The Dose20:22Why should I be concerned about mosquitoes? Belle River, Ont., teacher Melanie Klimkowski never worried much about mosquitoes, since they never seemed interested in biting her. After learning more about the bugs at a special workshop with her eighth grade class, she says she now carries small amounts of mosquito repellant at all times … Read more
As It Happens6:05What killed and ate a really big shark? An even bigger shark, scientists say When marine biologist James A. Sulikowski started monitoring the migration and mating habits of porbeagle sharks, he didn’t expect he would end up investigating a murder mystery. But when Penelope, a 2.4-metre-long porbeagle, dropped off his research team’s radar, … Read more
Lawrence Barker says he’s frustrated that cashiers at major grocery stores he shops at no longer voluntarily bag his goods. Barker finds bagging a hassle, as he feels pressured to quickly pack items into his reusable bags before the next customer’s goods slide down the conveyor belt. So he opts for self-checkout, where he can bag at … Read more
A wheelchair racer whips around the track, arms burning in the push for the finish line. A cyclist flies through the velodrome, teetering on the edge of collapse. In both Paralympic events, lives can change in a matter of seconds. “It is human NASCAR at some level,” says Canadian wheelchair sprinter Austin Smeenk. “We’re going … 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
Newfoundland and Labrador documentary filmmaker Jamie Miller is helping bring a unique part of her province’s popular culture to the screen. “In our generation, we grew up turning on our news station in the middle of the night and seeing just bonkers psychedelia content,” she said of her upbringing in St. John’s watching NTV, the local television network … Read more
The Current21:31Why tornados continue to fascinate The summer blockbuster Twisters has taken the box office by storm and has boosted an already-established interest in storm chasing. And while meteorologist and storm chaser Sean Waugh says even though parts of the film are exaggerated, the science, gear, and lingo accurately represent what it’s like to research and … Read more
Every year, invasive insects gnaw away at Canadian farms, gardens and wild plants, spreading disease and disturbing ecosystems. But tiny wasps that lay body-bursting eggs in invasive insects may be able to help B.C. berry growers protect their crops. “It’s like a free service nature is providing us to help control crop pests,” said Paul Abram, an … Read more
When wolves are killed by bullets fired from helicopters during Alberta government culls, surviving members of the pack quickly learn to evade the threat, a new study has found. For nearly two decades, Alberta has killed off hundreds of grey wolves each year in an attempt to bolster dwindling caribou populations, a practice critics have … Read more
As It Happens7:16Scientists tested replica Bronze Age armour on Greek marines. Here’s what they learned More than a dozen elite Greek marines dressed up like Bronze Age warriors and practised ancient fighting techniques — all in the name of science. The 13 soldiers, all members of the Hellenic Armed Forces, roleplayed as warriors from Greece’s … Read more
