A non-profit group is tagging beluga whales in the St. Lawrence River to try to find out where they spend the winter and further the goal of preventing their decline. Two of the small white whales have been tagged so far… »
Highlights / Environment and Health
Health, International, Internet, Science & Technology
Leishmania parasite study could help find vaccine
Research lead by McGill University has found an important mechanism behind leishmaniasis, a sometimes deadly parasitic disease transmitted by sandflies. The researchers found that molecules known as exosomes boost the ability of the parasite to infect humans and other mammals.… »
Health, Internet, Science & Technology
Gut bacteria influences celiac disease: study
Canadian researchers have discovered that the bacteria that live in our intestines may affect the body’s response to gluten, and that could eventually lead to treatments for celiac disease. This disease affects about 300,000 Canadians. When they eat wheat, rye… »
Don’t put kids on diets, warn dietitians
Childhood obesity rates have not gone down in the last decades and are at their highest level ever, according to a recent study. But dietitians say it is a mistake to put children on diets. Danger of eating disorders “I… »
Environment & Animal Life, Society
In spite of bad press, drones useful to biologists
Drones have been getting some bad press in Canada recently, but biologists say, properly used, they are important for collecting information about wildlife. A drone flying near a wildfire disrupted firefighting operations last week. And a recent study found that… »
Environment & Animal Life, International, Internet, Science & Technology
Bats need natural habitat beside farmland: study
Bats are under threat in North America but new research suggests a way to help them survive. Bats are important because they eat huge quantities of mosquitos and other insects, sometime acting as a natural pesticide on farmland. Bat numbers… »
Cheerleading injuries increasing: study
Cheerleading is becoming more popular in Canada and at the same time the number of injuries has doubled in the last 20 years, according to a recent study. ‘Throwing a person in the air’ “It’s a sport where… you usually… »
Major decline in seabirds: ocean ecosystem in trouble
It seems shocking, but a study of seabird populations shows that since the 1950’s there has been a 70 percent decline in seabird populations. Michelle Paleczny is currently a biologist working with Parks Canada, but researched the decline in seabirds… »
Environment & Animal Life, Internet, Science & Technology, Society
Ocean acidity could collapse food chain, scientist
The world’s oceans absorb carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuels, making them more acidic and less hospitable to micro-organisms that support the marine food chain, says Alfonso Mucci, a professor of geochemistry and oceanography at McGill University. Ultimately, acidification could… »
Many students eat less before drinking: study
Almost half of Canadian students change how much they eat before drinking alcohol and some do it for unhealthy reasons, suggests a study out of York University in Toronto. Questionnaires were sent to 3,400 undergraduates studying psychology at the university.… »
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