In a year of unprecedented challenges, the people of the U of A gave us plenty of reasons to expect a brighter future
Let’s be honest: 2020 has been a tough year. Amid a global pandemic whose rising tide continues to take an enormous human and economic toll every day, it’s been hard to hold out hope for whatever the “new normal” might look like once COVID-19 finally ebbs for good. But through everything – including academic and…
Here are our suggestions to help you change your fortunes
I’m one of the worst people you can have buying you gifts. I tend to be one of those guys who shop on Men’s Day at the mall, which is more generally referred to as Christmas Eve. When I was in retail, I would be tired after weeks of selling others gifts and helping them…
If livestock farmers were threatened by the plant-based revolution, they haven’t seen anything yet
For thousands of years, humans have had to kill animals to eat meat. This is no longer the case – at least in Singapore. Cultured meat is now legal in the city-state. The Singapore Food Agency has approved chicken nuggets from a San Francisco-based company called Eat Just, which is known for its cultured meat.…
When RunWithIt Synthetics set out to apply synthetic modelling to predict the impact future disruptions might have on energy grids – such as uptake in electric vehicles, greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, energy efficiency, better battery storage, cybersecurity threats, photovoltaics and even disasters – they turned to the University of Alberta. More specifically, they turned to electrical…
Donated lungs viable for up to six times longer than storing them in ice before transplant
A University of Alberta-led trial has demonstrated the potential of the Ex-Vivo Organ Support System (EVOSS) device to increase life-saving opportunities for patients waiting for a lung transplant. The study, published in Nature Communications, confirmed the efficacy of the device in using negative pressure ventilation ex situ lung perfusion (NPV-ESLP) to assess and reclaim donor lungs that were…
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.…
Loblaws will be able to move food from automated picking facilities multiple times a day to support its online grocery service
Loblaws is partnering with Gatik, an autonomous vehicle provider from the United States, to launch the first autonomous food delivery fleet. This is a solution to the ‘middle mile,’ assuring links between distribution centres and stores. Consumers won’t see autonomous vehicles drive up to their homes yet but that day will surely come soon. These…
Price controls undermine investment, remove incentive for innovation and backfire for consumers
There’s a pervasive belief in Canada that wireless phone service prices are a ripoff. To suggest otherwise is heresy. Countless commentaries provide fodder for this belief, and every few years a politician takes on the purported problem. In the mid-2010s, for example, Industry Minister James Moore supported the entry of Verizon, although the U.S.-based prospective…
New wearable tech by U of A scientists could help improve the speed and accuracy of stroke diagnosis
A new technology developed by University of Alberta neuroscientists is the first step in developing a low-cost, portable method to improve the diagnosis and detection of stroke – before patients arrive at the hospital. “We used a portable headband with embedded EEG sensors, a gyroscope and an accelerometer to see if this can help improve…
New powers will crush consumer freedom, tax and regulate content on the internet, stifle investment, and increase the cost of streaming subscriptions
A federal government that only a few years ago spoke brightly about innovation and embracing the 21st century has sadly lost its way. That was made apparent this week when – smuggled in on U.S. election day when it would get the least attention possible – Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault unveiled legislation giving the Canadian…