Dr. Louis Fortier, Québec-Océan, Université Laval Climate models predict that the earliest indisputable evidence of climate change will come from the melting of Arctic sea ice. Is the current thinning and disappearance of sea ice proof that the models are right? The jury is still out. But, given the impressive match between observations and simulations, […]
Dr. Jeffrey Hutchings, Dalhousie University Since the 1960s, more than one and a half billion cod have vanished from Newfoundland and Labrador waters. Why have these and other fish populations not recovered despite massive reductions in fishing? Is this the marine equivalent of the hunting of the buffalo? Have ocean environments been altered permanently? Dr. […]
Dr. David Layzell, Queen's University Plants have been in the business of managing greenhouse gases for more than 400 million years. Can they help Canada meet its Kyoto commitment of reducing emissions by at least 30 per cent? What scientific insights and new technologies are needed to augment carbon sinks in forestry and agriculture, and […]
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 […]