New ultrasound helmet breaks blood-brain barrier for ALS treatment
Avis Favaro explores treatment for ALS, including a world-first, made-in-Canada helmet that delivers medication into the brain.
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CTV News
21 minutes ago
- CTV News
Beavers could help prevent wildfires, researchers say
A member of the beaver family creating tension in Martinez, Calif., gathers dam-building twigs during an evening swim on Monday, Nov. 5, 2007. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) As North America fights increasingly brutal wildfire seasons, one team of U.S. researchers is suggesting something among the lowest of low-tech strategies: To let the humble beaver do its work. In a study published Monday, environmental scientists at Stanford University and the University of Minnesota examined aerial photos across a vast area of the western United States and Canada, cataloguing more than 1,000 individual beaver ponds to better understand how they interact with watersheds and the surrounding land. 'Beavers are naturally doing a lot of the things that we try to do as humans to manage river corridors,' said study co-author Kate Maher, in a Monday release. 'Humans will build one structure, leave it there, and hope it lasts for many decades. Beavers on the other hand, build little, tiny dams where they're needed and flexibly manage what's going on with the water in their environment.' Furry firefighters? By building dams across rivers, beavers create ponds of cool water throughout forested areas, contributing to local biodiversity and, researchers say, both improving water quality and reducing the spread of wildfires. In particular, beaver ponds help create what forestry experts call 'fire refugia,' or patches of land that remain untouched, even when the surrounding area burns. In one 2020 study, researchers found that areas without beaver populations lost three times as much vegetation during wildfires as those with plentiful dams, on average. And while those burned zones tended to grow back over time even without them, refugia like beaver ponds were found to be strong contributors to wildfire resistance. 'When a fire does ignite, our data suggests that the beaver-dammed riparian areas have stored water that kept plants hydrated enough to make it energetically unfavorable to burn,' it reads. 'It's similar to trying to start a fire with a pile of wet leaves versus with dry kindling.' Included in the study is a photo from the aftermath of a California wildfire showing two branches of a creek, one scorched bare and the other with a strip of greenery cutting through the devastation. The difference between them? That still-green branch had a beaver dam spanning from bank to bank. Wildfire Beaver Dam (Image credit: Burned Area Emergency Response, via the Ecological Society of America) Lodging concerns Since the gold rush of fur trapping in the early days of European colonization, North American beaver populations have fallen sharply, to between 10 and 15 million in the modern day from estimated highs in the hundreds of millions. Most recently, though, conservation efforts have set the stage for a resurgence. 'After enduring centuries of hunting, habitat loss, and disease, North American beavers … are making a comeback – and bringing benefits for both humans and nature with them,' the Monday release reads. Not everyone would be thrilled to hear it, though. Researchers note that, in the wrong place at the wrong time, beaver dams can cause headaches, if not catastrophes, from flooding agricultural fields, to preventing drainage along roadways, to reducing water flows to already drought-stricken areas. Maher and her colleagues recommend a tailored approach, supporting the growth of beaver populations while relocating 'nuisance beavers' to somewhere they can help, not harm. Brad Bonner, Garrett Pittis In this Sept. 12, 2014, photo, Brad Bonner and Garrett Pittis transport a 50-pound male beaver nicknamed Quincy to a creek near Ellensburg, Wash. Under a program in central Washington, nuisance beavers are being trapped and relocated to the headwaters of the Yakima River where biologists hope their dams help restore water systems used by salmon, other animals and people. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes) Identifying those high-impact areas is the next question to tackle, they say. The study published Monday provided data on how the length of dams, strength of streams and the height of local vegetation can influence the size of ponds, laying the groundwork for building site-selection maps. 'There's definitely a lot of exuberance around reintroducing beavers, and it may not be that every beaver reintroduction project is the right one to pursue,' said Maher in the release. 'It's important to understand those trade-offs and the risks and rewards from either intentionally reintroducing beavers, or just their natural return to watersheds.'
CTV News
21 minutes ago
- CTV News
Lawyer ‘very confident' a foreign adversary attacked Canadian diplomats in Cuba
In this April 17, 2018, file photo, a man walks beside Canada's embassy in Havana, Cuba. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan, File) OTTAWA — A lawyer for Canadian diplomats and their families says he believes the mysterious ailments they suffered in Cuba were caused by a foreign adversary, despite a federal government report that dismisses the theory. Eight years after foreign service officials and their dependants began reporting such symptoms as headaches, memory loss, mood changes, vision problems, nausea and nosebleeds, a legal action against Ottawa over the health problems is still grinding along in Federal Court. The 17 plaintiffs, who seek millions of dollars in damages, allege the Canadian government failed to protect them, hid crucial information and downplayed the seriousness of the risks. The government has denied negligence and wrongdoing. Several U.S. personnel who worked in Cuba have reported similar health issues, commonly known as Havana Syndrome. Theories about the cause have included pesticide spraying, the effect of chirping crickets, malfunctioning eavesdropping devices, and targeted energy or sonic attacks by an enemy state. The Canadian government says it has found no evidence of foul play by a foreign adversary. A Global Affairs Canada report completed in August 2024 says the department has concluded that the unexplained health incidents 'were not the result of a malicious act of a foreign actor.' The report, drawing on the work of an interdepartmental task force and external experts, says pre-existing medical conditions, environmental factors and conventional illnesses 'were likely to have been important factors in many of the symptoms experienced.' The report adds that the findings 'do not cast doubt on the authenticity of the symptoms reported by staff members and their dependants.' Paul Miller, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told The Canadian Press he is 'very confident' a foreign actor is to blame for the Canadians' health difficulties. 'I really trust the people that I have spoken with and met with,' he said. 'I have absolutely no faith in the (Global Affairs Canada) report because they are trying to put out the narrative that works for them.' The plaintiffs' court action, filed in 2019, remains unresolved. Three years ago, the parties agreed to the appointment of a former Supreme Court judge to mediate the claims of nine family members in the case. Miller said the two days of talks in early 2023 'just went nowhere.' He said he has made efforts to file new information in the case but the material is being treated as confidential pending the resolution of concerns about the disclosure of sensitive or potentially injurious information, as defined by the Canada Evidence Act. The Global Affairs report traces the various steps federal agencies have taken over the years in response to the illness complaints, including security, medical and environmental assessments. A multi-agency Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, led by the RCMP, opened an investigation in June 2017. Global Affairs and RCMP officials began travelling regularly to Cuba as part of the investigation to look at the possibility of malicious attacks, the report says. Canadian officials also shared information with foreign partners, including the United States. In 2019, instruments designed to detect and capture evidence of acoustic and radiation surges, and to measure environmental effects — such as temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and ozone levels — were installed in the living quarters of Canadian staff in Havana. 'The data collected from the instruments did not provide relevant and probative information to identify a cause for the symptoms,' the Global Affairs report says. 'As such, in 2022, the instruments were removed.' The integrated national security team concluded 'there was no criminality and no evidence attributing these health symptoms to a foreign actor,' the report adds. 'In their conclusions, the RCMP and other domestic partner agencies assess that there is no known criminality, no known attribution for (unexplained health incidents) and no patterns related to symptoms, age, gender, location, or other variable.' The U.S. intelligence community looked at possible evidence of a foreign adversary's involvement, the feasibility of tools that could cause the reported symptoms and whether medical analysis could help find answers. A March 1, 2023, report from the U.S. National Intelligence Council said these lines of inquiry led most intelligence community agencies to conclude — with varying levels of confidence — that it was 'very unlikely' a foreign adversary was responsible for the health issues reported by American personnel. Global Affairs, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP subsequently met to discuss the U.S. council's findings. The RCMP indicated that 'since no criminality was uncovered, its criminal investigation would be concluded,' and CSIS advised it also would be wrapping up its investigations for similar reasons, the Global Affairs report says. Overall, the Canadian efforts 'have not uncovered a clear common cause of the symptoms experienced by government of Canada employees,' the report adds. 'Canada's findings are aligned with the conclusions of the United States on their various health studies and the security report published by the National Intelligence Council.' Miller points to other research and testimony that challenge those findings. Lawyer Mark Zaid, representing several U.S. personnel with symptoms, told a congressional hearing in May 2024 there was intelligence, scientific and medical evidence substantiating the reports of anomalous health incidents, and that some were caused by a foreign adversary. Zaid, who had authorized access to secret details, said he was convinced that 'the evidence that exists in the classified arena directly contradicts the public conclusions' provided by U.S. federal agencies about the cause of the health symptoms. Global Affairs says it stands by the findings of its 2024 report. Department spokesperson John Babcock said the foreign ministry continues to support the Canadian diplomats and their dependants. 'For privacy and security reasons, Global Affairs Canada cannot comment on the specifics of the ongoing investigations, individual cases, nor on specific security measures,' he said in an emailed response to questions. 'We cannot provide further comment on this matter as it is before the courts.' Internal Global Affairs notes — prepared last year to help answer questions about the department's report — say the unexplained health incidents 'highlighted the challenges of providing responsive health care to diplomats and their families in the context of unforeseen crisis situations abroad.' The notes, obtained through the Access to Information Act, say the department had initiated a 'thorough review' of the department's overseas health program for employees and their dependants in missions around the world. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2025. Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Growing for good: U of Regina garden produce feeds hungry stomachs
Fresh produce harvested from a garden at the University of Regina is helping combat food insecurity and teaching people about the art of gardening. Members of the Regina Public Interest Research Group — a student-funded resource centre at the university with a focus on social and environmental justice — have been growing vegetables, from zucchini to tomatoes to spinach, in a garden located behind the Dr. John Archer Library since the spring. They've harvested over 100 kilograms of vegetables, which are then donated to local organizations, including the Cathedral Community Fridge, Carmichael Outreach and YWCA Regina. Tayef Ahmed, the group's executive director, said some of the food also gets donated to a fridge run by the University of Regina Students' Union, which students can access. According to a 2024 study by University of Saskatchewan students, nearly a third of Canadian post-secondary students said they experienced food insecurity in 2023. While Regina's public interest group is currently collecting U of R-specific data, Ahmed said demand for the food donated to the student union's fridge has increased. "Within five to 10 minutes, almost all of the food [is] gone," said Ahmed. "We have way more interest or demand in getting vegetables than we ever anticipated." Ahmed said newcomers to Canada are the largest group among the fridge's clientele. As a result, his group has started growing a more diverse variety of foods to suit their needs, such as amaranth and peppers, he said. "When people from different backgrounds comes and says, 'Hey, I used to grow up eating this, I'm so glad I got this' … they would come every week and say, 'Can I have some vegetables?'" Ahmed believes the fresh vegetables in the garden offer an alternative for more expensive produce at the grocery store, which may also be damaged or close to expiration, he said. His organization is now expanding its garden and offering gardening sessions, which Ahmed hopes will help students find ways to grow their own food. "Eventually, when they buy a new house or apartment … they get this education themselves, and when they get older, they start something [of] their own," he said. Community organizations grateful for food Grayson Somers works in the kitchen at Carmichael Outreach, which serves lunch to people experiencing homelessness in Regina every weekday. He said the produce from the garden is put to good use. "We prepare it all and we'll make meals — about 150 to 250 meals per day," said Somers. "With the grocery stores nowadays, the price changes, and I just think everyone should be growing their own gardens." The produce will be similarly used in the YWCA Regina's kitchen. "We don't typically get this much fresh produce," said Mackenzie Thiessen, who works in the YWCA's outreach area. "To have a lot of it will mean a lot." Thiessen said their clients are "like a kid in a candy store" when they see the fresh food. "When you're on the street, you don't get access to fresh stuff often. It humanizes their experience, makes them feel normal, regular." Back in the garden at the U of R, garden assistant Brooke Litzenberger laughs as she shows volunteers how to pick beans in the hot August sun. She's spent hours working since the spring to get everything ready for harvest. "Being able to give back to the community … and watch everyone enjoy everything that we've worked so hard with has been a really great part of this job." Regina community garden provides fresh free vegetables to local groups 2 days ago The University of Regina community garden is a place to learn about gardening as well as providing vegetables to a handful of charitable organizations in the city.
