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 […]

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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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Let sleeping owls lie: What’s behind the morning lark, night owl sleep patterns

photo by cottonbro CC0 via pixels

Jaspreet Sanghera, Biology & Life Sciences editor You prefer to get up at dawn and are raring to go by the time most people are just rolling out of bed. This means that you are in bed by 10 P.M. But your new neighbours are up half the night moving around their apartment, disrupting your […]

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The themes of nature: Exploring repeating patterns in the natural world

Chenoa van den Boogaard, Physics & Astronomy editor The world is a bustling place, naturally chaotic and unpredictable, yet a balance is found in the regularity of nature’s cycles and patterns. The rise and fall of the sun and moon, the passing of the seasons, and the arrival of each hour in the day keep […]

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Balancing conservation and tourism in Alberta’s national and provincial parks

Image by JD Hascup, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Emily Olson, Communications, Outreach, and Education editor   Canada is known for its vast, pristine wilderness, which are a source of pride for many Canadians. Connecting with nature and enjoying the wilderness draws many people to the country’s parks. Visitors flock to places like Banff National Park or Kananaskis Country to hike, glimpse wildlife, camp, […]

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