Paralympian Danielle Peers questions how to eliminate barriers that prevent athletes from getting involved in parasport
The 2022 Winter Paralympics will shine a brief spotlight on Canada’s elite athletes in China over the next 10 days. But much more is needed at the community level to get athletes involved in parasport before they can even dream of competing at an elite level, according to former Paralympian Danielle Peers. While changes are needed at the…
Reinvesting in local co-operatives could help attract people to rural communities and keep them there
Should we be looking to the past to help boost the future of the province’s rural economy? A hundred years ago, local co-operatives were a fairly common way of doing business in rural areas. Now the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities is researching ways to make this old model work in a modern economy. “It’s a…
Canadian-Iranians must hold Trudeau accountable for his promises, including finding justice for the PS752 families
Canada’s treatment of Iranian immigrants demonstrates the Trudeau government’s double standards on Iran. On the one hand, Ottawa allows Islamic Republic officials to live openly in cities such as Toronto. On the other hand, it deports innocent Iranian residents back to Iran, where they could face imprisonment or even execution. Morteza Talaei, Tehran’s police chief…
For one research participant, the study taught her how to take care of her own health
“You’re stronger than you think,” said diabetes researcher Jane Yardley, as she clinked the 306-pound (138-kg) weight into place on the calf raise machine at the University of Alberta’s Physical Activity and Diabetes Lab. Surprising myself about how much weight I can lift is just one of the personal takeaways I’ve gained as a participant…
If you’ve had to drive your kids to hockey, go grocery shopping or commute to work, you’ve likely cursed every time you saw the price at the pump. Gas prices have now reached a high of over $1.50 per litre. That’s the highest level since Statistics Canada started tracking this data in 1990. Higher gas…
Living in B.C. is unaffordable for many people and carbon taxes make it worse
Drivers in Vancouver are paying record-smashing prices at the gas pump and taxes are an extra kick in the head. Prices have hit more than $2 per litre for regular gasoline in Metro Vancouver. That’s the highest gasoline price in North America, along with the highest gasoline taxes. Before chuckling at the pipeline-blocking-moon-units getting their…
A post-pandemic world clamouring for raw energy mean Russian oil is here to stay
When U.S. President Joe Biden took to the podium in the first hours of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he spoke of a blitz of sanctions designed to isolate and cripple the Russian economy, and ultimately stall the Russian war machine. Noticeably absent from the long list of deterrents – which even included personalized financial…
Funding boosts project to help accelerate time to market for advances in carbon capture, storage
Carbon capture and storage facilities can sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and prevent them from entering the atmosphere – but effective and cost-efficient monitoring technology is needed to ensure the CO2 being put into the ground is actually staying there. “The challenge here is that we want the CO2 to stay underground for…
License plate stickers in Ontario are destined for the ash heap of history, thanks to the Ford government’s commitment to repeal those pesky annual fees. Families are facing rampant inflation and soaring living costs. Premier Doug Ford’s announcement will save the typical two-car family $240 a year. It’s a good first step, and now the…
New graduate certificate program in climate change and health will prepare students to find solutions
Agricultural policy-makers, wastewater treatment engineers, crisis counsellors and allergists all have something in common, although they may not realize it. Whether it’s planning for food that isn’t as nutritious as it used to be, preventing new waterborne illnesses from infiltrating the water supply, treating traumatized residents returning after an emergency evacuation or helping patients with…
The U of A’s Mactaggart Art Collection helps students contribute to a lasting historical and artistic legacy
As a child in South Korea, Sung Eun Cho spent many weekends with her Buddhist grandparents, who brought her along to the temples they visited. The youngster found herself captivated by the ornate beauty of the buildings, richly adorned with traditional images and symbols of the ancient religion. “I was mesmerized by the vivid colours…
Treatment acts like a Band-Aid for mutations, allowing the body to rebuild muscle tissue
Up to 45 per cent of patients with the most common inherited neuromuscular disease could benefit from a new “cocktail” drug being developed at the University of Alberta, according to research published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The drug could provide an effective and economical treatment to lessen symptoms for the six of…
The ELITE program gives participants tools and skills to break down barriers in STEM careers
It takes more than technical knowledge to succeed in a career in science, technology, engineering or math. It takes a network of support and skills beyond the strictly academic, said engineering professor André McDonald. Black students face particular challenges, which is why McDonald founded a program at the University of Alberta in 2021 to support and…
Research could help ranchers adapt to climate change and preserve vital ecosystems
Ranchers who frequently rotate cattle between fields – resembling how bison once moved across Canada’s prairie – build drought resistance into Western Canada’s grasslands, according to a series of University of Alberta studies designed to find ways to improve the net carbon balance of grazed grasslands and nurture more resilient landscapes. “The way we manage…
New research yields critical information on Chinese mystery snail
New research led by University of Alberta scientists could help contain the spread of the Chinese mystery snail, an invasive species whose discovery in a southern Alberta lake is as enigmatic as its name. “Chinese mystery snails have been found throughout Eastern Canada and most of the continental United States, but to find them in…