Chenoa van den Boogaard, Physics & Astronomy editor In October 2019, astronomers noticed that Betelgeuse, the red supergiant star that forms the left shoulder of the constellation Orion, was beginning to dim. While variable stars such as Betelgeuse regularly experience dim and bright phases throughout their lives, this recent dimming phase was unusual because the […]
Author: Science Borealis
Dalgona coffee explained: The science behind why instant coffee foams
Joanie Tian, Chemistry editor Canadians are stuck at home to limit the spread of COVID-19, and more and more of us are spending our time worshiping the gods of social media and following TikTok recipes. In these extraordinary times, Dalgona coffee has become a social media star. For those of you who don’t follow as […]
Uncertainty in science communication: Include it or lose it?
Alice Fleerackers, Science in Society editor How long will physical distancing measures last? Should we all be wearing masks? When will there be a vaccine? These are just some of the questions that have been circulating online since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a deadly new virus threatens to turn our world upside […]
How do you solve a problem like migration?
Catherine Dale, Borealis Blog editor and New Science Communicators Program Manager I can feel the rapid thrumming of the bluebird’s heart against my palm as I carefully manoeuvre its foot into position over a tiny Ziploc bag. I pick up my nail scissors and take a deep breath to steady my hand. I will only […]
Flashback to some quirky science stories from the last decade
Jasleen Grewal, Communication, Education and Outreach editor This decade is undeniably off to a scary start, what with the Australian bushfires, the Persian Gulf crisis escalation, and now, the COVID-19 pandemic. We thought it would be a nice break from current events to look back at the last decade and collate some of the popular […]