Ingenuity Mars Helicopter down but definitely not out

Last January, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made its final flight with a landing that damaged at least one of its rotor blades and left it permanently grounded. But while it can no longer fly, it will continue to operate as a stationary Martian weather station. Ingenuity landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, under the belly of the … Read more

An Indigenous ecologist on why we need to stop and listen to save the planet

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

No planet comes close to the life-giving properties of planet Earth — at least not yet

With the discovery of more than 5,600 planets orbiting other stars and images from robots we have sent to all the planets in our solar system, it is becoming abundantly clear that Earth is unique among worlds. Almost all of the exoplanets scientists have discovered since the 1990s fall into four main types: gas giants like Jupiter … Read more

NASA pauses Mars sample return plan until a cheaper, faster one can be developed

NASA’s plan to bring samples from Mars back to Earth is on hold until there’s a faster, cheaper way, space agency officials said Monday. Retrieving Mars soil and rocks has been on NASA’s to-do list for decades, but the date kept moving forward, as costs ballooned. A recent independent review put the total cost at … Read more

Pioneering N.S. astronomer remembered for ‘connecting people with the universe’

Astronomer David Lane, who created the world’s first telescope controlled by social media at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, died late last month following a nine-month battle with brain cancer. Lane was born in Germany in 1963 before moving to Hebbville, N.S., where he grew up, according to his obituary. He worked at Saint Mary’s University for 29 years, starting … Read more

All eyes are on the future of freshwater after a winter of record heat

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

U.S. eases vehicle emissions rules, but overall reduction targets remain unchanged

The Biden administration on Wednesday slashed its target for U.S. electric vehicle adoption from 67 per cent by 2032 to as little as 35 per cent after industry and autoworker backlash in the political battleground state of Michigan. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) instead adopted a “technology neutral” regulatory scheme that allows automakers far more freedom … Read more

Denis Villeneuve explains how Quebec’s history plays into his sweeping vision for Dune: Part Two

Q23:12Denis Villeneuve: Dune 2, his vision for the sci-fi epic, and how the film reflects issues in the world today Denis Villeneuve grew up in the small village of Gentilly, near Trois-Rivières, Que., where he could see two structures from his home: the church and the nuclear power plant. That image is key to understanding … Read more