news 2023

Chlorinated paraffins, a class of toxic chemicals commonly used to soften plastic toys or make computer wires pliable, have been prohibited in Canada since 2013 due to their known health harm - but a new University of Toronto study found they remain prevalent in many everyday household objects.

Climate change has led to earlier spring blooms for wildflowers and ocean plankton but the impacts on salmon migration are more complicated, according to new research. In a new study, published in the journal Nature, Ecology & Evolution , Simon Fraser University (SFU) researcher Sam Wilson led a set of diverse collaborators from across North America to compile the largest dataset in the world on juvenile salmon migration timing.

April 27, 2023 Researchers develop a new mining technique to recover metals and store carbon in the waste produced by mining Researchers have developed a new mining technique which uses microbes to recover metals and store carbon in the waste produced by mining. Adopting this technique of reusing mining waste, called tailings, could transform the mining industry and create a greener and more sustainable future.

A team of University of Toronto researchers is shining a light on the use of solar-powered ultra-violet (UV) LEDs to treat harvested rainwater in Mexico. Master's student Mistelle Haughton and PhD candidate  Karlye Wong , both in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, are among just a handful of researchers focusing on the benefits of UV LEDs for water harvesting systems.

New study offers insight into the behavior of spiders who prey on sleeping pollinating insects For years, pollinator declines have been a pressing issue for ecosystem health and food security in the face of climate change and human impacts on the environment. Even in their sleep, pollinating insects cannot catch a break - for fear they-ll be taken down by a small, but mighty predator: the candy-striped spider.

Arts & Humanities Erik Rolfsen Have you ever felt awestruck by a towering evergreen, waves crashing against rocks, or the vastness of a desert canyon? You're not alone. Across time and cultures, humans have felt a spiritual connection with nature. New UBC research gives this connection a name- ecospirituality -and reveals it could help reduce polarization on environmental issues that threaten the planet.

Detailed overview of orca diets provides insight into potential impacts on Arctic food webs Killer whales (also known as orcas) are intelligent predators. While it's known that killer whales in the Pacific Northwest exploit widely different food types, even within the same region, we know much less about the feeding habits of those found throughout the North Atlantic.

New research led by SFU paleobotanist Rolf Mathewes provides clues about what plants existed in the Burnaby Mountain area 40 million years ago during the late Eocene, when the climate was much warmer than it is today. The results of their plant fossil analysis were recently published in the International Journal of Plant Sciences.

University of Toronto researchers are investigating exposure to second-hand - and even third-hand - marijuana smoke in homes, including the THC that can collect on floors and surfaces. The researchers, in Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, have  published a new study  that models how THC - the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis - behaves and transforms once it is released in an indoor environment.

Marine heatwaves triggered by climate change pose an imminent threat to the world's coral reefs. But most reefs are also exposed to local stressors, ranging from coastal development, pollution and overfishing. Few studies take into account how stressed-out reefs respond to heatwaves until now. A groundbreaking five-year study tracking hundreds of corals through a globally unprecedented heatwave now shows that individual coral species fared much better at sites without local stressors.

Science, Health & Technology Alex Walls Life comes in all shapes in sizes, but some sizes are more popular than others, new research from the University of British Columbia has found. In the first study of its kind published today in PLOS ONE , Dr. Eden Tekwa, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow at UBC's department of zoology, surveyed the body sizes of all Earth's living organisms, and uncovered an unexpected pattern.

From makeup to clothing and furniture, so-called "forever chemicals" are everywhere - including the paper bowls and containers used to package Canadian fast-food meals.

New report defines our understanding of the climate crisis and shapes our sustainable future Waterloo Climate Institute and Faculty of Environment After a six-year process, the leading world body for the assessment of climate change, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has released their final Synthesis Report that summarizes what we know about climate change and how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Pantonium's on-demand transit model is helping cities accelerate their energy transition By Stephanie Longeway University Relations Have you ever seen an empty bus drive by? It can be a common occurrence especially during off-peak hours or in less populated areas. Making transit equitable and convenient for everyone while balancing the needs to be efficient and sustainable can lead to difficult decisions for municipalities.

How well species can move among habitat -islands- in human transformed landscapes is key to their survival, study finds When natural habitats are cleared to make way for cities, roads and agriculture, this often leaves behind -islands- of fragmented habitat that can place species at risk of extinction.

Science, Health & Technology Lou Corpuz-Bosshart Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new water treatment that removes "forever chemicals" from drinking water safely, efficiently - and for good. "Think Brita filter, but a thousand times better," says UBC chemical and biological engineering Madjid Mohseni , who developed the technology.

"If you pick a spot in, say, a rainforest, and count the number of different species of lizards within 15 metres and you come up with a number," says  Luke Mahler , "What determines that number?" Mahler is an assistant professor in the University of Toronto's department of ecology and evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

A collaborative study between researchers at Simon Fraser University and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has found that high logging intensity in the Interior watersheds of British Columbia is associated with warmer stream temperatures in salmon-bearing streams, potentially contributing to increased heat stress in salmon.

Decade-long research shows home feeders don't alter chickadee reproduction or behaviour By Megan Stacey , By Megan Stacey , March 09, 2023 Never throw bread to the neighbourhood ducks. Keep dogs and cats away from chocolate. There is a long list of rules for feeding animals. But when it comes to backyard songbirds, there is research to justify the bird feeder.

Simon Fraser scientists say their research on the latest fossil find near Princeton, B.C. is raising questions about how the dispersal of animals and plants occurred across the Northern Hemisphere some 50 million years ago, including whether brief intervals of global warming were at play.