Video courtesy of Bournemouth University Dispersal patterns of early human ancestors in East Africa relied heavily on the distribution of groundwater, new research suggests. Previously, the hominin movements were thought to have relied solely on climate shifts; however, it was unknown what sustained their survival in extremely dry weather when fresh water was scarce. Researchers […]
Climate Change, Extreme Heat and Health | SMCC Backgrounder
There is no denying it and no doubt about it: our planet is warming and climate change is well underway, around the world and right here in Canada. And extreme heat events are one of the consequences. Periods of extreme heat are uncomfortable, but they can also exacerbate existing health conditions, such as asthma, and […]
Zika virus circulated undetected for months before the outbreak, genome studies show 
An international team of scientists have charted the emergence and spread of the Zika virus in the Americas with the help of virus genomes. While the Zika outbreak attracted a lot of attention both inside and outside the scientific community, little is known about the evolution of the virus. Clinical samples of the virus contain […]
A Hermit Thrush’s song offers a note on its origin
Sing me a song and I’ll tell you where you come from—at least, that seems to be the case with Hermit Thrushes, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed spectograms of Hermit Thrush songs, which revealed significant differences in song structures of three major populations—Northern, Western Mountain and Western Lowland thrushes. And it sounds like […]
Zebra finches’ courtship serenade preferences shaped by developmental exposure
During courtship, male zebra finches perform a longer and faster version of their usual songs in order to attract females—who, in turn, prefer the modified song during their search for a mate. Researchers investigated whether that preference in female zebra finches relied on being exposed to male birds’ songs early in life. It turns out that […]
Fitness trackers are good at measuring heart rate, but not calories burned
Fitness tracker users can rely on their gadgets for heart rate information, but not so much on the number of calories burned. According to a new study, data on calorie expenditure on major fitness tracker brands is extremely unreliable, with up to 27% deviation in the most accurate reading, and up 93% deviation in the […]
Generosity pays off: friendly vampire bats don’t go hungry with loss of relatives
Female vampire bats form close ties between mothers and daughters, where the pair grooms and shares food with one another. But when those ties are broken, unrelated vampire bats help take over some of these duties, a new study suggests. Feeding isn’t an easy task for vampire bats, so every drop of blood shared with […]
Surprising discovery places Triceratops-like dinosaurs in eastern North America
For the first time ever, researchers have evidence of horned dinosaurs roaming eastern North America near the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. Researchers discovered a tooth fossil dating 68 million years back, with unmistakable features pointing to its owner, a Triceratops-like dinosaur. Until recently, it was thought that ceratopsids—horned dinosaurs—were only found in western North America. […]
SMCC Webinar: Sea Level Rise and Climate Change | Links, background reading & resources
SMCC Webinar – Sea Level Rise and Climate Change 12:00 PM ET, Thursday, June 1, 2017 In partnership with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, the Canadian Climate Forum, and the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network Links, background reading and resources from our panelists: Dr. Adam Fenech – Director of the Climate Lab […]
WATCH NOW | SMCC Webinar: Sea Level Rise and Climate Change
As the climate changes and the planet’s temperatures increase, rising sea levels are now becoming one of the greatest threats to the world’s populations. The latest research shows that the sea level rise will double the frequency of severe coastal flooding in most of the world, with dire consequences for major coastline cities—including those in […]
Moss study reveals widespread climate change in the Antarctic
Moss from additional sites on the Antarctic Peninsula has allowed scientists to get a clear picture of the ecological changes the region underwent over the past 50 years. A new study builds on previous research from 2013, where scientists studied mosses and microbes growing at the southern end of the Antarctic Peninsula. In the recent […]
Scientists one step closer to creating blood stem cells in a lab
Creation of stem cells in a lab could revolutionize stem cell therapies by addressing the need for human donors. Researchers describe successful creation of haematopoietic (blood) stem cells in a lab setting in a new paper. First, the scientists obtained human pluripotent stem cells from donors, and used chemical signals to turn these cells into […]
Alpine Fault under New Zealand’s South Island ready to rupture
Conditions inside the Alpine Fault, which runs almost the entire length of New Zealand’s South Island, are much more extreme than previously thought. A new study describes the findings of a group of researchers who have drilled a borehole into the fault to examine its state. Their results showed extremely high temperatures and high fluid […]
Beaver dams can regulate temperatures to keep important fish habitat safe
Beaver dams are helping keep the river waters cool and cozy for steelhead salmonids, as results of a new study suggest. Some studies have suggested that dams help raise water temperatures, therefore endangering heat-sensitive species. To test that theory, researchers tracked beaver dams and monitored water temperatures along 34 kilometers of the John Day River […]
How plankton and bacteria shape sea spray
Did you know that the tiny bubbles that appear on the surface of waves as they break against the seashore help shape our climate? A new study has found the secret behind these bubbles’ atmosphere-changing power: molecules secreted by phytoplankton and tiny bacteria that live on the ocean floor. Sea spray aerosol, which is the […]
New toothed fossil the missing link between ancient and modern baleen whales
Scientists finally found the missing evolutionary link between the modern whales’ toothed ancestors, the basilosaurids, and the filter-feeding mysticetes, which include the blue whale, the humpback whale, and the right whale. A recent paper describes a 36.4-million-year-old whale fossil with teeth and small vestigial hind limbs, which also help connect it to the whales’ ancient land-dwelling […]
