Environmental DNA (eDNA) comes from the traces of genetic material organisms shed as they go about their lives. Find out how our ability to analyze human eDNA samples is a mixed blessing for the fields of ecology and forensics. I remember sitting behind our tall, black science lab benches in our high school biology classroom while Mr. Pollard told us about the relatively new concept of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). …

Mars exploration was in the headlines for several reasons during the month of April. Find out the latest exploits of NASA’s Ingenuity, Curiosity and Insight rover missions on the Red Planet. There’s something intriguing about Mars. From ancient times to our digital age, people seem to be captivated by the blood red world. I remember figuring out how to aim my little backyard telescope at the rusty planet. …

Brain scans from a recent study enabled scientists to decode what people were thinking. Find out how the researchers used artificial intelligence to read minds, and how this new technology might help people who can’t speak or even change how we all communicate. Gordon Lightfoot died this week. He was…

Quasar origins have been a mystery to astrophysicists since they discovered these quasi-stellar radio sources sixty years ago. Find out how a team of researchers discovered that quasars ignite when galaxies collide. When I was growing up during the space race, the fanciest, most modern televisions came from a brand called Quasar from Motorola. …

Dismal progress reports from Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and the UN Secretary-General tarnished Earth Day festivities this year. Find out why the status of climate change and mass extinctions is nothing to celebrate. It’s Earth Day as I write this, which has me reflecting on the past. The first Earth Day in which I actively took part was in the early 90s. Although it had been around since 1970, 1990’s Earth Day Special on ABC television ignited the holiday as an annual tradition…

Amnesty International has just released its annual report on the state of the world’s human rights. Find out how it assesses human rights in 156 countries, including Canada. I’ve been working with Amnesty International for about four years now as part of their Urgent Action program. About once a week, they brief me on cases around the world where countries have violated someone’s human rights. My job is to right to the authorities in those countries and tell…

Tiger personalities are as distinctive as those of humans, according to a new study. Find out how this clarifies the nature versus nurture debate and can improve nature conservation efforts. I’m old enough to remember the opening of the Toronto Zoo about 50 years ago. It was a big improvement over the old Riverdale Zoo it replaced. Covering almost 300 hectares, it’s one of the world’s largest zoos, housing over 5,000 animals representing 450 species. …

Gamma-ray bursts are explosions so powerful they outshine our entire galaxy. Find out how scientists detected the brightest gamma-ray burst ever observed, and what it means for our understanding of the universe. One of the rewards of being a stargazer is that, whatever our circumstances, the night sky is always freely available. When we combine our knowledge of the starry skies with an understanding of the science behind what we’re seeing, the rewards are even greater.

A UN Report released this week contained even more dismal news about the climate crisis. Find out why the UN chief responded by saying, “It’s time to end the relentless — and senseless — war on nature.” I’ve been hearing about the need for urgent climate action throughout my adult life. I was already established in my career back in the 1980s, when the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) formed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).