Science

Doug Whitney, center, eats breakfast with his family in Manson, Wash., on Nov. 5, 2022. Whitney inherited the same gene mutation that gave Alzheimer’s disease to his mother, brother and generations of other relatives by the unusually young age of 50. Doug is a healthy 73, his mind still sharp. Somehow, he escaped his genetic fate. (AP Photo/Shelby Lum)

Science seeking Alzheimer’s clues from few who escape genetic fate

Researchers could uncover and mimic whatever protects those who escaped fate of their families

Doug Whitney, center, eats breakfast with his family in Manson, Wash., on Nov. 5, 2022. Whitney inherited the same gene mutation that gave Alzheimer’s disease to his mother, brother and generations of other relatives by the unusually young age of 50. Doug is a healthy 73, his mind still sharp. Somehow, he escaped his genetic fate. (AP Photo/Shelby Lum)
Ryker Ulansky (left) and Jake Ulansky (right) make up half of the U-BOTS team that built a water-powered vehicle and won the Core Values Award First Place at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge BC/Yukon Championship on March 11. (Brandon Tucker/The News)

PHOTOS: Winners of 2023 FIRST LEGO League BC/Yukon Championship heading to USA

A Nanaimo team was the top-ranked group at this year’s competition

Ryker Ulansky (left) and Jake Ulansky (right) make up half of the U-BOTS team that built a water-powered vehicle and won the Core Values Award First Place at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge BC/Yukon Championship on March 11. (Brandon Tucker/The News)
Coho salmon swim at the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Capilano River Hatchery in North Vancouver on Friday July 5, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Coho salmon swim at the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Capilano River Hatchery in North Vancouver on Friday July 5, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
FILE - Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition, March 9, 2020, in Washington. After nine days of being locked out of his Twitter work computer, Haraldur Thorleifsson tweeted at owner Elon Musk, Monday, March 6, 2023, to find out whether or not he’d been fired. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Elon Musk apologizes after mocking laid-off Twitter employee

If you’re not told you are fired, are you really fired? At…

FILE - Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition, March 9, 2020, in Washington. After nine days of being locked out of his Twitter work computer, Haraldur Thorleifsson tweeted at owner Elon Musk, Monday, March 6, 2023, to find out whether or not he’d been fired. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
The country’s first-ever moon rover, seen in an undated handout image, is set to put Canada at the forefront of space exploration, helping in the global search for frozen ice on the celestial body. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-University of Alberta, 2022 Canadensys Aerospace Corp., *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Canadian rover helping in global search for frozen water on dark side of the moon

Discovery of ice could be a stepping-stone to further explorations of the solar system

The country’s first-ever moon rover, seen in an undated handout image, is set to put Canada at the forefront of space exploration, helping in the global search for frozen ice on the celestial body. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-University of Alberta, 2022 Canadensys Aerospace Corp., *MANDATORY CREDIT*
(Black Press Media Creative)

What time is it on moon? Europe pushing for lunar time zone

With more lunar missions than ever on the horizon, the European Space…

(Black Press Media Creative)
A group belonging to an international vulcanology congress rest on the crater lip of the Paricutin volcano, in Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. The crater of the volcano is about 200 meters across and it is possible to both climb the volcano and walk around the entire perimeter. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Birth of Mexican volcano inspires scientists 80 years later

Paricutin’s birth and nine-year eruption the cornerstone of a rare study

A group belonging to an international vulcanology congress rest on the crater lip of the Paricutin volcano, in Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. The crater of the volcano is about 200 meters across and it is possible to both climb the volcano and walk around the entire perimeter. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Chinese scientist He Jiankui arrives to speak at a brief press conference in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. He, a Chinese scientist who set off an ethical debate five years ago with claims that he made the world’s first genetically edited babies, said Tuesday that he hopes to research rare hereditary diseases in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Hong Kong pulls visa for man behind gene-edited babies claim

He Jiankui convicted by a mainland Chinese court in 2019 of practicing medicine without a license

Chinese scientist He Jiankui arrives to speak at a brief press conference in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. He, a Chinese scientist who set off an ethical debate five years ago with claims that he made the world’s first genetically edited babies, said Tuesday that he hopes to research rare hereditary diseases in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Hundreds of people march along Yale Road near Hodgins Avenue during a so-called Fraser Valley Freedom Rally on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

OPINION: The staggering socioeconomic costs of COVID anti-vaxxer behaviour

COVID-is-a-hoax crowd caused thousands more deaths, hundreds of millions in hospital costs: report

Hundreds of people march along Yale Road near Hodgins Avenue during a so-called Fraser Valley Freedom Rally on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
This photo made available by NASA shows the planet Jupiter, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, on June 27, 2019. On Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, scientists said they have discovered 12 new moons around the gas giant, putting the total count at a record-breaking 92. That's more than any other planet in our solar system. (NASA, ESA, A. Simon/Goddard Space Flight Center, M.H. Wong/University of California, Berkeley via AP)

Jupiter’s moon count jumps to 92, most in solar system

Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons around Jupiter, putting the total count…

This photo made available by NASA shows the planet Jupiter, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, on June 27, 2019. On Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, scientists said they have discovered 12 new moons around the gas giant, putting the total count at a record-breaking 92. That's more than any other planet in our solar system. (NASA, ESA, A. Simon/Goddard Space Flight Center, M.H. Wong/University of California, Berkeley via AP)
A northeast B.C. dinosaur footprint compared to a human foot. (District of Hudson’s Hope website)

Theft of dinosaur footprints in northeast B.C. lands Alberta man jail time, $15K fine

Bennward Ingram sentenced to 25 days in jail and $15,000 fine for role in vandalizing protected site

A northeast B.C. dinosaur footprint compared to a human foot. (District of Hudson’s Hope website)
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows decreased functional connectivity in the human brain after exposure to traffic pollution. (Courtesy UBC Faculty of Medicine)

Traffic pollution can impair brain function, say B.C. researchers

Groundbreaking UVic and UBC study finds even brief exposures have adverse effects on human brain

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows decreased functional connectivity in the human brain after exposure to traffic pollution. (Courtesy UBC Faculty of Medicine)
Visitors view artist Refik Anadol’s “Unsupervised” exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in New York. The new AI-generated installation is meant to be a thought-provoking interpretation of the New York City museum’s prestigious collection. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Learning to lie: AI tools proving adept at creating disinformation

‘I think what’s clear is that in the wrong hands there’s going to be a lot of trouble’

Visitors view artist Refik Anadol’s “Unsupervised” exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in New York. The new AI-generated installation is meant to be a thought-provoking interpretation of the New York City museum’s prestigious collection. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Fish swim in a coral reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia in a handout photo. Fish, it turns out, are a chatty lot. They communicate about everything from what area of the sea has the best food to where predators might be hiding and, of course, their desire for for a mate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Simon Fraser University-Kieran Cox

Fish sounds could help scientists understand their ocean world

Scientists say acoustic monitoring can answer numerous questions related to ecology, evolution

Fish swim in a coral reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia in a handout photo. Fish, it turns out, are a chatty lot. They communicate about everything from what area of the sea has the best food to where predators might be hiding and, of course, their desire for for a mate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Simon Fraser University-Kieran Cox
Travis Baker - assistant professor at Rutgers University - Newark's Centre for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience - is developing technology to treat substance abuse disorders. 
(Photo submitted)

B.C. scientist studying use of magnetic brain stimulation to treat substance abuse

Nanaimo’s Travis Baker earns $2.5-million grant for research at Rutgers University-Newark

Travis Baker - assistant professor at Rutgers University - Newark's Centre for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience - is developing technology to treat substance abuse disorders. 
(Photo submitted)
FILE - A boat navigates at night next to large icebergs near the town of Kulusuk, in eastern Greenland on Aug. 15, 2019. A sharp spike in Greenland temperatures since 1995 showed the giant northern island 2.7 degrees (1.5 degrees Celsius) hotter than its 20th-century average, the warmest in more than 1,000 years, according to new ice core data. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

New ice core analysis shows sharp Greenland warming spike

Warming spike mirrors a sudden rise in the amount of water running off Greenland ice

FILE - A boat navigates at night next to large icebergs near the town of Kulusuk, in eastern Greenland on Aug. 15, 2019. A sharp spike in Greenland temperatures since 1995 showed the giant northern island 2.7 degrees (1.5 degrees Celsius) hotter than its 20th-century average, the warmest in more than 1,000 years, according to new ice core data. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Members of the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly during a Zoom meeting. (Screenshot)

‘Zoom fatigue’: New study suggests human brains need in-person interaction

Montreal researchers find brains ‘synchronize’ better when people are talking in person

Members of the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly during a Zoom meeting. (Screenshot)
A statement from the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces says they’ve confirmed remains recovered in Vendin-le-Vieil, in northern France are those of Corporal Percy Howarth, who is believed to have died in the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917. The facade of the headquarters of the Department of National Defence is pictured in Ottawa, on April 3, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

A whistle, a watch and DNA identify B.C. soldier 106 years after death in France

Remains discovered in 2011, but it would be another decade before Cpl. Percy Howarth was identified

A statement from the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces says they’ve confirmed remains recovered in Vendin-le-Vieil, in northern France are those of Corporal Percy Howarth, who is believed to have died in the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917. The facade of the headquarters of the Department of National Defence is pictured in Ottawa, on April 3, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Co-first author Jimena Pérez-Vargas works in the UBC Facility for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research, studying natural compounds that can be used to fight COVID-19. (Credit: Paul Joseph)

Bacteria harvested from B.C.’s coastline fight COVID-19 in a new and exciting way

UBC researchers have identified 3 compounds with long-term promise

Co-first author Jimena Pérez-Vargas works in the UBC Facility for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research, studying natural compounds that can be used to fight COVID-19. (Credit: Paul Joseph)
This colorized electron microscope image made available by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in November 2022, shows cells, indicated in purple, infected with the omicron strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, orange, isolated from a patient sample, captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Md. (NIAID/NIH via AP)

‘Kraken’ as a COVID subvariant name beats ‘alphabet soup’ moniker: biologist

Canadian scientist proposing snappy names to better inform the public

This colorized electron microscope image made available by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in November 2022, shows cells, indicated in purple, infected with the omicron strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, orange, isolated from a patient sample, captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Md. (NIAID/NIH via AP)