?
Educators will gain insights and practical tools to bring this science into the classroom, igniting curiosity and wonder in young minds.
Download here our Astrobiology and Matauranga Māori poster.
This event is made possible thanks to:
The generous support of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in New Zealand is part of the 150 Years of U.S.–New Zealand Scientific Collaboration initiative.
