Including diamonds
A new study sheds light on a fundamental mechanism of how Earth’s continental plates heal, with implications for diamond exploration and locating economically important minerals. “Cratons are the oldest stable continental land masses on Earth and are widely known as repositories for diamonds and metals of economic importance,” said Jingao Liu, lead author and visiting…
Study re-examining what early snakes might have looked like
New research led by a University of Alberta graduate student could lead to reimagining what early snakes might have looked like, suggesting that some of the world’s supposedly simplest snakes have a more complex evolutionary history than traditionally thought. Snakes are broadly divided into two groups based on their feeding mechanisms: macrostomatan snakes, able to…
Researchers examine what logging, climate change and other factors mean for caribou populations
New research by University of Alberta biologists paints a clearer picture of how food webs are shifting in response to changing habitats in Canada’s boreal forests, and what it means for dwindling caribou populations. “We know that habitat, prey and predators such as wolves are all pieces of the caribou conservation puzzle, and here we…
Mountain pine beetles can be an important contributor to forest health, but ...
In a new study aimed at assisting efforts to contain the destructive spread of mountain pine beetles, University of Alberta biologists examined their flight techniques and used genetic information to track how they are spreading through the province. “One of the reasons these beetles have become such a problem is because of the difficulty in…
Up until now, Canada has been highly dependent on foreign suppliers
University of Alberta spinoff company Applied Quantum Materials Inc. (AQM) is using its chemical production expertise to partner with Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Alberta Precision Labs to provide critical reagents needed for COVID-19 testing. “These reagents – or ‘magnetic beads’ – used in standard nucleic acid testing are the gold standard for molecular tests,” said Stacey Hume, associate professor in…
U of A scientists use fireball monitoring network to capture images of the meteor that lit up the skies over Western Canada
Western Canadians caught a glimpse of a bright flash overhead this week as a fireball lit up the sky on the morning of Feb. 22. Now, University of Alberta researchers have used Western Canada’s most advanced fireball network to capture images and trajectory of the fireball – revealing it to be a small piece of…
U of A biologists track the migratory birds over 10,000 km with GPS to study their route – and the cause behind their declining numbers
A new study by University of Alberta biologists has created a comprehensive picture of the 10,000-km migratory route of common nighthawks using GPS data. The study is the first step in analyzing where and why the birds’ population numbers are declining. “Like many migratory bird species, common nighthawks are declining, but the rate of those…
Former grad student discovers new trace fossil and names it in honour of former supervisor Murray Gingras
A newly discovered trace fossil of an ancient burrow has been named after University of Alberta paleontologist Murray Gingras. The fossil, discovered by a former graduate student, has an important role to play in gauging how salty ancient bodies of water were, putting together a clearer picture of our planet’s past. “One could not find a…
University of Alberta PhD student part of research that sheds new light on how the dinosaurs grew from tiny to titanic size
A University of Alberta student is part of a team of researchers who have just published an in-depth study of a stunning find: the first tyrannosaur embryo fossils ever discovered. The results shed new light on how the iconic dinosaurs grew and developed. “Tyrannosaurs are represented by dozens of skeletons and thousands of isolated bones or partial…
Redox flow battery technology has promising applications for storing energy from renewable sources
University of Alberta chemists are making new strides in research on a type of battery that could help power the future. “Environmentally friendly renewable energy sources such as solar and wind provide a significant opportunity to alleviate the energy crisis and dramatically reduce carbon emissions,” said Hao Wang, chemistry PhD student in the Faculty of Science.…