Is extinction really forever?

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Robert Gooding-Townsend, Science in Society co-editor Can biotechnology bring back extinct species? If it can, should it? In her new book Rise of the Necrofauna, Britt Wray chronicles the nascent movement to bring back extinct species. She calls these resurrected creatures “necrofauna”, conjuring images of undead mammoths, passenger pigeons, and more. As compelling as the […]

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Toxoplasmosis and the zombie mouse in my backyard

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Ainslie Butler and Lindsay Jolivet, Health, Medicine, and Veterinary Science co-editors This summer, I made friends with a zombie mouse. One recent evening as I was sitting in my suburban Toronto backyard, a tiny mouse that often visits began behaving strangely. Instead of scurrying across the patio like usual, my mouse buddy started running in […]

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SciArt smells better: Interview with natural science illustrator Jen Burgess

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Katrina Wong and Raymond Nakamura, Multimedia co-editors Jen Burgess applies her background in biology and art as a freelance science illustrator based in Vancouver. We caught up with her via email to learn more about her work, how it facilitates science communication, and why it’s easy on the nose. Science Borealis: In art, written or […]

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A new way to think about an ancient problem: Common weed provides hope for a possible novel cancer therapy

Dandelions in bloom. Dandelion root extract may provide a novel anti-cancer treatment therapy, says Dr. Siyaram Pandey of the University of Windsor. Photo © Waferboard, CC BY 2.0

Sunitha Chari, Biology & Life Sciences co-editor Cancer, one of the leading causes of death in modern times, is not a new disease. It has been around since ancient times, with some of the earliest evidence found in Egyptian mummies. In fact, cancer derives its name from the Greek work for tumors, karkinos, and was […]

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Planet Earth or Planet Plastic? It’s getting hard to tell…

Catherine Lau, Biology & Life Sciences co-editor; Tanya Samman, Environment & Earth Sciences co-editor; and Lené Gary, General Science co-editor Plastic is lightweight, flexible, durable, and relatively inexpensive to produce and buy. These qualities make it ubiquitous in everyday life. Although it certainly makes our lives easier, the fact that we can carelessly dispose of […]

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