This pygmy sperm whale washed ashore on the Avalon Peninsula, says Julie Huntington, offering scientists a glimpse into the life of the rarely seen creature. (Submitted by Julie Huntington/Lukas Ward) A dead pygmy sperm whale washed up on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula last week, and one conservationist says the creature was still able to mount a type … Read more
Although cooler fall temperatures are coming, which local experts say usually drives down mosquito populations, one researcher says Calgary isn’t totally in the clear yet A relatively new species is likely hitting its peak population now, according to John Soghigian, an assistant professor of parasitology at the University of Calgary. The Culex pipiens, also referred to … Read more
As It Happens6:21Giant scorpions once ruled seas — and may have traversed entire oceans Asked to rank giant sea scorpions on a scale of one to terrifying, Russell Bicknell puts them at about an eight. “I suppose it depends how you define terrifying,” Bicknell, a paleobiologist at the American Museum of Natural History, told As … Read more
Retired major-general William Anders, the former Apollo 8 astronaut who took the iconic Earthrise photo showing the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space in 1968, was killed Friday when the plane he was piloting alone plummeted into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state. He was 90. His son, retired air force … Read more
A diet promoting plant-based protein to help the environment now has a more human argument: It may lower your risk of dying from several major diseases. “It wasn’t just one cause of death. It was right across the board,” said Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public … Read more
However, according to the report from the centre’s inspection groups, rules against low dykes in Poyang Lake were not enforced, “fishing bans in key waters and aquatic life protection are not fully implemented, and the problem of agricultural pollution is prominent”. Low dykes built to retain water had affected water quality in the lake and … Read more
Fresh research suggests Western Canada’s once-dwindling caribou numbers are finally growing. But the same paper concludes the biggest reason for the rebound is the slaughter of hundreds of wolves, a policy that will likely have to continue for decades. “If we don’t shoot wolves, given the state of the habitat that industry and government have … Read more
Quirks and Quarks19:12An Indigenous ecologist on why we need to stop and listen to save the planet Indigenous ecologist Jennifer Grenz has spent decades working to protect ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest through restoration and invasive species management. But recently, frustrated by the limitations of her work, she set out on a mission to incorporate … Read more
River otters are making a comeback in at least one corner of Prince Edward Island, according to a recent journal article, and as a result measures are now being taken to protect the popular, water-loving mammal. The Kensington North Watersheds Association started tracking river otters with trail cameras in late 2019. They began monitoring … Read more
Quirks and Quarks19:36Water, water, everywhere. But will we have enough to drink? After a winter that smashed heat records, researchers around the world are taking a close look at how human disturbances and the rapidly changing climate are affecting the world’s freshwater supply. “We’re reducing both water quantity and water quality,” says Katrina Moser, an associate professor … Read more
