Melting ice roads cut off Indigenous communities in northern Canada
Melting ice roads cut off Indigenous communities in Canada's far north as unseasonably warm weather on Friday also saw its largest city, Toronto, break a winter heat record......»»
For decades, we"ve been told 80% of the world"s biodiversity is found on Indigenous lands—but it"s wrong
Everyday people understandably rely on information quoted by scientists. But when that information turns out to be incorrect, things get complicated......»»
Tackling food insecurity requires more than charity—governments must also act, say researchers
As more households in Canada experience food insecurity, food banks and other organizations are struggling to meet demand for their services. In 2023 alone, around 23% of Canadian households experienced some form of food insecurity. That translates t.....»»
The ecological impact of herbivore dung on plant communities
Xingzhao Sun of the research group Wildness, biodiversity and ecosystems under change of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) explored the complex ecological interactions between herbivore dung and plant communities, providing new insights into the r.....»»
US fights Canada over new tech tax that could cost Apple billions
Canada's new Digital Services tax could cost iPhone maker Apple billions, but the US says the fees are discriminating against American tech companies — and is pushing for a delay.The US Trade Representative object to Canada's unilateral Digital Ser.....»»
Human mouth bacteria reproduce through rare form of cell division, research reveals
One of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet is closer than you think—right inside your mouth. Your mouth is a thriving ecosystem of more than 500 different species of bacteria living in distinct, structured communities called biofilms. Nearly.....»»
Opinion: The real issue at the heart of Canada"s meat processing industry isn"t labor shortages—it"s low wages
A United Nations special rapporteur recently released a damning report describing Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker program as a "breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery." The report detailed the many ways migrant workers have been mistreat.....»»
Saturday Citations: Corn sweat! Nanoplastics! Plus: Massive objects in your area are dragging spacetime
It's the last day of August, which means that in the Northern Hemisphere, tomorrow will be 50 degrees and cloudy; conditions are expected to be hot and humid south of the equator. In science news this week, we reported on nanoplastic contamination, s.....»»
Opinion: AI should not be allowed to adjudicate cases in Canada"s Federal Court
Canadian society is progressing deeper into the digital age. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies—like the generative AI ChatGPT and the legal platform Harvey—are increasingly shaping judicial processes and legal systems, including in the ad.....»»
How "climate mainstreaming" can address climate change and further development goals
Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy urges Canadians to consider climate change impacts in their everyday decisions......»»
Machine-learning models can predict colonization outcomes of complex microbial communities
Microbial communities are constantly exposed to the invasion of exogenous species, which can significantly alter their composition and function. The capacity of a microbial community to resist invasion is regarded as an emergent property resulting fr.....»»
Study reveals isolation, endogamy and pathogens in early medieval Spanish community
An archaeogenetic study sheds new light on the isolated medieval community Las Gobas in northern Spain. Besides isolation and endogamy, researchers have also identified the variola virus, which can offer a new explanation of how smallpox entered Iber.....»»
NASA study tallies carbon emissions from massive Canadian fires
Stoked by Canada's warmest and driest conditions in decades, extreme forest fires in 2023 released about 640 million metric tons of carbon, NASA scientists have found. That's comparable in magnitude to the annual fossil fuel emissions of a large indu.....»»
Efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty provide an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past
The Columbia River Treaty is a landmark water-management agreement, ratified in 1964, by the United States and Canada which aimed to co-ordinate water management within the Columbia River Basin, particularly through the construction of four large dam.....»»
Q&A: Rwanda is creating shiny, modern cities after the genocide—but this won"t help communities heal from the past
Over the past 17 years, Rwanda has cleared informal settlements to make way for modern urban construction. Kigali's ambitious city master plan is expected to be fully realized by 2050. But what about the people who are pushed out in the process, and.....»»
Bringing environmental justice to disadvantaged communities
Not all communities in the United States face the same risks for environmental problems such as air pollution, noise and wastewater. But how can federal agencies fairly identify which areas deserve the most help?.....»»
After wildfires, mudslides come: Fighting the impact of climate change on rural communities
It took more than 25 years for Rhonda MacDonald and her family to transform their 41-hectare property on the Shackan Indian Band Lands, south of Merritt, BC, into a vibrant business and homestead—but a massive 2022 debris flow changed everything in.....»»
Researchers dig into food waste in Canada using data-driven model
Skyrocketing food costs are uniting Canadians, as families scrutinize their budgets and try to keep grocery bills in check. A new report from the Ivey Centre for Building Sustainable Value and Western's Human Environments Analysis Laboratory (HEAL) r.....»»
AI used by police cannot tell Black people apart: Canada"s AI laws need urgent attention, say researchers
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool. In the hands of public police and other criminal justice agencies, AI can lead to injustice. For example, Detroit resident Robert Williams was arrested in front of his children and held in detention fo.....»»
Canada to slap tariffs on EVs, steel from China
Canada, an export-driven economy that relies heavily on trade with the U.S., has been closely watching moves by the Biden administration to erect a much higher tariff wall against Chinese EVs, batteries, solar cells, steel and other products......»»
Hybrid imaging approach reveals microbes in 3D
Caltech researchers have developed a new method to create three-dimensional images of complex communities of bacteria and plant roots. The technology synthesizes two traditional methods of imaging: visualizing microbes with fluorescence and a noninva.....»»