By Jaspreet Sanghera, Biology & Life Sciences editor Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual connection has become a routine part of our work and personal lives. This phenomenon extends to healthcare, too. In February 2020, 48% of Canadian physicians incorporated at least one virtual care service into their practice, but by September 2020, […]
Biology and Life Sciences
The rising concern about plastic pollution: imminent consequences and possible solutions
By Christine Thou, Environmental Sciences editor In December 2019, residents of the Isle of Harris in Scotland found a dead sperm whale washed up on a beach. The whale died after ingesting 220 pounds of plastic that had been carelessly discarded into the ocean. Over the last 60 years, plastic products have been used to […]
Contaminant bioaccumulation in fish and aquatic environments
By Dorottya Harangi, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Sciences editor Have you ever been told that you should be careful about how much tuna you eat? Part of the reason why is bioaccumulation, which is when the level of certain toxins (for example, DDT or mercury) increases in concentration in the bodies of organisms as you […]
If you can’t beat the cold, join it: How animals cope with Canadian winters
By Nada Salem and Zahra Nassar, Chemistry co-editors We’re almost there! We’ve survived another Canadian winter. It’s just about time to take off our scarves and hats and leave this winter season behind. This year was a tad colder than usual, with Vancouver (Canada’s characteristically warm haven) experiencing its lowest temperatures in 52 years. While […]
The benefits of learning to forget
by Jenna Finley, Biology & Life Sciences editor You may have heard it said, “Elephants never forget,”—but maybe they should. New research suggests that forgetting is a form of learning! This apparently contradictory statement could very well prove true in unpredictable environments. To understand why, let’s first take a look at how memory works. Memory […]