News
There's a new comet in the sky. Here's how you can see it for yourself
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Nicole Mortillaro ,CBC , January 18, 2023
The year has started off with a rare treat for sky-watchers: A recently discovered comet that may soon be brightening. On Jan. 12, the comet — called C/2022 E3 (ZTF) — made its closest pass around the sun. Now, it's heading back out of the solar system and swinging by Earth, making its closest approach on Feb. 1. The best part is that it is a circumpolar comet and is seen high in the north, which means Canada is in an ideal place from which to spot it.
AI tools like ChatGPT and Lensa are spreading like wildfire online, fuelling ethics debates
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Josh O'Kane ,The Globe and Mail , January 16, 2023Western's chief digital officer and Computer Science professor Mark Daley shares how artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT can be used ethically, and the implications of AI in creative and academic fields.
After three seasons of killing, PCs have no idea if their cormorant cull is working
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Joel Wittnebel ,The Pointer , January 16, 2023Biology professor Keith Hobson contributes to the discussion around the efficacy of bird cull.
What does U.S. inflation mean for Canada?
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Reshmi Nair ,CBC (Audio) , January 16, 2023Statistical and Actuarial Science professor Cristián Bravo Roman joined CBC News Network Weekend Business (Part 1) (Part 2) as part of a panel discussion on U.S. inflation and what it means for Canada’s economy, and the economic impact of small business owners retiring in large numbers.
Canada on the moon: A Canadian-made rover will pave the way for the next astronauts
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Quirks & Quarks ,CBC , January 14, 2023A team of Canadian academics and engineering companies is developing our nation‘s next contribution to space exploration. The federal government recently announced that space systems company Canadensys will be designing and building the first Canadian lunar rover, expected to launch to the moon in 2026.
Audio: AI Chat GPT Can Write Essays, What Now?
CBC Morning Drive , January 11, 2023The essay has been the center of our educational system for generations. But suddenly, Artificial Intelligence has entered game and, in some cases, can write as well as humans can. Guest host Jackie Sharkey is joined by Western University professor of computer science, Mark Daley, to discuss.
We thought the Oort cloud threw snowballs at us — but it's throwing rocks too
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Quirks & Quarks ,CBC , January 09, 2023A fireball that appeared in the sky over central Alberta nearly two years ago presented Dennis Vida, a meteor physicist at Western University in London, Ontario with a mystery. The rocky object that caused the fireball came from the Oort cloud in the outer solar system, previously thought to be home to only icy comets, not rocky bodies.
Most workers are distracted by financial anxiety and it is hurting productivity
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Jared Lindzon ,The Globe and Mail , January 06, 2023Canadians are stressed about their finances, and it’s having an impact on their productivity, but experts warn increasing wages won’t be enough to ease economic concerns. According to a recent survey conducted by human resources software provider Ceridian, in partnership with the Financial Wellness Lab of Canada, North American workers are reporting the highest levels of financial stress since the 2008 recession.
Professor Fred Longstaffe, five alumni appointed to Order of Canada
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , January 04, 2023
Fred Longstaffe, founding director of the Western Academy for Advanced Research (WAFAR), and five Western graduates have been named among 99 new appointments to the Order of Canada. The honourees were announced Dec. 29, 2022, by Mary Simon, governor general of Canada. The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours, recognizing people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to our nation.
Financial stress among North Americans highest since 2008: Western-led study
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Crystal Mackay ,Western News , December 21, 2022
Canada’s Financial Wellness Lab survey shows stress is being felt regardless of age, gender or wealth. Sixty per cent of employed North Americans are more stressed about their finances today than they were a year ago, and are experiencing the highest level of financial stress since the financial crisis of 2008.
Endnotes 2022: Els Peeters and Jan Cami dive into deep space with James Webb
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , December 21, 2022
The James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) has captured the most spectacular images of deep space ever – and the imagination of millions around the world – but Western astrophysicists and partners (at home and work) Els Peeters and Jan Cami enjoyed a special sneak peek on Sept. 11 when infrared data they had commissioned was delivered right to their laptop.
Audio: Financial Stress Ceridian Study Recap with Matt Davison
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Devon Peacock ,AM980 , December 13, 2022The Morning Show with Devon Peacock on AM980 interviewed Science dean and director of the Financial Wellness Lab of Canada Matt Davison about a survey, done in partnership with Ceridian, that found a greater number of North Americans are experiencing financial stress.
Audio: AI's chat bots and their place in academia
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Heather Hiscox ,CBC Morning Live , December 13, 2022Western’s chief digital officer and Computer Science professor Mark Daley joined to discuss the capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and the ethical questions around using AI in academia.
Audio: Hawaii's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes
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John Oakley ,Global AM640 , December 13, 2022Earth Sciences postdoctoral research associate Cindy Mora Stock joined the John Oakley Show to discuss the Mauna Loa volcano eruption in Hawaii and volcanic earthquakes.
Postdoctoral scholars named Banting Fellows
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Mihaela Harmos ,Special to Western News , November 28, 2022From polymers to bird physiology, research by two new Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship recipients at Western covers exciting new ground. The fellowship program provides $70,000 a year for two years to top postdoctoral scholars, both nationally and internationally, who are seen to contribute to the country’s economic, social and research‑based growth.
Meteorite that hit U.K. driveway contains extraterrestrial water
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Daniel Otis ,CTV News , November 21, 2022A meteorite that crashed onto a U.K. driveway early last year has been found to contain extraterrestrial water. Known as the Winchcombe meteorite after the town where it was discovered, it came hurtling to Earth as a spectacular fireball in Gloucestershire, England, on the night of Feb. 28, 2021. According to a new study in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, the rare carbonaceous meteorite also contains organic compounds that may provide insights into the origin of life on our planet.
Two bright fireballs blazed over southern Ontario in one day
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Scott Sutherland ,The Weather Network , November 21, 2022Residents of southern Ontario were wow'd this weekend as not one, but two extremely bright meteor fireballs blazed across the sky less than a day apart. The first one caused even more of a stir as it was not only detected hours before it impacted, the exploding asteroid shook houses and woke people up from a sound sleep.
Astronomers Saw This Spectacular Fireball Coming Before It Lit Up the Great Lakes
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Eric Mack ,CNET , November 21, 2022For just the sixth time in history, astronomers managed to spot a small asteroid shortly before it smacked into our planet in dramatic fashion. On Saturday, Astronomer David Rankin spotted a 2.3-foot-long (0.7 meter) asteroid in observations from the Mount Lemmon sky survey in Arizona.
Bright fireball may have dropped meteorites in Niagara region
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , November 21, 2022A cosmic drama unfolded over southern Ontario on the night of Friday, Nov. 18, triggering an international collaboration and a meteorite hunt. Just before midnight Eastern time, the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona detected a small object heading toward Earth. This small asteroid, now designated 2022 WJ1, was followed by many observatories around the world for the next three hours before it impacted over southern Ontario at 3:26am EST on Nov. 19.
Can’t go to the moon? This crater in Canada is the next best thing.
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Kasha Patel ,The Washington Post , November 17, 2022The Mistastin crater on Earth holds large quantities of the bright white rock on the majority of the moon’s surface. “This crater in Labrador wasn’t even known to be a crater during the Apollo missions,” said Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist at Canada’s Western University who has guided astronauts around the crater. “I’d love to see every astronaut who eventually walks on the moon come to Mistastin.”
Amanda Roe explains why the spotted lanternfly poses a threat to agriculture in Southwestern Ontario
CBC London Morning , November 17, 2022Researchers are worried about the spotter and spotted lantern fly which has been seen near the country's border a London based researcher has been studying the behavior of the seemingly harmless insect originally from Asia. Turns out it uses its straw like mouth to drain plants of nutrients Western University biology professor Amanda Rowe has been studying the spot an lantern fly
Are London's trees under stress this fall? How you can tell
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Clement Goh ,CBC News London , October 24, 2022Out for a hike in the woods to decompress this weekend? Take a moment to consider the health of the trees in the Forest City. Biologists at Western University in London, Ont. say trees still sporting green leaves could be a sign that they're not from Canada and are struggling to keep up with the colder climate.
Fireballs from the Taurid Meteor Swarm may streak across our night skies
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Scott Sutherland ,The Weather Network , October 24, 2022We may see a dramatic uptick in the number of fireballs flashing through the night sky over the next few weeks, thanks to the Taurid meteor swarm. Every year, from September to November, Earth is pelted with ice and dust from a pair of wide, overlapping debris streams in space. As a result, twin meteor showers light up our night skies, originating from the constellation Taurus.
First combined PhD graduate uses the power of AI to bring care to those at risk
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Cam Buchan ,Special to Western News , October 21, 2022
Combining the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning with epidemiology, Jaky Kueper has taken everyday data captured by electronic health records to advance the use of AI in primary health-care research and practice. What’s more, on Oct. 19, Kueper graduated with Western’s first combined PhD, bringing together studies in epidemiology and biostatistics at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry with computer science in the Faculty of Science.
Canadian climate tech built with Western expertise to be part of joint mission with NASA
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , October 21, 2022
Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity and the dynamics of Earth’s atmosphere is ever-changing. A new pan-Canadian collaboration will measure aerosols, water vapour and clouds and how they interact to impact Earth’s weather and climate as part of NASA’s Atmosphere Observing System (AOS) mission. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will collaborate with NASA on AOS with its High-altitude Aerosols, Water vapour and Clouds (HAWC) mission.
Snow can spread and worsen the effects of pollutants in the environment
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Ubong Eduok ,The Conversation , October 17, 2022In the winter, snow becomes a superabsorbent for a wide range of pollutants, including vehicular exhaust particulate matters, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), trace metals and chlorides from road salts. As snow subsequently moves around or melts, most of these pollutants find their way into underground pipes and aquifers.
PhD candidate turns to soil to better understand how boreal forests store carbon
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Justin Zadorsky ,Western News , October 13, 2022
Canada’s boreal forests are known to help moderate the effects of climate change, absorbing and storing much more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release. However, this balance seems to be shifting and Holly Deighton is working to understand why. A biology PhD candidate in ecology and evolution, Deighton is studying how the soils of the boreal forest store carbon over long periods of time.
Scientists invent new material to improve drug delivery to patients
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Erin Matthews ,Special to Western News , October 06, 2022
Western scientists have developed a new material that could eventually improve the way drugs are administered to patients, by allowing doctors to “see” exactly whether drugs are reaching the targets and working properly. By combining a material already used to deliver medication to specific sites in the body with another that glows in the dark (optical probe), chemistry professor Lijia Liu and graduate student Ellie W.T Shiu have created a composite that can be used to track the path of a drug carrier through the human body.
Fireball from Solar System’s edge isn’t what astronomers expected
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Eric Hand ,Science , October 05, 2022Just before dawn on 22 February 2021, a fireball lit up the skies across Canada’s Alberta province when a 2-kilogram space rock vaporized as it plunged through Earth’s atmosphere. Although the object hailed from the Oort Cloud—a conglomeration of comets at the edge of the Solar System—it wasn’t a comet, researchers now say. Data collected during its fall suggest the object was made of rock rather than ice and behaved more like an asteroid.
Internship Experience A “Lottery Win” for Environmental Science Student
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Western Science , September 23, 2022
Winning the internship lottery. That’s how fourth year environmental science student Katrina Wynne describes her placement at Hydro One.
Western scientists attract $1.7M to tackle global challenges
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , September 22, 2022Seven Western researchers have been awarded a total of $1.7 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to tackle national and global research challenges. This funding will help advance work in important areas, including health and well-being, climate change, and sustainable energy sources.
Bryan Neff appointed acting vice-president (research)
Western News , September 22, 2022Bryan Neff, associate vice-president (research), has been appointed acting vice-president (research) effective Oct. 1, 2022, for a period of up to June 30, 2023. “Bryan is a fantastic addition to the university’s leadership team. His expertise will be invaluable in furthering Western’s research mission and maintaining the strong momentum we’ve built under Lesley’s tenure,” said President Alan Shepard.
Chemistry Grad Amy Gottschling recipient of inaugural Western Science Alumni Award of Achievement
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Western Science , September 21, 2022Western Science’s inaugural recipient of its Alumni Award of Achievement is chemistry’s Amy Gottschling, PhD ’04, BSc ’99. This newly established honour recognizes Faculty of Science alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their professions.
Astronomers trace fireball in Earth's skies to space rock that made it
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Will Gater ,New Scientist , September 21, 2022In an effort to learn more about potentially hazardous asteroids, astronomers have used telescopic surveys to find an image of a space rock that produced a 0.4-kiloton fireball over the Pacific Ocean. David Clark at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and his colleagues analysed satellite data of previous major fireballs.
Avian flu suspected in deaths of 3 swans in Stratford, Ont.
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Isha Bhargava ,CBC News , September 21, 2022Stratford, Ont., officials believe H5N1 avian influenza is behind the recent deaths of three of its dearest mute swans. Quin Malott, the city's parks, forestry, and cemetery manager, said the first swan was found dead in the Avon River on Saturday, but his team didn't connect the dots until two other swans got sick on the following days
Financial Stress Rains Down on Working Canadians
Yahoo Finance , September 21, 2022Throughout the pandemic, many of those who remained employed were able to save more and spend less, a result of pandemic-related lockdowns and the need to work from home. With interest rates and inflation climbing, offices now reopened, and expenditures rising, new research from the National Payroll Institute shows that those gains are quickly disappearing — especially for those who have not adopted positive financial habits.
The Godwit’s 7,000-Mile Journey: A Migration That Breaks Records
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Jim Robbins ,The New York Times , September 20, 2022Researchers marvel at the bird’s record-holding migratory flight of 7,000 or so miles from Alaska to New Zealand at this time of year. No eating or refueling along the way.
Summer Internship Ignites Passion for Electrochemistry Research
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Western Science , September 15, 2022
A period of struggle and a subsequent breakthrough was the highlight of Emma Lord’s summer research experience. On a small scale, she had the benefit of experiencing the highs and lows of scientific research, not unlike many of our graduate students and faculty members.
Western Academy for Advanced Research officially launches
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Tristan Joseph, Special to Western News, ,Western News , September 15, 2022With the launch of the Western Academy for Advanced Research, Western University is charting an ambitious new course to address major issues facing humanity in Canada and around the world. Complex challenges such as climate change, homelessness and income equality are global in scale and have impacts at an individual level, with the solution often lying in between disparate disciplines. That’s where the Western Academy comes in, acting as a catalyst for interdisciplinary and international teams of scholars to collaborate and seek answers.
Major fireball seen over UK was caused by chunk of space rock
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Will Gater ,New Scientist , September 15, 2022Planetary scientists have been racing to establish the origin of a bright fireball seen over parts of the UK on 14 September – the evidence now points to it being a meteor rather than re-entering space debris.
New Western research demonstrates effects of hotter fall temperatures on insects
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Sharon Oosthoek, Special to Western News ,Western News , September 14, 2022
Climate change has wreaked havoc with many species’ life cycles and now a pair of Western students is shedding light on how it’s affecting the survival of two high-profile insects. Working under the supervision of biology professor Jeremy McNeil, master’s student Campbell McKay is looking into how feeding on different milkweed species could affect the probability that Monarch butterflies born in the fall migrate to their overwintering grounds in Mexico.
Royal Society of Canada celebrates Western scholars
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , September 13, 2022
Kim Baines is an internationally recognized scholar in the fundamental chemistry of low valent, highly reactive main group compounds. She pioneered the synthesis and chemistry of germasilenes and novel low-valent germanium, tin and gallium cations, opening new areas of scientific inquiry. Capitalizing on this research, Baines developed the synthesis of new inorganic polymers and main group catalysts and furthered the understanding of semiconductor surface chemistry.
Mars rover and drone prototypes brave strong Iceland winds in analog test
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Elizabeth Howell ,Space.com , September 13, 2022Mars drone and rover prototypes undergoing testing in Iceland this summer had to endure a gusty environment somewhat akin to the fictional storm in the 2016 movie. "I've never seen such crazy winds in my life," planetary geologist Catherine Neish, an associate professor at Canada's Western University, told Space.com.
Newly released image from James Webb telescope reveals Orion Nebula in 'amazing detail'
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Nicole Mortillaro ,CBC News , September 13, 2022More than 1,300 light-years from Earth lies a stunning area of dust and gas called the Orion Nebula. On Monday, a team of astronomers from around the world released the most detailed image ever of this rich star-forming region taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Els Peeters, an astronomer and professor at Western University in London, Ont., who is one of the principal investigators for the JWST observing program known as PDRs4AlI, said she's thrilled by the image.
'Unexpected' space traveller defies theories about origin of Solar System
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News for Space Daily , September 13, 2022Researchers from Western have shown that a fireball that originated at the edge of the Solar System was likely made of rock, not ice, challenging long-held beliefs about how the Solar System was formed. Just at the edge of our Solar System and halfway to the nearest stars is a collection of icy objects sailing through space, known as the Oort Cloud.
Western researchers among first to capture James Webb Space Telescope images
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , September 12, 2022
The James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) has captured the most detailed and sharpest images ever taken of the inner region of the Orion Nebula, a stellar nursery situated in the constellation Orion 1,350 light-years away from Earth. The new images released today were targeted by an international collaboration, which includes researchers from Western University.
How Animals Survive in a Savanna Full of Predators
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Sam Zlotnik ,Smithsonian Magazine , September 07, 2022Many South African ungulates, or hooved animals, have different fear-induced responses depending on what predator is nearby. That’s the key finding of a recent study in Behavioral Ecology in which researchers report that ungulates run away from lions most often, followed by African wild dogs, and then cheetahs.
Six incoming students to earn prestigious scholarship
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , August 29, 2022Learn about our 2022 Western Schulich Leaders in science: Eric Hout, Holly Morton and Marianna Speranza.
Mushrooms serve as ‘main character’ in most ecosystems
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , August 25, 2022
A team of Western mycologists (fungi experts) spent the past two summers digging deep in Newfoundland dirt to investigate the might of mushrooms and found what lies beneath truly is ‘the main character’ in most terrestrial ecosystems. Fungi, which produce mushrooms, are critically important in most earthbound ecosystems as they provide life-sustaining mineral nutrients to plants while decomposing their remains, and recycling both organic and inorganic byproducts throughout the biome as they grow and reproduce.
International collaboration advances drones as next big step in planetary exploration
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , August 25, 2022Earth sciences professor Catherine Neish led a team of Western students to Iceland for two weeks this summer (July 10 to August 10) to collaborate with scientists and engineers from NASA, the University of Arizona, Honeybee Robotics, MDA, and Reykjavik University on the RAVEN (Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Network) field study to test the many benefits of deploying drones and rovers together, as a superhero-style team-up, to advance autonomous exploration for future space missions.
An 'incredible site': City resumes plans to redevelop Byron gravel pits
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Bryan Bicknell ,CTV News London , August 22, 2022Nature trails, park land, how about an event venue? They’re all among the ideas being considered for the future of the Byron gravel pits in west London. London city hall is narrowing down possible uses for one of the most unique pieces of land in the city, which is now being rehabilitated.
Building integrated climate models to improve future projections
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Rob Rombouts ,Social Science Centre , August 19, 2022Natasha MacBean is working to improve climate models and has joined Western University as an Assistant Professor, cross-appointed in the departments of Geography and Environment and Biology. She researches how terrestrial ecosystems respond to climate and environmental change and looks at the impact of these changes across scales – researching impacts in specific environments, as well as the processes and responses of plant life to ongoing global environmental changes.
Field station garden provides ‘safe haven’ for pollinators
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , August 12, 2022
What germinated as an idea last fall is now in full bloom at the Environmental Sciences Western Field Station. Field station manager Grant Edwards and horticultural specialist technician Caroline Rasenberg have created a pollinator garden at the site, located 14 kilometres north of campus on Wonderland Road, where researchers in the departments of biology, physics and astronomy and geology, along with those from the Faculty of Engineering and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada conduct inter and multidisciplinary research.
What’s Ontario’s favourite animal? The case for the little brown bat
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Nathaniel Basen ,TVO , August 09, 2022Alberta has the bighorn sheep. Manitoba has the plains bison. Yukon has the raven. So what’s Ontario’s official animal? We don’t have one — yet. The loon is our official bird, but we can’t help but think that Ontario’s other furry and feathery (and slippery and leathery) denizens haven’t been given a chance to compete.
Western student’s education advocacy work goes global
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Joshua Goeree, Special to Western News, ,Western News , August 09, 2022Nineteen-year-old medical science student Kenisha Arora has always loved giving back to her community and advocating for education around the world. Now, she is taking her love of education activism to the United Nations next month as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) youth representative for North America and Europe.
Mushrooms are in season in London, here's what you need to know
CBC News , August 09, 2022You might start noticing tiny white and brown mushrooms popping up in your lawn. The scorching weather has made it hard for mushrooms to grow, but now, they are finally in season in London. "There's quite a diversity of things starting to come out," said Greg Thorn, a biology professor at Western University who has been studying mushrooms for around 40 years.
Local challenges for monarch butterflies
CTV News London , July 28, 2022Western biology professor Jeremy McNeil speaks with CTV's Carlyle Fiset about the endangered status of monarch butterflies and the local challenges the insects face.
Long line-ups have defined life since the pandemic began. Research shows we can minimize frustrations easily
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Dave McGinn ,The Globe and Mail , July 23, 2022Line ups have defined so much of life since the start of the pandemic – line ups for grocery stores, for vaccines and now for travelers at airports – and yet so many organizations still can’t seem to manage them effectively. Line ups, or queues, are a fact of life, and there is a mountain of research that shows there are simple ways to minimize their frustrations.
Western appoints first-ever chief digital officer
Western News , July 22, 2022Mark Daley has been appointed Western’s first-ever chief digital officer, a new role designed to lead the university’s digital transformation and fulfill its commitment towards technology innovation in the strategic plan, Towards Western at 150.
Western research team takes part in asteroid-mining study
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Joshua Goeree ,Western News , July 21, 2022By the time Cailyn McKay was in her senior year in high school and most of her friends were looking at post-secondary schools, she still had no idea what she wanted to pursue. Even when she started her first year at Western in the medical sciences program, she quickly realized it wasn’t her passion.
Calling all tech workers: New ranking puts London among top emerging markets
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Norman De Bono ,London Free Press , July 20, 2022The growth of tech businesses and talent here has earned London a place in the Top 10 on a list of small markets that are becoming established, states a report from CBRE. The firm’s tech talent report, now in its 10th year, ranks the top 50 North American markets by looking at how tech-sector talent is attracted and developed, but it also ranks the next 25 “emerging tech markets” where London placed in 10th spot.
Hibernating insects regrow muscles on demand: study
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , July 19, 2022
Even as gas prices soar, most people don’t destroy their car’s engine just to save energy – and that’s one luxury certain insects have that those humans don’t. New research from Western University has found potato beetles can break down and regrow muscles on demand, allowing them to preserve energy over the winter.
As Webb begins observing exoplanets, scientists use Spitzer data & brown dwarfs to reveal how silicate clouds form
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Haygen Warren ,NasaSpaceflight.com , July 18, 2022In a new study from a group of researchers in Canada, data from NASA’s now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope was used to determine the conditions under which silicate clouds form on distant exoplanets outside of our solar system — giving scientists insight into what’s inside the atmospheres of exoplanets similar in size, temperature, and composition to Earth.
Tom Haffie receives President’s Medal for Distinguished Service
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , July 14, 2022
Each fall, biology lecturer Tom Haffie refined his teaching to best connect with more than 1,000 new undergraduates in engaging, innovative ways. Haffie was recently recognized for his efforts and the impact throughout his more than 30-year career with a President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
James Webb Telescope’s first ‘stunning’ science image revealed
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Steve McKinley ,The Toronto Star , July 12, 2022
The most powerful telescope ever built made a stunning debut with the release of its first science image, an intricately detailed deep-space image of a galaxy cluster showing thousands of galaxies and some of the faintest — and oldest — light ever recorded. “When you see the images, first of all, they’re just stunning, like very visually beautiful,” said Sarah Gallagher, science adviser to the Canadian Space Agency president, who had already had a sneak peek.
Clouds on these planets are made up of sand
India Today , July 11, 2022
A study of archival data generated over the years by the now retired Spitzer telescope reveals a common trait among exotic clouds. Beyond Earth, where clouds are made up of water vapour, there are worlds with unique chemical compositions below the atmosphere. There are clouds made up of sand.
Western Space team uses NASA data to decipher clouds of sand on distant planets
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , July 07, 2022A new study led by researchers at Western University provides critical information on sand clouds observed in distant planets and helps affirm a larger theory of how planetary atmospheres work. Most clouds on Earth are made of water, while the top of Jupiter’s atmosphere is blanketed in yellow-hued clouds made of ammonia and ammonium hydrosulfide.
Western professor applies research principles to his fishing passion
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , July 05, 2022
Mark Biesinger landed his first fish when he was four years old and out on Ontario’s Matawa River with his dad and brother. Now director of Surface Science Western – where he leads a team of researchers conducting world-class materials analysis for industry and scientific advancement – Biesinger is translating the principles of his vocation to those of his avocation: the science of finding, catching and conserving fish.
Earth sciences tour rocks the world of young geology enthusiasts
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Rebecca Milec ,Special to Western News , June 29, 2022
The excitement for the geological collection in Western’s Earth sciences department could not be contained by fifth graders and geology enthusiasts Oliver, Xander and Jackson. “I’ve never seen this many or this cool of rocks,” shared Xander, which accompanied the ‘oohs’, ‘ahhs’ and, ‘look at this!’ from the boys as they admired the collection.
Eighteen Western Science Researchers Successful in Obtaining an NSERC Discovery Grant
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Western Science , June 23, 2022
Announced on June 23, 2022, 16 Western Science researchers received an NSERC Discovery Grant and two received a Subatomic Physics Discovery Grant, spanning a wide range of topics and departments across the faculty. The NSERC Discovery Grants support long-term programs of research in the natural sciences and engineering.
Triple-threat law grad to advocate for marginalized communities
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Mari-Len De Guzman ,Western News , June 17, 2022
For someone who chose to study law “almost on a whim,” Rahul Sapra is excelling. It started with a conversation he overheard on campus a few years ago. “I was just randomly on my walk home from school one day, eavesdropping on the people who are having a conversation walking in front of me, and one of them was talking about the JD/HBA program that they did. And they’re saying how much they loved it, how they never thought they’d love law.
Expert explainer: What is avian flu and why is it such a concern this year?
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Justin Zadorsky ,Western News , June 15, 2022
Avian flu has been ravaging the poultry industry in North America. But it is also killing species of wild birds in ever-increasing numbers. Western biology professor Elizabeth MacDougall-Shackleton explains why this is such a concern, and she provides ways Canadians can help limit the spread of the deadly virus in birds.
Science grad and rugby player makes pitch for other student-athletes
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Mari-Len De Guzman ,Western News , June 13, 2022
By the time Cailyn McKay was in her senior year in high school and most of her friends were looking at post-secondary schools, she still had no idea what she wanted to pursue. Even when she started her first year at Western in the medical sciences program, she quickly realized it wasn’t her passion.
Western-led international corrosion training program nets $1.65M NSERC grant
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , June 09, 2022
Western is leading a national plan, with international impact, to train a new generation of corrosion scientists through redesigned – and more equitable – curriculum, education, training and research. Chemistry professor Yolanda Hedberg will administer a newly announced $1.65-million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) that will include the collaboration of eight universities and four industry partners in Canada, plus 20 universities abroad and three international corrosion associations in 19 countries.
Was there a tau Herculids meteor storm Monday night? The science weighs in
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Scott Sutherland ,The Weather Network , May 31, 2022As of now, on the morning after the event, it appears as though there was no meteor storm on Monday night. Observers on social media reported numbers roughly 10 to 20 times higher than what the tau Herculids have typically produced over the past 90 years or so. That qualifies as a tau Herculids outburst, but what happened to the meteor storm?
Watch: Save the Bees Initiative
CTV News London , May 31, 2022Volunteers planted more than 1300 species of plants to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects to a new pollinator garden on campus. Coverage starts at the 20-minute mark.
Are we in for a spectacular meteor shower? Astronomers aren't sure, but suggest looking up tonight
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Nicole Mortillaro ,CBC , May 30, 2022Astronomers are waiting to see if a normally quiet meteor shower puts on a show Monday night. There's a potential outburst from the tau Herculids — but the key word is "potential." Almost each month, we get a major meteor shower where — under ideal conditions — you can expect anywhere from 20 to 120 meteors an hour. This occurs as Earth plows through debris left over from a passing comet or asteroid.
Bags or bins: When it comes to recycling, the answer is complicated
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , May 26, 2022It seemed like a straightforward question to biology professor Paul Mensink: Are plastic bags that hold curbside recyclables better or worse for the environment than blue boxes? But the question has turned into a complicated conundrum. “The short answer is, ‘It depends,’” said Mensink, director of graduate environmental programs in the Faculty of Science, after his team published a comprehensive study of Ontario municipalities’ policies and practices for collecting and sorting recyclables.
The beauty of bugs and biodiversity on display at Western's McIntosh Gallery
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Michelle Both ,CBC News , May 24, 2022If bugs could carry protest signs, what would they say? A new exhibit at Western University's McIntosh Gallery is exploring the idea by blending art and science to showcase the beautiful, diverse and vital role of insects under threat. "Insects are the most diverse organisms on earth," said Nina Zitani, curator of the zoological collections in the department of biology at Western University.
Curious Chat - CHED Mid Morning
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Shaye Ganam ,CHED Morning , May 13, 2022The James Webb Telescope has produced new images. Els Peeters, an astronomer among the first to use the telescope, shares what she has discovered.
Elgin data breach 'devastating' for victims at risk of identity theft: Experts
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Norman De Bono ,London Free Press , May 13, 2022The theft of personal data from Elgin County may prove “devastating” to those affected, say technology analysts, who also question the municipality for lack of transparency in dealing with the crisis. Personal information for 330 people, some of it highly sensitive, was compromised by a “cyber-security incident” that knocked out Elgin County’s website and email system for nearly a month, the county said.
When you look into the abyss
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Helen Mann & Chris Howan ,CBC , May 10, 2022Space Telescope Images - When you look into the abyss, the abyss looks...pretty amazing. The James Webb Space Telescope has sent back its first images, and one astronomer tells us she gives them a starred review.
McIntosh exhibit buzzes with colourful fusion of art, science
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , May 05, 2022It’s been said that Earth without art is just, “Eh.” And that our world, without insects, would fall apart. In the current McIntosh Gallery exhibit, Insect as Idea, art and insects converge to paint a poignant picture of the beauty in biodiversity. The show “is a fusion of art and science,” said gallery curator Helen Gregory. “It examines insects within a multi-species framework, considering the role that they play throughout ecological systems, while also touching on the historical aspects of colonization.”
Western’s research internship opens career opportunity for math grad
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Rebecca Milec ,Western News , May 04, 2022
Every door you open in your undergraduate degree can shape your future. This is what Daniel Carranza, BSc’21, discovered during his time at Western University, which led him to publishing his first paper in Logical Methods In Computer Science before finishing his undergraduate degree.
Fireball! Scientists advise meteorites may be scattered across southern Ontario
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Stefanie Waldek ,Space.com , April 25, 2022On Sunday (April 17), skywatching cameras in the Canadian province recorded a massive fireball that likely produced tens to hundreds of grams of meteorites. Astronomers predict they would have fallen on the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, north of the town of Argyle. "This fireball was particularly significant because it was moving slowly, was on an asteroidal orbit, and ended very low in the atmosphere. These are all good indicators that material survived," Denis Vida, an astronomy postdoctoral associate at Western University who specializes in meteors, said in a university statement.
It's official! This is the hottest rock ever recorded on Earth
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Cheryl Santa Maria ,The Weather Network , April 22, 2022In 2011, then-Ph.D. student Michael Zanetti was working on a Canadian Space Agency-funded project in Newfoundland and Labrador's Mistasten Crater, a 28-kilometre wide area created when an asteroid hit Earth 36 million years ago. During that expedition, Zanetti picked up a piece of rock, which was studied and first documented in 2017. In that paper scientists proposed it formulated at temperatures of 2,370°C during the violent asteroid impact. That's a temperature hotter than much of Earth's mantle, and would make it the hottest rock ever discovered on Earth.
Science grad makes his move toward grandmaster title
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , April 22, 2022Shiyam Thavandiran, BSc’15, MSc’16 (Mathematics), was seven years old when he came upon his mother and older brother playing chess. He was instantly intrigued. “This interesting game, where two people sit in silence, staring at a board, drew me in,” he said. “But I felt left out. I wanted to join the game, so they taught me how to play.”
Western biologists crowdsource biodiversity data
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Mari-Len De Guzman ,Western News , April 21, 2022The next time you find yourself walking across campus, take a moment to stop or slow down and observe the many living things that call Western’s vast land their habitat. And while you’re at it, take a picture. It’s a campus-wide, year-long crowdsourcing initiative, spearheaded by Western’s biology department, encouraging the campus community to submit pictures and observations of wildlife they might encounter on campus – from bees to birds and everything in between
Canadians may be able to see four planets this weekend, no telescope needed. Here’s how
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Kevin Jiang ,Toronto Star , April 21, 2022Early risers this weekend may be treated to a spectacle in the sky — the alignment of four planets and the moon, all visible to the naked eye. Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter are expected to form a row in the sky and align with the moon on Sunday. A fifth visible planet, Mercury, will join them later in June. The event is best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, which includes North America and Europe, said Jan Cami, an associate professor of astronomy at Western University.
'Fireball' spotted over Lake Simcoe Sunday night
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Bob Bruton ,Orillia Matters , April 20, 2022Meteorite hunters won’t have a field day in the Orillia area, but people may have seen something streaking through the air on the weekend. Western University’s physics and astronomy department says a bright fireball was observed by a network of all-sky cameras across southern Ontario at 11:37 p.m., Sunday.
Collaboration helping save planet from plastic pollution
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , April 20, 2022When she was a kid, Patricia Corcoran would examine interesting little stones that lined the gravel road near her home. “I always wanted to become a geologist,” she recalled. These days, the Western professor of sedimentary petrology is focused less on pebbles and more on plastics. But she was dismayed to discover these two materials are often fused together into technofossils, a rock-hard legacy of profligate consumerism.
'Fireball' in sky over Lake Simcoe area was a meteorite, Western University says
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Chris Simon ,Toronto Star , April 20, 2022Western University’s physics and astronomy department has confirmed a bright fireball observed by a network of more than a dozen all-sky cameras across southern Ontario over the weekend was likely fragments of a meteor that landed near the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, just north of Argyle. Based on the trajectory of the object, the fireball may have been observed by some Barrie, Orillia and northern Simcoe County residents.
Bright fireball over Ontario likely left several small meteorites on the ground
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Ben Hooper ,UPI , April 20, 2022April 20 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers said an unusually bright fireball that lit up the night sky over Ontario likely left numerous meteorite fragments on the ground. The physics and astronomy department at Western University in London, Ontario, said a network of sky cameras recorded the fireball streaking across the sky at 11:37 p.m. Sunday.
Scientists Have Confirmed The Hottest Rock Ever Recorded On Earth
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Fatima Shakeel ,Wonderful Engineering , April 20, 2022We are well aware of the fact that the Earth’s crust is exceptionally hot. However, it is obvious that the rocks and all the constituents inside the Earth’s crust also contain extremely hot temperatures. In a recent case, scientists discovered the hottest rock and recorded its extreme temperature as well. The rock was first discovered in 2011 by the University of Western Ontario.
After a bright fireball, meteorites may have hit the ground east of Lake Simcoe
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Scott Sutherland ,The Weather Network , April 19, 2022This may sound like a science fiction movie pitch, but it's true: tiny visitors from outer space may have crash-landed in Central Ontario on Sunday night. At 11:37 p.m. on April 17, a bright fireball lit up the night sky just north of Toronto. As of Tuesday morning, over two dozen witnesses have reported the event to the American Meteor Society, from as far away as Ann Arbor, MI, and Albany, NY.
Bright Fireball Likely Littered Lakeside Region With Meteorites
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Eric Mack ,Forbes , April 19, 2022The Sunday night sky over Ontario was lit up by literal fire in the sky, which probably then dropped actual space rocks on the ground. The cause was an apparent meteor burning up in a spectacular fireball that streaked through the atmosphere before midnight. A network of all-sky cameras in the southern part of the province caught the final moments of the meteoroid from multiple angles.
Meteorite fragments likely near east shore of Lake Simcoe after shooting star seen Sunday
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Sawyer Bogdan ,Global News , April 19, 2022Western University’s physics and astronomy department runs an all-sky camera network that monitors the sky for meteors. On Sunday, the camera observed a bright fireball across southern Ontario at 11:37 p.m. Researchers say the video data suggests that fragments of the meteor are likely to have made it to the ground near the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, just north of the town of Argyle.
Massive meteorite impact created the hottest mantle rock ever
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Stephanie Pappas ,Live Science , April 19, 2022It's confirmed: The hottest rock ever discovered in Earth's crust really was super-hot. The rock, a fist-sized piece of black glass, was discovered in 2011 and first reported in 2017, when scientists wrote in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters that it had been formed in temperatures reaching 4,298 degrees Fahrenheit (2,370 degrees Celsius), hotter than much of the Earth's mantle.
The hottest ROCK on Earth is confirmed
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Sam Tonkin ,Daily Mail , April 19, 2022The hottest rock ever recorded on Earth has been confirmed to have originated from a huge meteorite impact some 36 million years ago. Scientists say the fist-sized piece of black glass was formed in temperatures that reached 4,298°F (2,370°C), hotter than much of our planet's mantle. It was first discovered in 2011 in what today is Labrador, Canada, before being described by scientists in 2017 as having been heated to the hottest temperature ever known for a rock on the surface of the Earth.
Fireball across Southern Ontario sky of interest to Western researchers
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Adelle Loiselle ,Blackburn News , April 19, 2022Astronomers at Western University believe meteor fragments may have crashed into Earth near the town of Argyle. Around 11:37 p.m. on Sunday, a bright fireball streaked across the sky over Southern Ontario. Video evidence suggests some fragments may have survived and landed near the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, north of Toronto.
All-Sky Camera Network Captures Fireball Moving at an Unusual Speed
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Griffin Davies ,Tech Times , April 19, 2022Usually, when a fireball is spotted, most people tend to make various unproven conclusions. But, for experts, fireballs (meteorites) are essential since they can offer them new details about space. The latest fireball sighting was captured by the all-sky camera network of the Western University's Physics and Astronomy Department.
Western’s all-sky cameras capture bright fireball event
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Jeff Renaud ,Western News , April 18, 2022A bright fireball was observed by a network of all-sky cameras across southern Ontario at 11:37pm on Sunday, April 17, 2022. Analysis of the video data suggests that fragments of the meteor are likely to have made it to the ground near the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, just north of the town of Argyle.
Western University’s all-sky camera network captures large fireball near Lake Simcoe
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Ashley Hyshka ,CTV News London , April 18, 2022The region might currently be under a winter weather travel advisory, but late last night, there was a fireball that lit up the sky north of Toronto. According to a press release from Western University, a large fireball was observed by all-sky cameras across southern Ontario at 11:37 p.m. on Sunday. Video analysis suggests that fragments of the meteor broke off and likely made it to ground near the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, north of Argyle, Ont.
Fireball may have scattered meteorites near Lake Simcoe: Western researcher
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Free Press staff ,London Free Press , April 18, 2022A fireball that dropped from space Sunday night may have scattered meteorites when it fell near the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, a Western University researcher says. “Analysis of the video data suggests that fragments of the meteor are likely to have made it to the ground . . . just north of the town of Argyle,” the university said in a news release Monday.
See the Fireball That Likely Dropped a Bounty of Meteorites on Canada
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Amanda Kooser ,CNET , April 18, 2022If you ever wanted to find a chunk of meteorite, you've got a better than usual chance if you head to the eastern edge of Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada. A blazing fireball shot through the atmosphere late on Sunday, and it probably dropped some meteorites north of the town of Argyle. A network of all-sky cameras run by Western University's physics and astronomy department caught sight of the bright meteor.
Western researcher confirms hottest rock on record
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Cynthia Yi ,Western News , April 14, 2022If there was ever any doubt the 2011 discovery by a post-doctoral student was indeed the hottest rock on Earth, new findings from a Western-led research team are putting that uncertainty to rest. Eleven years after researchers from Western unearthed what was then perceived as the hottest rock on Earth.
'It's Super Spectacular.' See How the Tonga Volcano Unleashed a Once-in-a-Century Shockwave
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Aatish Bhatia and Henry Fountain ,The New York Times , April 14, 2022A new simulation gives a detailed look at a shockwave that circled the planet for days.
You'll want to keep these garden-friendly insects around all season long
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Cheryl Santa Maria ,The Weather Network , April 13, 2022Gardening season is right around the corner - and people aren't the only ones excited about that. As plants start to spring, all kinds of wildlife will visit your foliage in hopes of finding shade and snacks. Aside from the usual culprits, like squirrels and birds, the insects will arrive - and make no mistake, there will be a lot of them.
U.S. Space Force releases data on bright fireballs
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Monica Young ,Sky and Telescope , April 11, 2022The U.S. Department of Defense has released data on some 1,000 bright fireballs. Scientists are still debating if the data confirm an interstellar meteor. 14 Geminid fireballA fireball underwent multiple bursts during the 2012 Geminid meteor shower. Jupiter is above the meteor; Orion is at left. John Flannery Nearly 1,000 brilliant fireballs — big meteors that (mostly) burn up in Earth’s atmosphere — have hit our planet since 1988. We know this because the U.S. Department of Defense has been tracking them. For years the Department of Defense (DoD) released only basic information about these events.
Researchers at Western University are finding unique use cases for mini-drones
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Karandeep Oberoi ,Mobile Syrup , April 10, 2022Western purchases drone bases and other parts from private companies and then assembles them from scratch so they can customize automation. Researchers from Western University in London, Ontario, are testing drones paired with Bell’s wireless 5G connectivity to perform extensive commercial and non-commercial activities.
Science Internship Program a Proven Win-Win for Students and Local Company
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Western Science , April 08, 2022
Third year Computer Science students Moneet Tiwana and Connor Haines are just two of the 100 science internships that J.D. Power/Autodata has hosted since 2005. As part of the Science Internship Program through Western Science’s Career Services office, Moneet and Connor are currently working full-time for 16 months with pay, gaining real-world skills as software developers.
The Transgenerational Cost of Fear
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Ashley Braun ,Hakai Magazine , April 07, 2022Wolves eat elk. Sharks eat fish. Hawks eat sparrows. For decades, the prevailing scientific understanding has been that predators mainly affect prey communities by, well, turning them into dinner. But a recent study offers perhaps the most complete evidence yet that predators can significantly influence prey populations without taking a single bite.
Communication challenges with aphasia can exacerbate caregiving stress
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Angela C. Roberts ,Blog: Ontario Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative , April 06, 2022Until last week, few people knew the term aphasia. The recent announcement that the actor, Bruce Willis, has stepped back from his acting career, due to aphasia, has raised a much-needed spotlight on persons living with aphasia and their families.
What do Londoners have to say about the Climate Emergency Action Plan?
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Angela McInnes ,CBC News , April 05, 2022"To me, the most important thing that we need to put the focus on is creating walkable communities. We need to create a London which consists of 20 Wortley Villages. If you can picture that, where people can easily walk to the daily, where they meet the daily needs of their lives, to the work, to the faith communities, to their community gardens," says Gabor Sass, environmental science professor at Western University.
What do Londoners have to say about the Climate Emergency Action Plan?
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Angela McInnes ,CBC News , April 05, 2022"To me, the most important thing that we need to put the focus on is creating walkable communities. We need to create a London which consists of 20 Wortley Villages. If you can picture that, where people can easily walk to the daily, where they meet the daily needs of their lives, to the work, to the faith communities, to their community gardens," says Gabor Sass, environmental science professor at Western University.
The Canadian Space Agency funds four space exploration investigations
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Marc Boucher ,SpaceQ , April 04, 2022The Canadian Space Agency has awarded four researchers grants totalling $493,081 for four space exploration investigations. The investigators and their space exploration grants include Dr. Livio Tornabene from Western University, who is a co-investigator on the CaSSIS instrument on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.
Western University community takes to Thames River for clean-up
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Jaden Lee-Lincoln ,CTV London , April 03, 2022More than 40 people from the Western University community participated in a clean-up Sunday near the Thames River. The group spent the day picking up trash they found on-campus and along the river into Gibbons Park.
Traces of giant crocodile discovered at B.C. road cut
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IVAN SEMENIUK ,The Globe and Mail , April 03, 2022Long before grizzly bears and mountain lions roamed the wilds of northeastern British Columbia, carnivores that were best avoided in the region included the colossal relatives of modern crocodiles. Researchers inferred that much after discovering claw marks made about 97 million years ago by the fearsome reptiles, who raked the muddy bottom of a shallow waterway with their claws.
This daughter and father founded a company to bury nuclear waste by drilling deep boreholes
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Catherine Clifford ,CNBC , April 03, 2022There is no permanent nuclear waste depository in the United States. Instead, nuclear waste is stored in dry casks at the locations of currently operating and former nuclear power plants around the country. Deep Isolation, a start-up founded by a daughter-father team in Berkeley, California, is aiming to change that.
Coming 'face-to-jaw' with the worlds second largest shark, virtually
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Reta Ismail ,CTV News London , March 31, 2022A group of students studying marine biology at Western University took a deep-dive into the ocean today – learning about ocean ecosystems virtually. “What you are going to go through, is mimicked off of real life,” said Marine Ecology Assistant Professor Paul Mensink as he prepared his class to swim with one of the world’s most vulnerable species – the planets second largest shark – the basking.
Don't fear the creeper: Learning to live with tiny creatures
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Cheryl Santa Maria ,The Weather Network , March 31, 2022You can look the other way, but that doesn't change the fact that creatures that buzz, creep, and crawl, are everywhere. Earth is home to about 10 quintillion insects. That's a 10 - followed by eighteen zeros. And this number excludes spiders, mites, and ticks, which are arachnids.
Expert Insight: Traces of giant prehistoric crocodiles discovered in northern British Columbia
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Guy Plint, Charles Helm, Special to Western News ,Western News , March 31, 2022Giant crocodiles once roamed northeastern British Columbia. A recently published article in Historical Biology features the first detailed trace fossil evidence ever reported of giant crocodylians. The sites are from the Peace Region of northeastern British Columbia, north of Tumbler Ridge.
Ice volcanoes on Pluto suggest dwarf planet may not be so cold after all
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Nicole Mortillaro ,CBC News , March 30, 2022Pluto, once considered the ninth planet in our solar system until it was demoted to a dwarf planet in 2006, had been shrouded in mystery since its discovery in 1930. But thanks to NASA's ambitious New Horizons flyby in 2015, the curtain has been pulled back, and astronomers continue to reveal that Pluto is much more interesting than previously thought.
Support for the international research community is crucial, especially during times of war
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Jeremy McNeil, et. al. ,The Globe and Mail , March 30, 2022Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reminded us all again of the precariousness of peace around the world. The tragic loss of life, the separation of families, the wanton destruction of infrastructure, historic buildings, and artifacts, and the total disruption of ordinary social, political, and working life—the costs of these in Ukraine and in all conflict zones are enormous. They are devastating.
New Western University offering brings machine learning to the bedside
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Heather Rivers ,London Free Press , March 25, 2022Western University is launching its first specialization in machine learning in hopes of fostering a monumental transformation in health care over the next decade. “Data is the new oil in health and biomedical science,” said co-developer and facilitator Jörn Diedrichsen, a computer science and statistics professor who also researches movement neuroscience through Western’s Brain and Mind Institute. “This will revolutionize health care in the next 10 years.”
Western students take on challenge to help solve world’s problems
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Western Communications ,Western News , March 24, 2022Western students are demonstrating that solving some of the world’s most pressing issues need not just be a responsibility of governments and powerful organizations as they embark on this year’s World’s Challenge Challenge competition. “The World’s Challenge Challenge provides a unique opportunity for globally minded students to collaborate on solutions to tackle our world’s most pressing issues,” said Lise Laporte, senior director, Western International. “As a pitch competition focused on social entrepreneurship and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, it encourages participants to become global leaders by building skills and creating projects that are ethical, sustainable and community focused.”
Two bright fireballs flashed over the Prairies, almost exactly one night apart
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Scott Sutherland ,The Weather Network , March 24, 2022They came from completely different parts of the sky. Still, one night apart — nearly down to the minute — two bright meteor fireballs flashed over the Prairie provinces this week. At 9:48 p.m. Central Time, on the night of Tuesday, March 22, witnessed spied a very bright meteor streaking across the sky. According to the American Meteor Society, the fireball began around 40 kilometres north of Erwood, SK, just east of Highway 9 in the eastern part of the province.
New Western specialization links AI and health research
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , March 21, 2022While artificial intelligence now guides everything from transportation to our music choices, the promise of harnessing data to inform and transform our health has more often been a matter of hope than reality. This may soon change as Western launches Ontario’s first interdisciplinary graduate field dedicated to machine learning in health and medicine.
Pauline Barmby named a Distinguished University Professor
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , March 17, 2022Award recognizes careers of excellence in teaching, research, leadership. Astrophysicist Pauline Barmby has brought to Earth an understanding of how vast and distant galaxies are birthed. She is one of the most highly esteemed teaching professors in the department of physics and astronomy; and has served in administrative roles to improve the work of the department and the Science faculty.
Neuroscientist partners with law firm for concussion research
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , March 17, 2022Andrea Soddu’s imaging software provides neuro insights on patients with acquired brain injury. A bruised leg is relatively easy to diagnose and treat, and has a predictable recovery time; a wounded brain, much less so. Now, a Western physicist-turned-neuroscientist has developed unique brain-imaging software that is helping a London, Ont., law firm strengthen the case for better support for clients with concussions.
Small asteroid hits Earth just hours after astronomers detect it
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Will Gater ,New Scientist , March 16, 2022A space rock that exploded in the atmosphere near Iceland was only the fifth asteroid that has been observed before an impact with Earth. A small asteroid harmlessly collided with Earth on 11 March, creating an explosion in the atmosphere over the Arctic, just hours after astronomers spotted it for the first time. The space rock, named 2022 EB5, was first detected at around 7.20pm GMT at Piszkéstető Station Observatory in Hungary by Krisztián Sárneczky.
Astronomer Spotted An Asteroid Just Hours Before It Impacted Earth
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Eric Mack ,Forbes , March 15, 2022For just the fifth time ever, astronomers discovered a new asteroid right before it slammed into Earth’s atmosphere. Astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky first spotted the asteroid cataloged as 2022 EB5 on March 11 using the Schmidt telescope at Hungary’s Piszkéstető Observatory. The observations indicate the space rock was likely about the size of a refrigerator and that it impacted the atmosphere to the north of Iceland just a few hours later.
If carbon capture ever gets going in Ontario, where will we put it all?
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Kaarina Stiff ,National Observer , March 12, 2022The Ontario government is proposing legislative changes that would open the door to storing carbon dioxide underground in the province, but it’s unclear where the captured greenhouse gas would go. In a discussion paper released in January, the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry proposes allowing carbon dioxide storage on Crown land.
‘Because of COVID’: Western experts weigh in on two years of pandemic
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Debora Van Brenk ,Western News , March 08, 2022Last summer, we turned to some of Western’s top researchers on viruses, health, medicine, ethics, education, equity and technology for a digital storytelling package examining some of the pandemic’s challenges and possibilities. Western News recently invited those researchers to look back and look forward, and answer these two questions:
Ukrainian student shares pride for country, family in midst of war
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News , March 03, 2022Oleksii Kocheriev longs for peace in his homeland. Oleksii thought his biggest fears in life were behind him – coming to Canada on his own at age 17 and landing an internship were among his greatest concerns – but Russia’s recent invasion of his homeland of Ukraine has brought a chilling perspective. “This is real fear,” he said. “Now I’m fearing for the lives of my family.”
How fear alone can impact birds and lower population growth
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Richard Collins ,Irish Examiner , February 24, 2022In a paper just published, Marek Allen and researchers from the University of Western Ontario address this question. They measured the effects of fear on a population of wild song-sparrows. These distant relatives of our own house-sparrow frequent bushes, gardens and roadside hedges throughout North America.
Storing nuclear waste in Finland
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Sedeer El-Showk ,Science , February 23, 2022Onkalo—“cavity” or “pit” in Finnish—will be the world’s first permanent disposal site for high-level nuclear waste, and a triumph for Finland.
Saving birds one sticker at a time
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Bryan Bicknell ,CTV News , February 21, 2022
Brendon Samuels, a PhD candidate in Biology, has designed and is distributing a new static cling decal to warn property owners that the glass windows in their buildings could be putting birds at risk, or kill them.
Emerald ash borer survives Winnipeg's extreme winter weather
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Nathan Liewicki ,CBC News , February 18, 2022
Invasive beetle species will lead to the demise of ash trees in Manitoba, says biology professor Brent Sinclair.
