What is the ‘pause button’ for human life that scientists have discovered? – Firstpost

What is the ‘pause button’ for human life that scientists have discovered? – Firstpost

It has long been disputed if humans have any influence over when they develop. A recent study asserts that even though diapause was not used during pregnancy, the body still possesses a dormant capacity for it. The scientists discovered that they could temporarily stop a fertilised embryo from implanting in the uterine wall until ideal … Read more

It’s a small world: Winners of microscopic video competition reveal the tiny in stunning detail

It’s a small world: Winners of microscopic video competition reveal the tiny in stunning detail

It’s not every day we get to see the tiny world that exists beyond our vision, but that’s what the Nikon Small World in Motion competition is all about. This is the 14th year of the competition, where past winners revealed extraordinary insights into things like the stomach contents of a termite, human cells fusing and dying during … Read more

University’s council chair donates allowances to endowment funds for undergraduate students

University’s council chair donates allowances to endowment funds for undergraduate students

The Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan, Bisi Akande, has asked the university to channel his allowances and entitlements into an endowment fund for undergraduate students in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Mr Akande made the request in a 21 August letter addressed to the university registrar and secretary to the … Read more

Ottawa deploys mosquito-killing drones to prevent spread of West Nile virus

Ottawa deploys mosquito-killing drones to prevent spread of West Nile virus

For once, that buzzing sound in your ear this summer might not be a mosquito, but part of Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) multi-faceted strategy to keep the insects — and the potentially dangerous viruses they can carry — in check. The public health agency is deploying drones capable of carrying and dispersing larvicides to kill mosquitos. The technology … Read more

Jasper wildfire brings new threat to dwindling caribou herds

Jasper wildfire brings new threat to dwindling caribou herds

Jasper National Park is beloved for its breathtaking mountain landscapes — and the special opportunity to see iconic animals such as elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears and, with luck, endangered woodland caribou.  But this week, as thousands of visitors and locals alike fled raging wildfires that ripped through the park and its town, … Read more

Researchers say oxygen is being produced on the ocean floor. The mining company funding them isn’t happy

Researchers say oxygen is being produced on the ocean floor. The mining company funding them isn’t happy

Oxygen is being produced on the ocean floor — seemingly by ancient lumps of metal — according to a new study. That discovery is putting the scientists behind it at odds with the Canada-based mining company that funded them. “We were the worst critics of this paper for a long time,” Andrew Sweetman of the Scottish … Read more

‘Otherworldly’ Portuguese man-of-war becoming more common on Nova Scotia’s inshore

‘Otherworldly’ Portuguese man-of-war becoming more common on Nova Scotia’s inshore

With a little help from the warming Gulf Stream, Nova Scotia beachgoers are encountering a strange creature with a balloon-like body whose sting packs a bigger punch than that of jellyfish. Last week, a Portuguese man-of-war appeared at a surfing hot spot on Lawrencetown Beach near Dartmouth, N.S. The animal, a species of siphonophore — … Read more

Coral reefs are vital lines of defence against hurricanes. But their future is in doubt

Coral reefs are vital lines of defence against hurricanes. But their future is in doubt

The hurricane season is off to a roaring start, with Beryl the earliest Category 5 storm ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean. Beryl has since been downgraded to a Category 4, yet as of Wednesday, it was still expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica. Typically, coral reefs serve as a … Read more

Montreal peregrine falcon chicks take first flights into a world full of danger

Montreal peregrine falcon chicks take first flights into a world full of danger

The world is full of dangers when you’re a falcon chick less than six weeks old and learning to fly — even if you’re a member of the fastest species on Earth. This week, three falcon chicks named Hugo, Polo and Estebane started to spread their wings around the nest site on the 23rd floor … Read more

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that’s on the rise in Canada

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that’s on the rise in Canada

Tick experts are warning Canadians to be on the lookout for symptoms of a tick-borne disease whose case counts have been steadily increasing over the past 15 years. Anaplasmosis is an infection contracted by humans and animals caused by the Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacteria and spread by ticks.  In the early 2000s, provinces and territories began reporting a handful … Read more