Nature Communications Published March 12, 2019 (News release from UBC) A new technique that extracts huge amounts of data from a tiny amount of newborn blood reveals molecular changes in the first week of newborn life, including what genes are turned on, what proteins are being made, and how metabolism changes. The findings establish a common developmental […]
March 12, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up 
Newborns’ first week | Archiving otters | Gentrification sleuthing | March 12, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up – Embargoed and recently published research with a Canadian focus, curated by SMCC for science journalists. Read more>
Moralizing gods, impartiality and religious parochialism linked to greater cooperation
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Published March 6, 2019 17:01 ET (Brief from the Royal Society) People who believe in punishing gods are more likely to cooperate with each other. Researchers administered behavioral experiments and interviewed a sample of 2,228 participants from 15 diverse populations. They found that higher ratings of gods as […]
Study confirms and quantifies Zika–microcephaly link in Brazil
PLOS Medicine Published March 5, 2019 14:00 ET (News release from PLOS) Women infected with Zika virus early in pregnancy are almost 17 times more likely to have a child with microcephaly, abnormal smallness of the head. Researchers used national reporting databases in Brazil to assemble information on nine known or hypothesized causes of microcephaly for all […]
March 5, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up
Old-growth lichens | Angry gods | Zika microcephaly | March 5, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up – Embargoed and recently published research with a Canadian focus, curated by SMCC for science journalists. Read more>
Lichens provide snapshot of old-growth forest conservation value
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Published March 5, 2019 00:00 ET (News release from the Canadian Museum of Nature) Suites of lichens associated with known old-growth areas can be used to help scientists and communities decide which areas to keep and which to cut. The scorecard of lichen species could be used as a tool […]
Creatures of the (deepest) deep eating microplastics
Royal Society Open Science Published February 27, 2019 17:01 ET (Brief from the Royal Society) Researchers found that marine animals living in the six deepest parts of the ocean ingest man-made plastic fibres and synthetic particles. The results challenge the idea that the deep oceans are free from human impacts and man-made debris. Lead author: Alan Jamieson, […]
Climate-related seafood declines threaten First Nations health
PLOS One Published February 27, 2019 14:00 ET Traditionally harvested seafood remains fundamental to the diet and health of coastal BC First Nations. Potential shifts due to climate-related declines in seafood consumption may lead to poor nutrition and health. Strategies to improve access to seafood harvest potential in coastal communities are needed to ensure nutritional health […]
3,500 years of B.C. shellfish farming
PLOS One Published February 27, 2019 14:00 ET (News release from PLOS) The Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia have been harvesting shellfish from specially constructed clam gardens for at least 3500 years. This research offers new methods for tracking the history and development of mariculture. Authors: Nicole Smith, Hakai Institute, B.C. – smithnf@gmail.com; Dana Lepofsky, Simon Fraser University […]
February 26, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up
Climate diets | Ancient clam gardens | Deep-sea plastic | February 26, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up – Embargoed and recently published research with a Canadian focus, curated by SMCC for science journalists. Read more>
In Memoriam: Penny Park
Penny Park – founder, first Executive Director, and guiding light of the SMCC – passed away this past weekend. Penny was one of Canada’s leading science journalists, a passionate defender of free speech for both journalists and scientists, and a proud promoter of Canadian research. Penny began her science journalism journey in 1980 at […]
Swimming speed affects benefits of schooling
Royal Society Open Science Published February 20, 2019 17:01 ET (Brief from the Royal Society) As groups of fish swam faster, they form more elongated and more linearly aligned groups. Information flow between individuals increased at faster speeds and when individuals were more aligned within the linear group formations, supporting the group’s collective functioning and energy […]
Fish find food best by watching others
Royal Society Open Science Published February 20, 2019 17:01 ET (Brief from the Royal Society) Analyzing behaviour of different stickleback species to determine when the fishes’ use of social information evolved, how it develops, what it is used for and how it works, the researchers found each species differed in its ability to use social information […]
February 19, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up
Speedy schooling | Socially informed fish | Women’s heart health | February 19, 2019 | SMCC Heads Up – Embargoed and recently published research with a Canadian focus, curated by SMCC for science journalists. Read more>
Oral antifungal drug increases risk of miscarriage
Canadian Medical Association Journal Published February 19, 2019 00:15 ET (News release from Canadian Medical Association) Researchers linked data on 441,949 pregnancies from the Quebec Pregnancy Cohort between 1998 and 2015 to filled prescriptions listed in the Quebec Prescription Drug Insurance database. They found that taking oral fluconazole, a medication commonly used to treat vaginal yeast infections, […]
Climate change may increase food-poisoning incidents
Royal Society Open Science Published February 13, 2019 17:01 ET (Brief from the Royal Society) Due to changes in fly-population sizes, the spread of campylobacter and incidences of food poisoning may more than double by 2080. Campylobacter is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness worldwide. Researchers used an infectious disease transmission model describing Campylobacter […]
