Quirks & Quarkswith Bob McDonald
Latest
Feb 29: Coronavirus containment window closing, whale skin care, gingko trees eternal youth and more…
Does cloud seeding work, and listening to the sounds of the Arctic Ocean
Analysis
First robot-to-robot docking a big step towards dealing with space junk
Bob McDonald's science blog
We may have passed the tipping point in the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak
'I think the risk over the next month is reasonably high that we'll start to see this spread in Canada.'
Long-lived trees may have found the cellular secret to theoretical immortality
Gingko biloba trees have evolved unique ways to get around aging process
We've been cloud seeding for decades, but now we finally know it works
Researchers were able to track three attempts at cloud seeding from start to finish to measure how much snow was produced.
Walrus knocking, seals trilling: These are the sounds of the Arctic
Researchers captured 33,000 animal calls over four years of recording.
Why do some animals lay eggs, and others give live birth?
The egg came first - the chicken, and live births, came way later
Feb 22: Live animal markets and viruses, largest turtle's horned shell, a robot for Europa and more…
Jewel beetles iridescent camouflage, better talk on climate change and flying west
Analysis
Canadian Space Agency searching for young astronauts
Bob McDonald's science blog
Tracking the spread of viruses in live animal markets by building one in a lab
These 'artificial ecosystem' experiments could help develop strategies to mitigate the spread of potentially dangerous viruses
The largest turtle that ever lived had fighting horns on its shell
This freshwater turtle was the size of a small car, and lived in the north part of South America 12 million years ago.
NASA's building a robot to explore Jupiter's moon Europa — from underneath its icy shell
The buoyant robot will "drive" upside down on the undersurface of Europa's ice.
Vivid and fabulous jewel beetles actually use their colours for camouflage
It was thought that the bright, shimmering colours would make the insects more obvious to predators.
Why the way we talk about climate change makes some people stop listening
If you tune out during climate change talk, it's not your fault - it's just your brain keeping you safe
How can planes travel against the rotation of the Earth?
How do planes ever arrive at their destination? Turns out, it's because the air is travelling too
Feb 15: Agriculture moving north, Arrokoth's secrets, the microbiome for flight and more...
Fisheries science with indigenous perspective, slippery surface and seasons on other planets
Analysis
NASA re-masters Carl Sagan's iconic 'Pale Blue Dot' image 30 years later
Bob McDonald's science blog
Wheat and potatoes in Nunavut? Climate change could bring agriculture to the North
A new study finds that most of Canada's north will be suitable for farmland as the climate warms. But researchers caution this could be disastrous for the area and its people if not done sustainably.
Arrokoth reveals how the solar system's building blocks were built
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft continues its exploration past Pluto
Canadian scientists engineer self-cleaning surface that can repel dangerous bacteria
This material could help prevent bacterial contamination from spreading in the food and healthcare industries
The secret to flight in birds and bats is not just wings, it's guts
Birds and bats share a commonality in their microbiome that may mean they carry lighter loads.
Bringing 'two eyed seeing' — Indigenous knowledge and science — to fisheries conservation
Fisheries scientist Andrea Reid has embraced her Indigenous roots and is committed to giving back to her community by sharing her experience and scientific knowledge
Do other planets in the solar system have orbital tilt and seasons?
All but Mercury have orbital tilt, and there are some long and extreme seasons on other planets
Feb 8: Coronavirus treatment, parentese helps baby talk, seals clap back and more…
Splicing damaged nerves, getting astronauts to Mars healthy and sane and smoke on glaciers
Analysis
A trillion trees will not be enough if emissions continue to rise
Bob McDonald's science blog
