Antimicrobial resistance: The silent pandemic

post-antimicrobial-age-due-to-antimicrobial-resistance_photo-by-qimono-from-pixabay

Jaspreet Sanghera, Biology and Life Sciences editor When was the last time you had the stomach flu, had your wisdom teeth removed, or had an ear infection? Most likely, you received an antibiotic, a type of antimicrobial drug designed to either prevent or treat bacterial infections. Alexander Fleming’s initial discovery of penicillin in 1928 brought […]

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On the trail of the B.C. bat mortality mystery

Half of the 16 bat species in B.C. are either vulnerable or threatened, and ecologists and farmers alike worry about how the loss of these voracious pest control experts will affect our natural and agricultural systems. Dr. Glenna McGregor, a pathologist at the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, is investigating….

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The history of science: The story of humanity’s pursuit of knowledge

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

Mary Anne Schoenhardt, Science & Society editor The summer of 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, which is credited to the two Canadian scientists Frederick Banting and Charles Best. Insulin has saved the lives of millions of people who have diabetes. This discovery won the Noble Prize in Physiology and Medicine […]

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Feeling zine: Developing science communication skills through reflection

when-you-open-your-eyes-there-really-is-much-more-to-see-than-just-orion-white-dwarfs-and-binary-stars

Raymond K. Nakamura, Multimedia editor   “I was so proud of my public lecture. All my scientist friends say I did an excellent job. But I saw the glaze in my parents’ eyes; I missed the mark.” – Lia Formenti, from her reflection on science communication in the McGill Space Institute’s zine.   Reflection involves […]

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When the opioid epidemic met the coronavirus pandemic

Opioids are prescribed as painkillers. Over prescription can lead to addiction or worse. Photo by Halacious, on Unsplash, CC0.

Sonja Soo, Communications, Education & Outreach editor The opioid crisis in Canada has been a public emergency since 2016. According to the Government of Canada, there have been more than 22,000 opioid toxicity deaths in the last five years. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened opioid-related deaths in Canada – in the months that followed the […]

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