While vitamin waters and energy drinks sold in Canadian supermarkets are promoted as being healthy because they provide additional nutrients (vitamins B6, B12, C and niacin) to buyers, new research shows that young Canadian adults are already consuming enough of these supplements. The study’s authors also found that product labels on the drinks also promoted […]
Category: Paper of Interest
Fossil discovered by young boy in PEI shines light on the origin of turtles
Researchers have discovered a new genus and species of reptile from a 300-million-year-old fossil from Prince Edward Island. The fossil was found in PEI by a young boy and its family, and the species was named in his family’s honour, Erpetonyx arsenaultorum. This discovery indicates that reptiles at the end of this era were more […]
Facebook could know you better than your spouse
If you have 100 or more Likes on Facebook then your computer believes it knows you better than the average person, and if you have 300 or more, then it believes it could know you better than even your spouse. Researchers analysed both individuals’ responses to a personality questionnaire and obtained information on Facebook […]
If you’re outgoing, so is your avatar
Judging someone’s personality is no easy task, especially when all you can see is an avatar and not the real person. However, new research suggests that people can make some accurate personality judgements after seeing customized avatars, at least for some people. The researchers found that outgoing and sociable individuals typically create avatars that communicate […]
How much fossil fuel can we exploit?
Canada would need to leave 75 per cent of its oil in the ground as part of a global effort to cap global warming at two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a new study shows. The authors also conclude that the exploitation of resources in the Arctic should be ruled out. Using computer models, the authors found that […]
How does the media report on vitamin D?
News articles linked vitamin D to a wide range of health benefits for which there was no conclusive scientific evidence, while downplaying limitations and overlooking risks of supplementation, according to a new study shows. Lead author Tim Caufield will launch a book on popular culture and health titled Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything? When Celebrity […]
A solution to the medical isotope shortage?
Radioactive isotopes are used regularly for diagnostic and cancer treatments, but as aging nuclear research reactors are shut down, new ways to create the technetium 99m necessary for medical scans are being investigated. A team of scientists has now confirmed that regular hospital based cyclotrons are able to produce enough technetium-99m, to satisfy the daily […]
For sleeping children, quality is more important than quantity
For young children, the quality of sleep may be more important than the duration of sleep when it comes it academic performance, according to a new study. The researchers found that a high percentage of time in bed spent sleeping influenced positively a child’s grades in math, English, and French as a second language, while […]
Over fifty new potential drugs against Ebola
Researchers have identified 53 existing drugs that could prevent the entry of Ebola virus into human cells. To achieve this result, they screened 2816 drugs that are already approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the US. These drugs are already used as antibiotics, antihistamines (against allergies), antipsychotics or against cancer. They now need […]
What happens when lava meets snow?
Mixing lava with snow might seem to raise the risk of flooding for nearby settlements, but in fact it appears lava does not interact much with snow. Researchers in Eastern Russia, at the Tolbachik volcano, studied how snow and lava interact to determine the effects on lava advance and snow pack melting rates. Sheets of […]
No extra growth in tropical trees due to increased atmospheric CO2 levels
The assumption that increased atmospheric CO2 levels contribute to increased tree growth is being called into question by this study published in Nature Geoscience. Predicting the response of tropical forests is important in the modeling of future climate scenarios. Extra CO2 in the atmosphere is expected to increase tree growth, by improving the trees rate of […]
Promising antibody found against dengue virus
An international team of scientists has discovered an antibody capable of neutralising all four forms of Dengue Virus (DENV). Dengue is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes. No vaccine or medication to protect against this emerging disease currently exist. Researchers hope this finding could lead to the development of a vaccine against the disease. The […]
A new kind of stem cell
Scientists have observed a new class of stem cell with the capacity to turn into nearly any cell type. Called F-class cells for the fuzzy appearance of its colonies, these cells could potentially be used in regenerative medicine and drug discovery. In a second related paper, researchers with the Project Grandiose Consortium announce a new […]
Thousand tons of plastic floating in the oceans
At least 269,000 tons of plastic pollution could be floating in the world’s oceans, according to a new study. Researchers collected small, floating plastic particles across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean as well as off the coast of Australia, in the Bay of Bengal, and the Mediterranean Sea between 2007 and 2013. They then […]
Unique woodpecker species where male travels more during winter migration
Female northern flickers, a woodpecker species who breeds during summer all across Canada, spends its winter farther north on average than males, according to a new study. Sex differences in migration distances are well known, but this is the first time researchers observed female birds that travel less distance than males. The authors believe this […]
Birds watch where they’re going
Flying birds rely on movements in the surrounding environment to control their position in space, a new study has found. The authors filmed hummingbirds hovering in front of a projection screen and examined the birds’ response to moving bars and spiral patterns compared to static images. The researchers found flying birds are sensitive to movements […]