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Impact Stories

Improving wastewater decontamination
Improving wastewater decontamination
December 10, 2019
At Concordia, with a team of 15 undergraduate, graduate and visiting researchers, Howarth focuses on the design and synthesis of rare-earth metal-organic frameworks targeting applications in wastewater remediation and chemical sensing.

Water detected on an exoplanet located in its star’s habitable zone
Water detected on an exoplanet located in its star’s habitable zone
November 29, 2019
Ever since the discovery of the first exoplanet in the 1990s, astronomers have made steady progress towards finding and probing planets located in the habitable zone of their stars, where conditions can lead to the formation of liquid water and the proliferation of life.

Self-healing gel
Self-healing gel
November 8, 2019
McMaster researchers have developed a novel new gel made entirely from bacteria-killing viruses.

Wave goodbye to user error
Wave goodbye to user error
September 6, 2019
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a strategy that could reduce the level of frustration users experience when giving gesture commands to smart devices and smart environments.

Big fish in a shrinking pond
Big fish in a shrinking pond
July 23, 2019
Populations of large fish and other marine species will decline steadily if little is done to stem the effects of climate change, according to a study led by Dalhousie University researchers that shows how greenhouse gas emissions could cause widespread global stock losses and habitat shifts.

Spider spinning technology
Spider spinning technology
June 26, 2019
When University of Victoria biomedical engineer Mohsen Akbari gets talking about the futuristic microfibres being created in his lab to solve medical mysteries, it sounds just about as far away from nature as you can get.

Honey bees can help monitor pollution in cities
Honey bees can help monitor pollution in cities
May 2, 2019
Honey from urban bees can tell us how clean a city is and help pinpoint the sources of environmental pollutants such as lead, new University of British Columbia research has found.

The wild, wild west of wearable technology
The wild, wild west of wearable technology
April 26, 2019
If you’re out sweating with your Fitbit aiming for 10,000 steps, Kinesiology’s Dr. Reed Ferber (English only), PhD, wants you to know you don’t need to feel guilty if you don’t hit that goal.

Foam to Bone
Foam to Bone
April 18, 2019
Researchers from the University of British Columbia and McMaster University have developed what could be the bone implant material of the future: an airy, foamlike substance that can be injected into the body and provide scaffolding for the growth of new bone.

Partnership connects students to their waterways and communities
Partnership connects students to their waterways and communities
April 10, 2019
A unique project focused on helping School District 91 students in the Nechako watershed region become more connected to their waterways and communities has launched in Vanderhoof, British Columbia.

A groove is better with rhythm and harmony, new research shows
A groove is better with rhythm and harmony, new research shows
April 2, 2019
It takes King Curtis less than half a minute into “Memphis Soul Stew,” his best-remembered song, to really get a groove going. When it does, it doesn’t let go.

Grape Balls of Fire
Grape Balls of Fire
March 27, 2019
Trent University professor Dr. Aaron Slepkov worked with seven undergraduate students to answer the question of why microwaved grapes become a fireball light show.

University research partnership forms new company
University research partnership forms new company
March 11, 2019
Dr. Maev, Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR) and local ultrasonic imaging manufacturer Tessonics Inc., has developed a new way of applying powder coatings that cleans, coats, and works metal in a single operation.

The “grandmother effect”: a crucial role in demographic evolution
The “grandmother effect”: a crucial role in demographic evolution
February 26, 2019
From a biological perspective, menopause in women is puzzling: in comparison to what is observed in other species, it occurs much earlier, and long before the end of women’s life expectancy.

Creating cocrystals from deep in the periodic table
Creating cocrystals from deep in the periodic table
February 5, 2019
Imagine a waterproof computer. It’s not going to happen tomorrow, but it may no longer be a pipedream since a McGill-led international research team has shown for the first time that it is possible to form strong, stable attractions between some of the heavier elements in the periodic table.

Amateur hockey with a professional twist
Amateur hockey with a professional twist
January 29, 2019
Researchers at York University have developed a deep learning-based computer vision system for attentive puck tracking (APT) that is able to automatically track the play in a game of hockey and deliver a dynamic zoomed video feed similar to an NHL broadcast feed.

CCOVI research vineyards to tackle climate change challenges
CCOVI research vineyards to tackle climate change challenges
January 15, 2019
Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) is looking to aid Canada’s grape growers and wineries with the help of two new research vineyards.