The history of science: The story of humanity’s pursuit of knowledge – ScienceBorealis.ca Blog

University of Toronto laboratory where insulin was discovered. Photo from University of Toronto Archives. Public domain.

This week, we are featuring a post written in 2021 by Science in Society editor Mary Anne Schoenhardt. In this post, Mary Anne explores what it means to study the history of science – and why it’s important that we continue to do so. By Mary Anne Schoenhardt, Science in Society editor The summer of […]

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More sour than sweet: the truth behind citrus waste

By Zahra Nasser, Chemistry editor It’s a fact that’s likely to turn some heads: composting certain kinds of food waste is not as good for the environment as we think. That’s because some food waste contains chemical compounds that are detrimental to local soil and water quality. It is important to understand the biochemical composition […]

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Tick talk: tick-borne pathogens in Canada

By Sonja Soo, Environmental & Earth Sciences editor Many people know that they risk contracting Lyme disease — a serious illness with symptoms such as a bullseye-shaped rash, fever, chills, fatigue and headaches — if they venture into tick-infested areas. You can contract Lyme disease if a tick carrying a specific bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi […]

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Have you met your digital twin?

By Naeema Bhyat, Technology & Engineering editor Someday soon, your city, your house, your planet and even you could have a digital twin. Digital twins are virtual models that exist alongside one or more physical objects, systems or processes. IBM describes them as “a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, […]

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Air pollution is a major threat to our health

By Jenna Finley, Biology & Life Sciences co-editor Man-made pollution is one of the biggest threats we face — microplastics everywhere, contaminated drinking water, plastic garbage floating on the oceans. Data show that pollution is already causing deaths, and new evidence suggests that it may be worse than previously assumed. In 2016, the World Health […]

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