Seismologists are feeling the shake in their home basements and backyards Geological Survey of Canada Pacific Division seismologist Andrew Schaeffer misses seeing his colleagues, but their work monitoring earthquake activity across Canada continues and hasn’t missed a beat since they began working from home mid-March. Keywords: Natural hazards Read more
Atlantic Forestry Centre duo turn home spaces into working science labs Tucked away on a private lot in a small community just outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Natural Resources Canada scientists Kate Van Rooyen and Roger Graves have transformed their home into a mini-forestry lab. Keywords: Forestry and insects Read more
Hope for Climate Change From Canada's Arctic Ocean After an impressive career spanning five decades, four countries, three continents, several oceans and countless adventures, you might expect Peta Mudie ready to take a rest. You would be wrong. Now an emeritus scientist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia — a Government of Canada ocean research facility and the largest ocean research station in Canada — she speaks with a measured urgency: “We’re at a tipping point where we’ve passed the ability to have great certainty in forecasting what’s come for the future.” Keywords: Arctic Climate change Read more
What’s that crawling through the forests of Prince Edward Island? Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) scientists literally have their hands full as they search all corners of Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) to learn more about the beetles crawling through its forests. Keywords: Forestry and insects Read more
What trees should I plant? (Urban Forest) Dendrologist Ken Farr takes us through a tour of the Arboretum of the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa to look at trees that you might find useful for planting in the urban forest in and around the place where you live. Keywords: Forestry and insects Watch now
The science — and art — of forecasting wildland fires On a beautiful spring day, it might be hard to imagine this is the calm before the storm. But wait. While Canada’s wildland fire season is off to a relatively quiet start, it could all change as early as June according to seasonal forecasts from Natural Resources Canada’s wildland fire research team. Keywords: Forestry and insects Natural hazards Read more
Women Fuelling the Future of Science Look around! Apollo 11, the smallpox vaccine, the first direct evidence of dark matter in space. These are just a few of the outstanding scientific breakthroughs made possible by women working hard behind the scenes. In this episode we look at how women have helped make science, and our world, what it is today. Do you want to be an arctic explorer, a fossil hunter or a green energy guru? Then stay tuned! Keywords: Energy Energy efficiency Read more
The link between deadly volcanos, climate change and mass extinctions On a typical day at the lab, research scientist Steve Grasby focuses on geochemistry at the Geological Survey of Canada – Calgary (GSC – Calgary). Keywords: Geosciences Natural hazards Read more
Does space really have weather? (To the Point) From gamma ray bursts to solar winds to supernovas, space is filled with mysterious phenomena. But does space really have its own weather? This animated video explains the concept of “space weather”, and why scientists monitor the forecast. Keywords: Natural hazards Watch now
Why are researchers interested in an earthquake that occurred over 300 years ago? Hint: it’s the largest earthquake that ever hit eastern North America. So why the interest? It’s quite simple. By collecting and dating samples of wood and organic material buried in the debris of ground movements, the researchers can determine whether there have been other major quakes and thus measure the threat of earthquakes in the area. Keywords: Geosciences Natural hazards Read more
Digging Up Dirt on the Spruce Budworm The spruce budworm is an insect that eats the needles of fir and spruce, weakening the trees an putting them at risk for disease or even death. As if that wasn't enough, researchers are now looking at the potential impact that spruce budworm outbreaks could have on climate change. On today's episode: killer insects, scientific collaboration and elaborate cheese plates… Keywords: Forestry and insects Read more
Changing How We Fight Wildfires Today, we hear from someone who started his career by fighting fires on the ground. Now, he’s turned his sights to the sky. We’re about to find out how a satellite the size of a dishwasher could radically change the way we fight fires in Canada. Keywords: Forestry and insects Natural hazards Read more