Invasive peach blossom jellyfish spreading through B.C. waterways

Invasive peach blossom jellyfish spreading through B.C. waterways

Some time more than 30 years ago, a single Chinese peach blossom jellyfish made its way into a lake in British Columbia. Exactly how it arrived is not clear, researchers say — perhaps it was in aquarium water — but decades later, thousands of genetic clones of the same organism have been spotted in 34 waterways around the province. … 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

‘Give us $600 and also we hate you’: WestJet’s new UltraBasic fare gets roasted online

‘Give us 0 and also we hate you’: WestJet’s new UltraBasic fare gets roasted online

If there’s anything people can agree on these days, it’s that flying sucks. And between the delays and cancellations, extreme turbulence, and jets literally falling apart in the sky, it seems that some people have had about enough of flying experiences getting ostensibly worse instead of better. Which may partially explain the online roasting of WestJet’s new UltraBasic fare, where … Read more

Tory MP says he misspoke after NDP MP accuses him of making anti-Indigenous comment

Tory MP says he misspoke after NDP MP accuses him of making anti-Indigenous comment

A Conservative MP apologized in the House of Commons on Thursday after an Indigenous colleague from across the political aisle called him out for linking an offender’s criminal record to his race. Brad Redekopp says he misspoke earlier this week when he brought up the 2022 mass stabbings in Saskatchewan during a debate about measures … Read more

How cloud seeding can make it rain or prevent extreme weather

How cloud seeding can make it rain or prevent extreme weather

Cloud seeding has been named by some media reports as a possible contributor to record-setting rain and flooding in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Here’s a closer look at what cloud seeding is, how it’s used and whether it could have made the flooding worse. What is cloud seeding? It’s the process of making tiny drops … Read more

No water, no oil: How the parched western provinces could hamper the oilpatch

No water, no oil: How the parched western provinces could hamper the oilpatch

Persistent and severe drought conditions across Western Canada could have a devastating effect on the oil and natural gas sector, which has drilling operations in some of the driest areas, according to a new report by Deloitte. Limited water supply could have significant effects on the production of oil and gas, the report warns, and … Read more

Lots of new animals are heading for your city, study suggests

Lots of new animals are heading for your city, study suggests

When you look out the window or walk your dog in the year 2100, the animals you spot might be quite different from what you see today, a new study suggests. Many wildlife species are moving due to climate change — which means Canadian cities could get an influx of wild climate refugees. They could … Read more

New home construction in January was down 10% from December, says CMHC

New home construction in January was down 10% from December, says CMHC

New home construction in Canada fell by 10 per cent in January compared to December, as fewer multi-unit urban homes, such as townhouses, were built, according to the country’s national housing agency. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation said Thursday that housing starts came in at 223,589 units in January, down 25,379 from December. Many … Read more

U.S. economy grows more than expected at end of 2023, driven by consumer spending

U.S. economy grows more than expected at end of 2023, driven by consumer spending

The U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly brisk 3.3 per cent annual pace from October through December as Americans showed a continued willingness to spend freely despite high interest rates and price levels that have frustrated many households. Thursday’s report from the U.S. Commerce Department said the gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods … Read more

Could Red Sea attacks reignite supply chain chaos?

Could Red Sea attacks reignite supply chain chaos?

Shipping traffic through the Red Sea has plummeted as Houthi militants step up their attacks on vessels in the region. American-led airstrikes have done little to deter the disruption and now the CEO of one of the biggest shipping companies in the world says the disruption will probably last at least a few months. “So for us, … Read more