Conservation of tree diversity is key to fighting climate change Keeping tree diversity intact in Canada’s many forests over the long term can help increase carbon capture and mitigate climate change, according to a new University of Alberta study. The study, published in Nature, is the first of its kind to show the sustained benefits…
Basic cooking skills and careful planning can help you eat healthy without breaking your food budget Inflation is biting into the average shopper’s food budget, but there are ways to still keep good nutrition on the table, says a University of Alberta expert. Basic cooking skills, combined with a dash of careful planning, can help…
Easy-to-use, inexpensive method maps where wildfires are likely to blaze a trail into populated areas A fast, easy method to map possible wildfire pathways into a community has been developed by the University of Alberta’s Wildfire Analytics Team. The method assesses the directional vulnerabilities a community has to wildfire. Related Stories Fort Mac wildfire smoke…
Millions of Canadians are juggling full-time jobs and unpaid support for loved ones Having a full-time job is challenging enough for most people – but add in a friend or relative who depends on you for their care, and the workload becomes much heavier and more complex. That’s the daily reality for 5.2 million Canadians…
Shown to promote reproductive health and protect against infections A probiotic developed at the University of Alberta is the first of its kind to have widespread benefits for dairy cows, and is starting to make its way into the marketplace. Immunobiologist Burim Ametaj, a professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, says…
Protecting vital wildlife could also reduce health risks for nature-loving humans Mice, voles and other rodents are small, but as carriers of disease, they can pack a mighty punch. The chronic infections they carry may not only threaten their existence as a food source for larger wildlife but also pose a health risk to humans.…
Research on fish shows that waiting before reaching for medications may be beneficial for humans It may be better to let a mild fever run its course instead of automatically reaching for medication, new University of Alberta research suggests. Researchers found that untreated moderate fever helped fish clear their bodies of infection rapidly, controlled inflammation…
The "wood-wide web" concept, which has taken root in popular media, challenged by researchers The idea that forest trees can “talk” to each other through a connective underground web of delicate fungal filaments tickles the imagination. In fact, the concept is so intriguing it’s taken root in popular media, from a popular book to podcasts,…
New research could help cattle — and beef producers — cope with more extreme ups and downs in temperature year-round Some cows are naturally more efficient at converting the food they eat into weight gain: does that ability mean they might also be better at weathering climate change? It’s a question University of Alberta beef…
Contamination actually occurred during vaginal delivery, clinical procedures or DNA sequencing Scientific claims that babies harbour bacteria while still in the womb are inaccurate, according to University of Alberta researchers involved in an international study. The perspective paper, published in Nature, should settle a debate in the research community about whether a fetal microbiome exists,…