Pilots, athletes, dementia patients and more could benefit from this brain boost
Imagine putting on a helmet embedded with tiny electrodes that sit on your scalp, delivering a gentle electrical current to certain areas of your brain. After about 10 to 20 minutes, you might find yourself with a better ability to focus, sharper memory and a host of other cognitive benefits. That’s the idea behind a…
Manitoba must follow the science and re-introduce the bill to lift the ban on cosmetic pesticides
Manitoba needs to follow the science and not give into ideological environmentalists who value kneejerk emotionalism over positive outcomes. A case in point is the province’s sensible decision to lift a ban at least partially on cosmetic pesticides passed by the previous NDP government back in 2014. Cosmetic pesticides are pesticides used to control weeds…
Supplements containing beneficial gut bacteria from healthy cows could be a boon for dairy producers
A probiotic developed at the University of Alberta shows promise in improving the health of dairy calves in the essential first weeks of life. Normally, the young animals’ undeveloped immune systems leave them susceptible to common ailments like diarrhea, which can stunt growth or even result in death. When fed a cocktail of four strains…
Expertise in biodiversity, agriculture, urban planning show in latest ranking of institutions
The University of Alberta has been named one of the world’s top 15 most sustainable post-secondary institutions for its ongoing efforts to create sustainability on campus and in the local and global community, notably rising from last year’s ranking of 64th in the world. According to the fourth annual Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which…
The cost of zinc-air batteries is one of the biggest hurdles to making them viable
Batteries do the heavy lifting to store excess solar energy on power grids for use after sundown, but to operate, they also rely on pricey elements like platinum. University of Alberta researcher Matthew Labbe would rather leave the precious metals to the jewellers by using cheaper materials to tweak a disposable battery commonly used in…
AI-powered portable ultrasound system makes scans and diagnoses accessible from anywhere
Imagine if family doctors, nurses, technicians – even ski patrollers – could use handheld ultrasound devices to screen for everything from hip dysplasia to wrist fractures to heart disease from anywhere. A new approach to scans developed at the University of Alberta pairs the accessibility of portable ultrasound with an artificial intelligence app that can…
Today's guest, Mark Summers, Chief Strategy Officer for Emissions Reduction Alberta, provides a number of examples of GHG emissions reduction projects underway. The series was produced by KEI Network for Troy Media. We welcome your comments below. Bios of our moderator and today’s guest: Eddy Isaacs Eddy Isaacs is the former CEO of Alberta Innovates…
The province has the resources, infrastructure and workforce to produce the clean energy source
On the path to a decarbonized future, Alberta could become a global leader in the export of hydrogen. Amit Kumar, who advised the provincial government in developing its Hydrogen Roadmap, says the province is already well ahead of the production game, having developed large-scale hydrogen infrastructure and expertise for the oil sands industry. Alberta is, in…
Recent review highlights need to gain a broader scientific view of cancer to better prevent and treat it
While cancer is a genetic disease, the genetic component is just one piece of the puzzle – and researchers need to consider environmental and metabolic factors as well, according to a research review by a leading expert at the University of Alberta. Nearly all the theories about the causes of cancer that have emerged over the…
Continuing intensive breeding bird survey involves thousands of volunteers, hundreds of thousands of bits of data
Every spring, I get excited as the birds start to return to Ontario from South and Central America. Life is emerging everywhere. Even though nature sometimes seems to conspire against them with cold snaps following sunny days, birds persist. Fire, rain, wind, predators, agricultural and industrial activities, cars, cats and inadvertent human disturbance all work…
Experimental crop absorbed CO2 equivalent to a vehicle burning 35,000 litres of gasoline
Annual crops are the farmer’s bread and butter, the crops they rely on most, but at least one type of perennial grain is proving much more beneficial to the environment. A crop of perennial rye absorbed a substantial amount of carbon dioxide, or CO2, a University of Alberta study showed, while an annual crop had no…
Research points the way to better tests and potential new treatments for pain management
Researchers have uncovered signature metabolites – much like fingerprints in the blood – linked to the cognitive dysfunction and impaired motor skills associated with medical cannabis treatment. The work could lead to better roadside blood tests for impairment, and could also point the way toward supplements or strains of medical cannabis that reduce impairment while…
New process could lead to low emissions and high-value byproducts
A University of Alberta research team is working with a Calgary energy company to extract hydrogen and high-demand carbon products from natural gas, while emitting less carbon dioxide in the process. Innova Hydrogen and researchers in the Faculty of Engineering received $1.2 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Mitacs Accelerate Grants Program to develop the technology. Existing…
The TESER ACT unit uses UV light to kill viruses and other common pathogens
A new made-in-Alberta sanitization product to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 will soon be in use at the Edmonton International Airport and government offices in Calgary and Edmonton, thanks to a partnership with scientists at the University of Alberta’s Biosafety Level 3 Lab. The TESER ACT unit uses ultraviolet-C light from hundreds of LED light…
Groundbreaking work could help industry understand how to store carbon safely over the long term
A University of Alberta researcher is working to improve how carbon dioxide is stored and absorbed when it’s pumped underground for safe, long-term storage. By taking an up-close look at the processes of carbon capture and storage (CCS), Amy Tsai, a professor in the Faculty of Engineering, is getting a better idea of how CO2 is transported…