More sour than sweet: the truth behind citrus waste

By Zahra Nasser, Chemistry editor It’s a fact that’s likely to turn some heads: composting certain kinds of food waste is not as good for the environment as we think. That’s because some food waste contains chemical compounds that are detrimental to local soil and water quality. It is important to understand the biochemical composition […]

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Tick talk: tick-borne pathogens in Canada

By Sonja Soo, Environmental & Earth Sciences editor Many people know that they risk contracting Lyme disease — a serious illness with symptoms such as a bullseye-shaped rash, fever, chills, fatigue and headaches — if they venture into tick-infested areas. You can contract Lyme disease if a tick carrying a specific bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi […]

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Have you met your digital twin?

By Naeema Bhyat, Technology & Engineering editor Someday soon, your city, your house, your planet and even you could have a digital twin. Digital twins are virtual models that exist alongside one or more physical objects, systems or processes. IBM describes them as “a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, […]

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Air pollution is a major threat to our health

By Jenna Finley, Biology & Life Sciences co-editor Man-made pollution is one of the biggest threats we face — microplastics everywhere, contaminated drinking water, plastic garbage floating on the oceans. Data show that pollution is already causing deaths, and new evidence suggests that it may be worse than previously assumed. In 2016, the World Health […]

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Learn and grow with school food gardens across the Waterloo region

By Ishara Yahampath, Communication, Education & Outreach editor In schools across Canada, food gardens are a popular intervention to support learning and provide students with a deeper understanding of food systems, sustainable practices, and careers in food and agriculture. Waterloo Region School Food Gardens (WRSFG) have 35 food gardens in schools across the Waterloo region, […]

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