Canadian researchers will launch a novel project to shed light on the source of a deadly H5N2 strain responsible for the death and destruction of approximately 240,000 birds in B.C between December 2014 to January 2015. The project funded by Genome BC, Genome Canada, Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will seek to […]
Posts by Kelly Fram (KellyFram)
A place for life to form on the Martian surface?
Thin films of liquid brines which could hypothetically support life may form daily on soil on Mars and evaporate overnight, according to a new study. The Curiosity rover, which is traversing Gale crater on equatorial region of Mars, has detected a type of salt called perchlorate. Perchlorate salts both lower the freezing temperature […]
HPV vaccination of boys could be cost-effective
A new study shows that vaccinating 12-year-old boys against the human papillomavirus (HPV) may be a cost-effective strategy for preventing cancers that start at the back of the throat and mouth, and involve the tonsils and base of the tongue. The disease is known as oropharyngeal cancer. Researchers used a statistical model and estimate […]
Vote for your favorite research
From the discovery of neutrinos to recognizing the effect of grapefruit on our ability to metabolize drugs, Ontario’s universities have contributed ground-breaking research. What do you think the top research should be? The Council of Ontario Universities is asking the general public to vote for their favourite ‘game-changing research’ here.
Swimming or drifting: young sea turtles do swim
“Toddler” sea turtles appear to be active swimmers moving with a purpose, going against the previously held belief that they drifted with ocean currents. A team of researchers tracked young Green Sea turtles and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles using satellite telemetry as well as buoys to follow sea currents. Comparing the models of ocean currents […]
What wind turbine noise does and doesn’t do
While wind turbine noise is annoying and can disturb some people’s sleep, a new Council of Canadian Academies’ report requested by Health Canada concludes that there is no evidence yet for further health effects. The report found no evidence linking wind turbines to hearing loss and inadequate evidence for other health effects such as fatigue, […]
The Stars come to SFU
B.C.’s astronomy enthusiasts will be delighted; the Trottier Observatory and Science Courtyard located on Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus Courtyard will open its door to the public for the first time on April 17th. The Trottier Observatory and Science Courtyard features a six-meter-diameter dome housing a 0.7-metre-diameter reflector telescope which is among the largest in […]
Allergies move from patient to patient through blood transfusions
Anecdotal evidence has shown that allergies can sometimes be transferred between patients through blood and plasma transfusions. Researchers believe transfusions can temporarily cause food-based allergies in recipients, however they are so rare they do not believe that individuals with existing allergies should be excluded as donors. As a recent example, an eight-year-old boy in Toronto […]
Brontosaurus did exist
While previously studies had suggested that Brontosaurus were the same species as Apatosaurus, a recent analysis has raised doubts about this. Paleontologists applied new statistical approaches to fossils to calculate the differences between species and genera of similar dinosaurs such as the Diplodocus, the Apatosaurus and the Brontosaurus. The differences were large enough reinstate Brontosaurus […]
Why are the Dutch so tall?
The Dutch are currently the tallest people on earth, but 200 years ago they were among the shortest. A new study tries to explain how the Dutch population has grown 20 cm in average height in less than two centuries. Researchers observed in the Netherlands that taller men and average height women had more children […]
Women in science: strength lies in numbers
How do you encourage women to remain active in science, technology, engineering and mathematics? One route seems to be in creating environments in which female students participate in small groups with high proportions of women, says a new study. In a U.S. study, 120 female undergraduate engineering students were assigned into four-person groups that varied […]
Human or cow? Breast milk from the Internet is not always what it appears to be
Human breast milk bought on the Internet is not always pure human breast milk according to a new American study. Parents purchase human breast milk from the Internet to help supplement their supply, and in some cases the parents are purchasing milk for infants with sensitivities to cows milk or formula. Researchers tested 102 samples […]
Do you have eco-friendly friends?
Canadians with personal ties to members of environmental organizations are more likely to engage in eco-friendly behaviours such as recycling and buying a more fuel-efficient car than those with no such ties, according to a new study. Using data from two surveys carried out in Canada in 2007, researchers conclude that individual-level social connections to […]
Canada’s disappearing glaciers
Glaciers in western Canada are projected to lose 70 per cent of their ice volume by 2100, relative to 2005, according to a new study. Using simulations which model the effect of global warming, researchers demonstrated that Canadian glaciers will experience the same shrinkage as mountain glaciers in other places around the world. A few […]
Damaged tau is the main cause behind Alzheimer’s disease
The main cause of Alzheimer’s disease is a dysfunctional protein according to a study of over 3,600 post-mortem brains. It was previously unknown if damaged or dysfunctional protein known as tau or amyloid build-up was the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease. A research team behind the new study believes that tau is Alzheimer’s primary cause. […]
Mercury in endangered Ivory Gull feathers reach a 130-year record high
Ivory Gulls have declined by more than 80 per cent in Canada since the 1980s and have been listed as an endangered species in Canada since 2006. These gulls have the highest concentrations of mercury in their eggs of any Arctic bird, but the reason for their decline is not well understood. Researchers measured mercury […]
