New research shows that gall fly larvae produce a special form of fat that remains liquid at very low temperatures, up to -80 °C. Gall flies have some of the best cold tolerance in the animal kingdom. They spend the winter inside lumps of plant tissue called galls. While the new discovery could help explain […]
Tag: Ontario
‘Lab-in-a-pill’ improves remote water testing
Take a cup a water, drop in a pill and shake it up; if the water turns purple, your well could be contaminated with bacteria. Such test are now possible thanks to a new method for encapsulating enzymes – including those used in lab tests for bacterial contamination – in a material called pullulan, the […]
Dogs can sniff out stink bugs in winter before they damage crops
A new study shows that dogs can help us understand ecology of the brown marmorated stink bug. The stink bug is an invasive agricultural pest that was first spotted in Canada in 2012 and has since spread throughout Ontario. Two Labrador retrievers were trained to recognize the smell of the bugs and locate the dead […]
Million-year-old plankton comes back to life
Scientists have recovered a form of plankton thought to be extinct for a million years. It is the only surviving member of a plankton lineage common 50 million years ago. The heat-loving, single-celled organism Dapsilidinium pastielsii was thought to have disappeared from the fossil record because of colder ocean temperatures. However, a group of […]
Canada’s crumbling infrastructure
As of March 27, 2014, Canadian provinces, cities and municipalities can apply for their share of the federal government’s New Building Canada Fund, which provides $14 billion over 10 years to help improve infrastructure across the country. This comes as structures like the Champlain bridge in Montreal and the Gardiner expressway in Toronto are already […]
Tropical “Black Witch” found in Churchill, Manitoba
In Mexican folklore, the moth known as the Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata) is a bad omen, a harbinger of death. The species is normally found in tropical regions, but does occasionally come to southern Canada during the summer. A new paper documents a sighting of this species in Churchill, Manitoba, the furthest north it has ever […]
Immunization? There’s an app for that
A smartphone app called ImmunizeCA helps patients and their families keep track of which immunizations they have and haven’t received. The app has been developed through a collaboration between the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA), Immunize Canada, and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Low-carbon strategies for cities
A team of civil engineers has conducted a detailed analysis of 22 cities from around the world, which could help policymakers choose the right tools to combat climate change on a municipal level. Depending on their climate, industrial base and population densities, cities can use a variety of tools and techniques to lower their carbon emissions. […]
Autism guide for physicians
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a variety of traits that range from mild to severe and is estimated to affect about 1% of the population. A new evidence-based review aims to help physicians provide appropriate medical support to families of children with ASD, from detection to treatment.
Bird flu and seasonal flu | Experts available
Experts available – Bird flu and seasonal flu – January 10, 2014 With Canada’s first – albeit isolated – case of H5N1 (bird flu) reported last week and ongoing concern about H1N1 influenza across the country, SMCC has gathered a short list of flu experts who are available to answer media questions. If you are […]
‘Living fossil’ genome provides a window on immune system evolution
Elephant sharks – also known as Australian ghost sharks – shared a common ancestor with humans about 450 million years ago, and have changed very little since. This week, the elephant shark genome was sequenced and found to evolve more slowly than any other known vertebrate. The data provides important insights into how modern traits […]
Cancer treatment costs on the rise
A new study of tens of thousands of Ontario cancer patients has shown that the average health care costs in the first year after diagnosis have risen by 50 per cent for lung and prostate cancers, doubled for breast and colorectal cancer and tripled for melanoma over the last ten years. Part of the explanation […]
