Space. The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship DART. Its ten-month mission: to knock an asteroid off its path in the hopes of bolstering earth’s planetary defence mechanisms. Believe it or not, it’s not science fiction, as Mitchell Kurnell discusses with us today On the Scidelines. Resource NASA DART
Let's face it, there are certain phrases that evoke nothing but panic. For most people, "let's legalize drugs" is probably one of them, and yet, that's exactly what the Government of British Columbia is doing to help combat the opioid crisis. Dr. Susan Boyd joins us On the Scidelines today to help break down how legalizing certain drugs could actually help curb the healthcare crisis.
Humans have been polluting the environment for a long time, and much of the time we only realize it after we've already caused significant damage. This week, we talk to Dr. Alissa Cordner and Ms. Kira Mok, researchers working at the PFAS project lab at Northeastern University, about how we've made rainwater toxic and what we can do about it. This episode was hosted by Sam Marchetti and edited by Jay Gerantonis. Resources https://pfasproject.com/
Nuclear energy has been and continues to be an idea connected to both large promises and large amounts of fear. Today, Garik Patterson helps us break down why the government is investing in the latest nuclear technology, and why the promise might just outweigh the fear. Resources World Nuclear Association World Nuclear News
There are over 20,000 species of bees on Earth. In Canada alone, there are hundreds of different kinds of bees. So why is it that when you hear the word “bee”, you probably think of the classic, black-and-yellow honey bee? This week, we’re joined by Entomologist Syndey Worthy to discuss the incredibly diverse world of native bees, and why honey bees aren’t always the do-gooders we think they are. Resources Alberta Native Bee Council
From micrometeoroids to real-life terminators, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. Space Telescopes vs. Micrometeoroids Human Skin... On Robots Naming Heat Waves Great White Sharks Taco Bell of the Future Extinct Tortoise Found Alive
On our Monday show, we bring you interviews with experts that can help us understand what's going on in the world around us. These interviews are often so good, however, that we're forced to cut out parts of them for time. This week, in recognition of Pride month right around the corner, we bring you an extended outtake from our conversation with Maria Denk about the myth of a sex binary.
From paper-thin speakers to DNA in space, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. The Future of Solar Energy NASA's 10-Year Plan Paper-thin Speakers Seawater to Drinking Water Mountain-Climbing Marine Dinosaurs DNA & RNA in Space
From the perfect piece of chocolate to geoengineering, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. Chocolate Physics Next-Gen (or Last-Gen?) Rubisco Big Brain Ravens Anti-Aging of Skin Cells Golden Chiral Vaccines Geoengineering and Malaria
Sound waves are all around us. We use them for entertainment, mapping, imaging, and even to alter or break down physical materials. Now, however, we may have another use for them: treating cancer. Join us On the Scidelines with Tejaswi Worlikar, a PhD candidate and a pioneer in the field, as we break down what this new treatment is and what it means for us. Resources: The Histotripsy Lab Group at the University of Michigan #HOPE4LIVER Clinical Trial Details A Histotripsy Clinical Trial Patient's Story
From self-driving rideshares to an update on animal heart transplants, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. Pig Heart Transplant Patient Dies Drone Delivery Ozone - A Climate Killer? Nanotherapy for Diabetes X Marks the RNA Virus Treasure Talking Mushrooms
From microplastics in your blood to fish that can do math, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. Microplastics in the Blood The Human Genome Project Bird Flu Self-Driving Rideshares Navigation Skills Fish Math
Amidst the growing concern over inflation, people have been especially worried about the rise in food prices. But what causes food inflation? Usually prices go up when high demand meets low supply due to labour shortages, fertilizer shortages, or transportation issues. But there has been a factor in food price inflation that has gone largely undiscussed: climate change. Tune into this week’s conversation On the Scidelines to learn more about the impacts of climate change on food prices.
From parthenogenic mice to plastic pollution, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. A Treaty on Plastic Pollution Making Carbon Fiber from Petroleum Shark Naps Fatherless Mice Polio Outbreaks Ketamine - an Unsuspected Antidepressant?
Vaccines have always seemed to be everywhere, from our routine flu shots to our childhood vaccinations against things like measles, mumps, and tuberculosis. Especially now that we've come out on the other side of mass vaccination campaigns against COVID-19, vaccines have become a critical part of the public discourse. One vaccine that's often overlooked in the mainstream discussion, however, is the HPV vaccine. Join us this week as we break down what the HPV vaccine is, who should get it, and how it can actually protect you from cancer!
From salt-loving pollinators to next-gen gene editing, it's the Weekly Scideshow! If you want to learn more about the topics we talked about today, check out the links below. Masks Reduce Transmission Distance by 50% Pollinators Like It Salty Next-Gen Gene Editing Using the Mosquitoes to Destroy the Mosquitoes COVID Shrinks Your Brain Return of the Corals
An often taboo area of health is fertility and reproductive health, which is odd considering how much society values family and having children. Some people may be afraid to ask questions about fertility or seek help with their reproductive health. In breaking this stigma and answering some of your lingering questions about fertility, find all this and more, in today’s discussion On the Scidelines.
With Valentine's Day just in the rearview, we thought it was high time someone explained the point of it all. No, not the reason we get half-price chocolate at the end of February, but the scientific reasons for love and attraction. Join us On the Scidelines this week and find out why love might not be quite as complicated as it seems!
When we learn about science in education or hear about science in the news, that research must come from somewhere. More importantly, there must be processes that keep researchers accountable and ensure that they are sharing findings that are reliable. That is where the standard practice of the scientific method comes in, creating a process that all researchers can follow to reliably make a hypothesis, test it, and make conclusions. Join us On the Scidelines this week as we break it down.
At some point or another, we all get scared. Being scared is an innate part of being human, and in many cases, of being alive! Join us On the Scidelines this week as we chat about what being scared actually is, from a scientific point of view.