Using tree rings to discover the history of drought in southwest Sask.
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CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Study looks at how massaging newborn calves might make them heavier and healthier
As part of a research study with Olds College, two Alberta farming families are massaging their newborn calves for one minute. The technique is called "tactile stimulation" and it's being applied as a way to get the animals used to humans. It's thought this can reduce their stress, improve their health and, ideally, their profitability down the road.
CBC
5 hours ago
- CBC
Like taking nature pics? The national week-long scavenger hunt for biodiversity is for you
From backyard bird sightings to interesting plants and curious mushrooms on the hiking trail, everyday nature encounters can be recorded and photographed to be added to a national biodiversity database. Londoners are invited to join the Big Backyard BioBlitz, a Canada-wide citizen science event organized by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), which returns for its fifth year from July 28 to August 4. The week-long initiative invites people of all ages to snap photos or make audio recordings of the birds, animals, plants, fungi and even invasive species they come across, and upload them using the free iNaturalist app. "It's open to everyone," said Sarah Meyer, co-ordinator of conservation biology at the NCC, on CBC London Morning. "Whether you're in your backyard, walking through a city park, or camping in the backwoods, your observations help shape our understanding of local ecosystems." The BioBlitz is more than a fun outdoor activity, it's a crowdsourced scientific effort. Last year, participants submitted more than 47,000 observations, including nearly 22,000 in Ontario alone. Since it started, the event has helped document over 8,600 species, including rare and endangered ones. "It's about getting more eyes on the ground," Meyer says. "We can't be everywhere at once, but this gives us a snapshot of what's blooming, what's migrating, and even when invasive species are starting to spread." Armed with a smartphone, tablet or digital camera, participants can upload what they see and hear to iNaturalist, which helps identify species and makes the data accessible to researchers. The information gathered will help inform everything from conservation planning to habitat protection. New this year, the BioBlitz has been extended from a long weekend to a full week, giving families more time to get involved, including over the August holiday. To help engage younger naturalists, the NCC has created printable activities available online, including scavenger hunt bingo, word searches, and colouring pages. "It's amazing what kids can spot," Meyer said. "Sometimes they're the first to see something we'd completely miss. This is a chance for them to be scientists, too." Meyer said the BioBlitz also serves a larger purpose, especially as biodiversity faces growing threats from climate change and habitat loss. "Every single observation adds to our knowledge," she said. "It might just feel like you're taking a photo of a milkweed or a beetle, but collectively, that data helps scientists make real conservation decisions."
CTV News
9 hours ago
- CTV News
Study finds more women opted for long-acting IUDs after B.C. made birth control free
A one-month dosage of hormonal birth control pills is displayed in Sacramento, Calif., Aug. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) A new study finds significantly more women opted for long-acting birth control methods after British Columbia made prescription contraception free. Researchers found prescriptions for all types of birth control jumped significantly after the province began covering the cost of contraception in April 2023, especially for intrauterine devices (IUDs). The study published Monday in the BMJ examined the prescriptions of nearly 860,000 women in the 15 months after contraception coverage began and compared them to what would have been expected without coverage. It found a 49 per cent increase in prescriptions for IUDs, which are inserted into the uterus to prevent fertilization and considered 10 times more effective than pills or condoms. Reached in Vancouver, lead author Laura Schummers said IUDs can cost up to $450 out-of-pocket. 'This tells us that costs alone are a huge barrier to the most effective methods of contraception across Canada,' said Schummers, an assistant professor in the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of British Columbia. The study says roughly 11,000 additional women chose the more reliable option. It examined prescriptions for women aged 15 to 49 between April 2023 and June 2024. This report by Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press, was first published July 28, 2025.
