Mark L. Winston, Simon Fraser University Jeudi 24 octobre 2002 Genetically modified (GM) crops are becoming increasingly important for pest control, but have spawned unusually charged disputes because of concerns about possible side effects on human and environmental health. Dr. Mark Winston has been studying the impact of these crops on beneficial organisms such as […]
Brett Finlay, University of British Columbia Jeudi 13 février 2003 Although we all contain harmless E. coli as part of our normal intestinal flora, there are several strains of E. coli that can cause much human disease worldwide. Pathogenic E. coli O157:H7, the organism that caused the Walkerton outbreak, is shed by cattle, and causes […]
Arvind Gupta, Simon Fraser University Jeudi 20 mars 2003 Arvind Gupta, Simon Fraser University Thursday, March 20, 2003 Les mathématiques sont au cœur de la majeure partie de la recherche et de l’innovation scientifiques au Canada – non seulement en mathématiques, mais également dans les technologies de l’information, le génie et bon nombre des […]
Robin Riddihough, Natural Resources Canada Tuesday, April 8, 2003 Gravity keeps the coffee in the cup and the cup on the table. It rules our lives and yet remains one of the great mysteries of science. The acceleration of a falling body turns out to be key to understanding how a pendulum keeps time, measuring […]
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 […]