By Lauryn Doherty, guest contributor Canadians are living longer. In 1950, our average life expectancy was about 68 years; in 2023, it has risen to 83 years. Unfortunately, the human body becomes more susceptible to disease as it ages. Alzheimer’s disease is a particular concern because approximately 76,000 new cases are diagnosed in Canada every […]
Guest contributors
The flu shot: all about the what, why, and when
By Dorottya Harangi, Health, Medicine & Veterinary Sciences co-editor If you live in Canada, you know that every flu season you are bombarded with messages about getting your flu shot. Experts advise people to get their flu shot as soon as it becomes available, as it takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to take effect. […]
The sunshine vitamin sheds light on gut health
By Qiaochu Liang, guest contributor With winter just around the corner, some animals start building food caches, while others eat plenty of food to prepare for hibernation. This is also the perfect time for us humans to be proactive about getting enough essential nutrients, particularly vitamin D. What is vitamin D? Vitamins are a class […]
How we predict and manage fire – and why it matters
By Naeema Bhyat, guest contributor With Canada’s wide expanses of forest, grasslands and shrublands, wildfires have always been part of our landscape. But as more Canadians experience eerie, smoky skies and a dull orange sun, these fires loom larger in the public’s imagination. Events like the 2016 wildfire that tore through Fort McMurray, Alberta and […]
Microbes could be the solution to our waste plastics problem
By Ishara Yahampath, guest contributor Globally, 400 metric tonnes of plastic are produced annually: 40% is single-use, resulting in significant waste. Every year, 29,000 tonnes of plastic are released into Canada’s environment, causing serious environmental problems—the accumulation of plastic waste in land and water ecosystems, leakage of harmful microbes into the environment, and threats to […]