Fortunately, some writers and thinkers still believe in healthy debate and intellectual discourse on the environment. One of them is Peter Foster
U.S. President Joe Biden’s first day in the White House included signing 17 executive orders. Three of them related directly to the environment: rejoining the Paris agreement on climate change, revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and reviewing regulatory measures pertaining to industries with high emissions. These executive orders were expected to materialize…
New U of A research illustrates link between anthropogenic diet, human-like gut bacteria and poor health
A diet rich in human food may be wreaking havoc on the health of urban coyotes, according to a new study by University of Alberta biologists. The research team from the Faculty of Science examined the stomach contents, gut microbiome and overall health of nearly 100 coyotes in Edmonton’s capital region. Their results also show coyotes…
But opposition to resource development means Canada is being left out in the cold
Extreme cold weather and mismatched supply and demand have pushed spot prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia through the roof. Bloomberg reports that LNG spot prices went from “almost to zero” in April 2020 to above US$30 per one million British thermal unit (MMBtu), rising “18-fold in less than nine months.” Prices in…
A focus on teamwork and patient needs has led to breakthroughs in the search for cancer therapies, antivirals and safer drugs
Khaled Barakat was stars-truck the first time he met Michael Houghton in 2012. He knew the U of A virologist and director of the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute was renowned for discovering the hepatitis C virus and was likely to win a Nobel Prize (which Houghton eventually did in 2020). Barakat, a PhD in biophysics, landed an…
Potential biomarker could help with optimal electrode placement in deep brain stimulation surgery
University of Alberta researchers have discovered a potential biomarker – the response of a particular reflex in the body dubbed the Hoffmann reflex – that would help surgeons deliver deep brain stimulation (DBS) more precisely and effectively to patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. The work, led by U of A neurosurgeon Tejas Sankar, was recently published in the…
No. Instead, they go through brumation and remain mostly conscious and are sometimes even active
Man, it’s cold out there! I wonder where the snakes and turtles are? They can’t migrate so they must be here somewhere. Reptiles such as turtles, lizards and snakes, like so many other animals, have to survive our cold, long winters. Generally, they go underwater or underground and hibernate … or do they? They do…
As Canadians watched this week’s presidential inauguration and the immediate aftereffects (which include a scuttled Keystone XL pipeline), many wonder what a Biden administration will mean for Canada. And for good reason. A dramatic change in governance in the United States will likely have significant implications for Canada so Canadian policymakers in both the private…
Some board members think their position gives them extra power and privileges
Jenny was in tears. As the executive director of her organization, she was at her wit’s end and said she was ready to quit. She confided in me that one of the directors was going directly to one of her staff members, telling him he would be fired unless he complied with the director’s request,…
One more piece of the puzzle has fallen into place behind a new drug whose anti-cancer potential was developed at the University of Alberta and is set to begin human trials this year, thanks to newly published research. “The results provide more justification and rationale for starting the clinical trial in May,” said first author John Mackey,…
The RF excels at point-and-squirt city handling, and can carve corners with the best of them
Mazda doesn’t often get it wrong. Over the years, it has produced some very well designed – and successful – cars and trucks. Models like the Mazda5, Mazda3 and, going back, the B2200 pickup have really struck a chord with buyers. They have cemented the company’s reputation as a thoughtful, astute manufacturer that knows how…
U.S. President Joe Biden’s first day in the White House included signing 17 executive orders. Three of them related directly to the environment: rejoining the Paris agreement on climate change, revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and reviewing regulatory measures pertaining to industries with high emissions. These executive orders were expected to materialize…
