AI tool cuts unexpected deaths in hospital by 26%, Canadian study finds

AI tool cuts unexpected deaths in hospital by 26%, Canadian study finds

Inside a bustling unit at St. Michael’s Hospital in downtown Toronto, one of Shirley Bell’s patients was suffering from a cat bite and a fever, but otherwise appeared fine — until an alert from an AI-based early warning system showed he was sicker than he seemed. While the nursing team usually checked blood work around noon, … Read more

Is urban flooding becoming a more pressing threat as Canada’s infrastructure ages?

Is urban flooding becoming a more pressing threat as Canada’s infrastructure ages?

After multiple water main breaks and floods across the country this summer, municipalities and experts are warning that urban flooding could become more common as Canada’s infrastructure ages. “We have good infrastructure in Canada. The challenge is it’s aging and we’re not keeping up,” John Gamble, president of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of … 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

Endangered butternut trees thriving in western Quebec forest, group says

Endangered butternut trees thriving in western Quebec forest, group says

Disease-resistant seedlings of an endangered tree species are doing well during their first season in a western Quebec forest, according to the conservation group that planted them. Butternut trees are native to Canada and can be found in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. But over the last 30 or so years, canker disease has wiped out … Read more

Canada strikes deal to use U.S. space tech, clearing way for rocket launch pad in N.S.

Canada strikes deal to use U.S. space tech, clearing way for rocket launch pad in N.S.

A new agreement between Canada and the United States is reigniting the possibility of a spaceport in rural Nova Scotia. Federal cabinet minister and Nova Scotia MP Sean Fraser announced in Halifax Friday that the two countries have negotiated a Technology Safeguards Agreement, which would allow the use of U.S. space launch technology, expertise and data … Read more

How a meteorologist helped make Twisters’ storm-chasing science as real as possible

How a meteorologist helped make Twisters’ storm-chasing science as real as possible

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

These rare pink insects are hiding among the foliage at Ojibway Park

These rare pink insects are hiding among the foliage at Ojibway Park

It’s a rare sighting: A small oblong insect coloured a bright Barbie pink.  It’s a pink katydid, a grasshopper-like insect with a recessive gene that turns them from their usual pale green to bright pink.  Geoff Pekor is an insect enthusiast who makes a hobby out of looking for these, and other unusual insects at … Read more

Canadian seniors are wealthier than ever. Do seniors’ discounts still make sense?

Canadian seniors are wealthier than ever. Do seniors’ discounts still make sense?

Cost of Living9:09Is it time to retire the seniors’ discount? Whether she’s attending a chamber performance or playing in one, cellist and teacher Laura Backstrom says one thing is pretty consistent — the audience “looks like a sea of white hair,” she says. In contemplating why that is, Backstrom, 60, said she initially thought it was because seniors … Read more

After death of beloved bear in B.C., experts look for lessons

After death of beloved bear in B.C., experts look for lessons

In the spring of 2023, a Parks Canada team strung electric fence along a section of the Trans Canada Highway from Lake Louise to the boundary between B.C. and Alberta. It was part of an attempt to help keep animals including a beloved white grizzly bear named Nakoda away from the dangers of the road. … Read more