Kevin Van Tighem, Nature Conservancy of Canada Spring draws nigh: the season of the birds and the bees. Birdsong is a welcome gift, but where would we be without bees? Their obsessive quest for pollen and nectar keeps much of Alberta’s native flora alive. There would be fewer willows, flowers and garden crops without pollinator […]
Chemistry
If you don’t talk to your cat about catnip, who will?
Ainslie Butler, Health, Medicine & Veterinary Sciences editor Is your cat a catnip user? Should you be worried about Princess Fuzzbottom’s drug use? What is catnip? It’s the common name of Nepeta cataria, a plant in the mint family that grows wild in many regions, including Canada. Domestic cats generally encounter dried catnip as […]
La science se cachant derrière le sirop d’érable
Par Chantal Mustoe, co-éditrice, Chimie Février tire à sa fin et partout au pays, les érables seront bientôt entaillés afin de recueillir leur sève sucrée. Étape 1 : Percer un petit trou. Étape 2 : Insérer un chalumeau. Étape 3 : Enfoncer légèrement le chalumeau à l’aide d’un marteau. Étape 4 : Suspendre une chaudière […]
The sappy science of maple syrup
Chantal Mustoe, Chemistry co-editor Tap. Tap. Tap. Drip… Drip… Drip… It’s the end of February and maple trees across the country are about to be tapped for their sweet sap. Step 1: Drill a small hole. Step 2: Insert a tap. Step 3: Gently tap the tap with a hammer. Step 4: Hang a bucket […]
Chemistry: a science of order and exception
Chantal Mustoe, Chemistry co-editor Ever look at a periodic table and wonder why it looks that way? As a chemist, I admire the order and logic of it every single day. To me, the periodic table is a beautiful compilation of all the elements of the known universe and the rules that govern their atomic […]