Second cube satellite built by student-led team will help scientists monitor wildfires In the world of space science, all eyes were on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida recently for the launch of a rocket carrying three cube satellites made by University of Alberta students and their partners at Yukon University and Aurora College. One…
The telescope’s mid-infrared capabilities allowed scientists to observe previously obscured details in faraway galaxies A team of researchers has been able to see inside faraway spiral galaxies for the first time to study how they formed and how they change over time, thanks to the powerful capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope. Related Stories…
Discovering potential water sources could make extended moon missions possible The first-ever Canadian rover to set wheels on the moon is currently under construction for a mission set to launch as early as 2026. The rover will explore the moon’s south polar region in search of water ice in the lunar soil. Rovers are simply…
New minerals discovered in massive meteorite may reveal clues to asteroid formation A team of researchers has discovered at least two new minerals that have never before been seen on Earth in a 15-tonne meteorite found in Somalia – the ninth-largest meteorite ever found. “Whenever you find a new mineral, it means that the actual…
Student clubs offer a taste of what it means to work together on a multifaceted design project
Engineering clubs are created by students and for students. They provide a sandbox that lets future engineers make new things, sometimes starting with mistakes. COVID-19 jeopardized the clubs, but they’re coming back strong and punching above their weight. “It’s not something that you expect a group of students to take on because of the technical…
Evidence suggests laser-based fusion energy could actually be a viable
A beam of protons painlessly penetrates human tissue until it terminates inside a cancer tumour, where each particle deposits a micro-explosion of radiation energy. The beam is precisely calibrated, targeting only the tumour and leaving surrounding tissue unharmed. Called “proton therapy,” this revolutionary medical treatment is just one application of a relatively new technology using…
Hormones alone are not enough to explain the difference
Female astronauts could avoid knee injuries during space flight – and better tests, prevention and treatments could be developed for knee osteoarthritis in women on Earth – based on newly published research on the sex differences in knee meniscus tissue. Knee osteoarthritis is more common in females than in males, but hormones alone are not…
The most complex scientific spacecraft ever built reaches its destination a million miles away
As the James Webb Space Telescope reaches its destination, a million miles from Earth, University of Alberta space historian Robert Smith will be watching almost as closely as scientists in NASA’s control room. Smith has staked his career on documenting every phase of the Webb and Hubble telescopes over the past four decades and is recognized as the on-the-scene historian…
Speeds up search to observe collisions in first hours when scientists can learn most
University of Alberta physicists have created a new, simpler way to model collisions between neutron stars. The model will enable scientists to predict the brightness of early neutron star mergers more reliably than before – allowing telescopes to gain more information from these events. “Studying the light and electromagnetic waves emitted from these collisions allows…
Kirtan Dhunnoo credits the scholarship for giving him incredible experiences and job-ready skills
Even as a student at Edmonton’s Strathcona High School back in 2014, Kirtan Dhunnoo had a keen understanding of the potential for leadership in each of us. “Not only are there leaders by labels, but there are leaders by virtue of their widely different personalities,” he wrote in his application for a Schulich Leader Scholarship.…