Dr. Alexander Mackenzie: When cells choose the wrong time to die In medicine, as in politics, timing is everything. When cells die prematurely, degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and muscular dystrophy can be the consequence; when they linger, the consequence can be cancer. The University of Ottawa’s Dr. Alexander MacKenzie has studied cell death in […]
Dr. Aftab A. Mufti: Getting bridges to talk Stress, corrosion and fatigue may be killing Canada's infrastructure and pocketbooks, but civil engineers have started to listen (to the bridges, that is). New electronic sensing technology is injecting a wealth of new information, new life and ideas into the design of urban structures and into the […]
Dr. Hugh MacIsaac: Invasive species: coming soon to a lake near you Canada has sustained dramatic damage resulting from the introduction of invasive species such as the SARS virus, emerald ash boring beetle, and infectious salmon anemia. Our lakes, too, are especially vulnerable to new introductions – the waters between southern Lake Huron and western […]
Dr. Tito Scaiano: When light meets matter: implications for health and high technology Chemical reactions induced by light are the mainstay of life on earth and the key to new advances in technology and health, but they can also cause concern when they lead to problems such as skin cancer. Our ability to benefit from […]
Dr. Vincent Tao: Globe Watch: Remote Sensing, Surveillance, and Mapping with "See Anywhere - Map Everywhere" (SAME) Technology Modern geomatics is a Canadian invention that has spawned an industry generating over $2 billion in products and services annually, and employing a workforce of approximately 30,000. Remote sensing, a core geomatics technology, plays a key role […]
Dr. Marc Bustin: Coal bed methane extraction Canada has vast resources of coalbed methane gas. These reserves, located mainly in western Canada where a petroleum infrastructure already exists, become increasingly attractive as demand for natural gas increases and conventional reserves decline. Coalbed methane is unique in that gas has a much higher volume of gas […]
Dr. Michel Bergeron: Winning the infection wars: by identifying bugs faster, doctors can save lives and health care dollars Until recently it took two days to identify the microbe making you sick. The delay often meant inappropriate therapy, the wrong choice of drug, and an increased cost for the health care system. Professor Michel Bergeron […]
Dr. Paul Hebert: The Barcode of Life Initiative - Checking Life in before it checks out Humans share the Earth with million of species, most of which, even after 250 years of scientific investigation, remain unknown to us. Major advances in genomics, coupled with Canadian ingenuity, have now paved the way for the Barcode of […]
Dr. Barbara Sherwood Lollar: Countering the hydrocarbon threat to Canada's groundwater Hydrocarbon pollution of groundwater is a widespread problem in both rural and urban settings and a major concern for the millions of Canadians who rely on groundwater for their water supply. Key pollutants include oil and gas hydrocarbons from leaking underground storage tanks and […]
Dr. David Keith: Wind Power in a Carbon-Constrained World: Capacity, Cost, and Environmental Impacts Wind power has come of age, with over 40 gigawatts of global capacity and annual equipment sales near $10 billion. While this growth rate is impressive, wind power currently supplies a trivial fraction of global energy needs. Professor David Keith works […]
Dr. David Shoesmith: Safe Disposal of Canada's High Level Nuclear Wastes Due to the need for emission-free energy generation methods, nuclear energy is again at centre-stage from a scientific and policy standpoint. Before a new generation of nuclear reactors can be built in Canada, Canadians will want reasonable assurances that nuclear wastes can be safely […]
Dr. Murat Saatcioglu: Earthquakes and Bomb Blasts: How safe is our infrastructure? In 2004 alone, natural and human-induced disasters killed more than 300,000 people worldwide and inflicted damage in excess of $150 billion. Canada is not immune to such events. More than 30 per cent of Canadians reside in seismically active zones, with the West […]