Quirks & Quarkswith Bob McDonald
Latest
Dec 5: A mysterious light from the universe, undoing cellular ageing, feather talking and more…
A smartwatch predicts COVID, the path of the polar bear and moon volcanoes
Analysis
New 3D map of the Milky Way continues a quest that began in Canada
Bob McDonald's blog: The map includes data from more than 1.8 billion stars
Pluto probe finds mysterious night light in the universe
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has detected light with no obvious source coming from beyond our galaxy.
Your smartwatch might be able to detect early signs of COVID-19
Scientists can detect signs of possible infection up to 10 days before symptoms appear
These birds communicate through feather flutters - and even have different accents
The fork-tailed flycatcher is a tiny yet feisty bird that flutters its feathers to pick a mate or challenge a threat. A new study shows how they make these sounds, and that they're different between subspecies.
Scientists reverse aging in retinal cells by removing genetic 'rust' to restore vision
The findings suggest that cells retain a memory of their genetically programmed youthful state
Ice Walker — a mother polar bear's precarious existence in the changing Arctic
Naturalist James Raffan's new book is a fictional account of real risks face by bears
Why does Jupiter's moon Io have volcanoes but our moon doesn't?
Jupiter's powerful gravity creates tidal friction that drives Io's volcanoes
Nov 28: Quick tests for COVID, rat hides poison in its fur, neuroscientists see how we see colour and more…
Our planet’s climate zones are changing and why the hottest temperatures are in Death Valley
Analysis
Chinese sample return mission to the moon harkens back to 1960s lunar race
Bob McDonald's blog: Robot mission will return first moon rocks since 1976
Could quick COVID 'antigen' tests break the back of the pandemic?
A new study suggests frequent rapid antigen testing could control the spread of the virus within weeks.
This gorgeous African rat combs poison into its fur to deter predators
Researchers observed the rats chewing poison bark, and don't know how they are unaffected
Neuroscience suggests that yes, when you see purple, it's the same purple I see
Brain imaging study shows patterns of activation are similar between individuals
The world's major climate zones — polar, temperate and tropical — are transforming as we watch
Several recent studies look at how climate change is redrawing the map.
Why are the hottest temperatures measured in Death Valley?
Death Valley is more accessible than the Sahara desert which makes recording temperature much easier.
Nov 21: Microbial mining in space, baby birds get the boot, palm oil substitutes and more…
Deep sea squid says ‘g’day’, Canada’s place in space and how do fans make cool air?
Analysis
Famous Arecibo telescope was the first to send a signal to alien civilizations
Bob McDonald's blog: Damage to historic instrument means it will be dismantled
Microbes may be our miners on asteroids, moons and other planets
Microbes could be put to use in future human space settlements extracting metals and rare elements from rocks, according to a researcher who designed the world's first mining experiment in space.
Songbird parents manipulate their chicks out of the nest before they're ready to go
Parents will lure their fledglings out of the nest with food or by calling them
Canadian food scientists develop eco-friendly substitutes for palm oil
Technique involves transforming liquid oils into solid fats
Super rare deep sea squid spotted in Australian waters for the first time
Magnapinna, or bigfin squid, is the size of a hotdog bun, but with filaments up to 7 metres long.
Q&A
Canadian technological ingenuity and astronaut talent has been our ticket to space
New book tells the tale of Canada’s involvement in international space exploration, and how the Canadarm became 'Canada's space currency.'
Why do fans make the air feel cooler?
Air flow from a fan makes the air feel cooler due to convection and evaporation
Nov 14: COVID vaccine & immune durability, wallabies in the UK, ancient female hunters and more …
Humans are cooler than we used to be, Herzberg gold medal winner and how old are circadian rhythms?
Analysis
Would hyperloop transportation technology work in Canada?
Bob McDonald's blog: Travelling by hyperloop could theoretically get you from Toronto to Montreal in 1 hour, or Edmonton to Calgary in 30 minutes
