Feb 15: How AI is transforming science, and more...
A recently discovered archaeological site in Saskatchewan, dated to just less than 11,000 years ago is the oldest settlement in the region by about 1,500 years. It also is evidence that Indigenous people settled there as soon as the environment could support them after the glaciers disappeared. Glenn Stuart, from the University of Saskatchewan, is one of the archaeologists working along with local Indigenous community members to preserve and study the site.
Researchers investigating how sea turtles navigate the vast and trackless ocean have discovered just how sensitive the reptiles' magnetic sense is, as they can even use it to identify the location of food resources. While feeding the loggerhead turtles in the lab, Kayla Goforth, a postdoctoral researcher at Texas A&M University noticed that the turtles would perform a 'happy dance' when they recognized the right magnetic signature. She led this research that was published in the journal Nature.
WATCH: Turtles Dancing
Scientists were surprised to discover that the more intensely you exercise, the more certain immune cells belch out fragments of DNA that can form webs to trap pathogens, and lead to fewer pro-inflammatory immune cells circulating in our blood. Canadian researcher Stephen Montgomery, a professor of pathology at Stanford University, said their findings suggest that circulating cell-free DNA may play a role in how exercise lowers inflammation in the body. The study was published in the journal PNAS.
Birds are the last surviving lineage of dinosaurs, but modern birds are surprisingly ancient – dating to before the extinction of the rest of their family. An extremely rare, nearly intact bird skull found in Antarctica and dated to about 69 million years ago confirms this. This waterfowl had similarities to ducks and loons. Chris Torres is an assistant professor at the University of the Pacific in Stockton California and was part of the team that analyzed this fossil. Their research was published in the journal Nature.
The stunning advances in artificial intelligence that we see with internet AI apps are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to science. Researchers from almost every field are experimenting with this powerful new tool to diagnose disease, understand climate change, develop strategies for conservation and discover new kinds of materials. And AI is on the threshold of being able to make discoveries all by itself. Will it put scientists out of a job?
Producer Amanda Buckiewicz spoke with:
Jeff Clune, a professor of computer science at the University of British Columbia, a Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute, and a senior research advisor to DeepMind. He's also a co-author of The AI Scientist.
Allison Noble, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford and a Foreign Secretary at the Royal Society, and chair of the Science in the Age of AI working group.
Elissa Strome, executive director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy at CIFAR.
Cong Lu, postdoctoral research and teaching fellow at the University of British Columbia and the Vector Institute, and a co-author of The AI Scientist.
Fred Morstatter, a research assistant professor at the University of Southern California, and a principal scientist at USC's Information Sciences Institute.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Yoshua Bengio launches new AI non-profit focused on safer systems
MONTREAL – Canadian AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio is launching a new non-profit focused on developing safer artificial intelligence systems. The organization named LawZero is committed to advancing research and developing technical solutions for safe-by-design AI systems. LawZero aims to build non-agentic AI that can be used to speed scientific discovery, to provide oversight for agentic AI systems and to advance the understanding of AI risks and how to avoid them. Bengio, LawZero's president and scientific director, has long voiced concerns about AI. He says the new group comes after recognizing the rapid progress made by private labs toward artificial general intelligence and beyond, as well as its profound implications for humanity. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Bengio says current frontier systems are already showing signs of self-preservation and deceptive behaviours, and this will only accelerate as their capabilities and degree of agency increase. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
Cision Canada
5 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Maritime Launch and T-Minus Engineering Announce Plans for Hypersonic Suborbital Launches from Spaceport Nova Scotia
HALIFAX, NS, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Maritime Launch Services Inc. (Cboe CA: MAXQ) (OTCQB: MAXQF) is pleased to announce a new collaboration with T-Minus Engineering B.V., a leading Dutch aerospace company, to launch the Barracuda, a hypersonic test platform, from Spaceport Nova Scotia in October 2025. This mission will represent the next step in advancing Spaceport Nova Scotia's suborbital and hypersonic testing capabilities, as Maritime Launch continues to establish Nova Scotia, Canada, as a hub for innovative space commercialization, research, and development. The Barracuda platform, developed by T-Minus, facilitates high-speed, high-altitude experiments for civil and defence applications. Maritime Launch and T-Minus Engineering will launch two suborbital vehicles that carry payloads. Operating within Canada's existing regulatory regime for rocket launch, the vehicles are anticipated to reach altitudes significantly above the Kármán line, the acknowledged boundary of space, while achieving speeds over Mach 6. The launches will also accommodate various scientific and educational payloads for clients. T-Minus has successfully conducted launch campaigns at Esrange Space Centre in Sweden, Andoya Space in Norway and MOD Hebrides in the UK. Previous missions have enabled testing for radar tracking and supported atmospheric and environmental research missions in the ionosphere. "Our suborbital launch program offers a turnkey solution for clients. With seamless integration of payloads into suborbital missions, our teams will handle all launch logistics, payload integration, and mission execution, allowing clients to concentrate exclusively on their payload objectives," says Stephen Matier, President and CEO, Maritime Launch. "These launches will continue to mature launch heritage at the Spaceport, diversify service offerings, and expand international collaborations with launch vehicle clients." Based in the Netherlands, T-Minus Engineering has a legacy of advancing aerospace systems across Europe and internationally. Their decision to launch from Nova Scotia reflects the growing confidence in Canada's sovereign spaceport capabilities in Nova Scotia and the strategic value of the spaceport's location for transatlantic cooperation. "We look forward to bringing our Barracuda platform to Spaceport Nova Scotia," said Mark Uitendaal, Director of T-Minus Engineering. "This launch will demonstrate a fully integrated flight campaign with our Canadian partners and help build momentum for future hypersonic testing programs in Canada. While most of the payload capacity has already been allocated, limited slots remain available. We encourage industry and academic institutions to contact us to propose payloads for this mission." T-Minus will use its flight-proven suborbital vehicles, each configured for specific client applications and capable of delivering payloads to extreme environments. The company's Barracuda rocket is a single-stage, solid-fuel suborbital vehicle that stands approximately 4 metres tall. It features a booster with a diameter of 200 millimetres and a payload compartment measuring 1000 millimetres. Barracuda can carry payloads of up to 40 kilograms to altitudes reaching 120 kilometres. T-Minus and Maritime Launch's suborbital launch will use a mobile launch vehicle integration building to prepare the two rockets for launch. Together, they will construct a mobile launch platform from the suborbital launch pad at the spaceport. While T-Minus has launched Barracuda many times before, this will be the first time the company has done so in North America. The T-Minus suborbital flights are slated to be launched from Spaceport Nova Scotia in October. About Maritime Launch Maritime Launch Services Inc. (NEO: MAXQ, OTCQB: MAXQF) is a Canadian-owned commercial space company based in Nova Scotia. Maritime Launch is developing Spaceport Nova Scotia, a launch site that will provide satellite delivery services to clients to support the growing commercial space transportation industry over a wide range of inclinations. Spaceport Nova Scotia will allow small and medium-sized launch vehicles to place their satellites into low-earth orbit. Spaceport Nova Scotia is Canada's first commercial orbital launch complex. About T-Minus Engineering Since 2011, T-Minus offers commercial suborbital platforms for scientific research, commercial applications, and defence. Space is one of the most complex fields, requiring thorough knowledge. T-Minus believes in making space business accessible and more efficient through miniaturization and commercialization. With our products and services, we are dedicated to creating something unique, offering the best solutions and expertise to support your mission. T-Minus aims to become a world leader in the field of suborbital rockets. We are prepared to tackle any technical challenge and work on inspiring projects that enable our customers to advance technology and conduct cutting-edge science. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: entering into binding definitive extension agreements with the holders of the debentures, consideration payable in connection with the extension of the debentures, and regulatory approval of the extension by the Cboe Exchange. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to come to mutually agreeable binding terms in definitive agreements with the holders of the debentures in a timely manner or at all; continued approval of the Company's activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the Company's ability to finance its operations until the extension can be secured and profitability of the Company can be achieved and sustained. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to the Company's operations. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
Cision Canada
9 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Clarivate Partners with CRKN to Further Canada's Research Goals
Web of Science Provides Expanded Access to Essential Research Tools and Data for Canadian Libraries and Research Institutions LONDON, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ -- Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, today announced a multi-year partnership with the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN), a consortium of libraries and research institutions in Canada. The agreement provides 55 Canadian universities with expanded access to the Web of Science and is designed to enhance inter-member research collaborations, improving accessibility to Web of Science content for all members. The Web of Science platform is home to the world's first and most trusted publisher-neutral citation index – Web of Science Core Collection – and connects developments along the entire research lifecycle to that trustworthy core. It streamlines the discovery of content from the world's leading journals alongside conference papers, books, dissertations and theses, datasets, patents, preprints, awarded grants, policy documents and more. For CRKN members, new extended access to the Web of Science API will allow researchers to use the rich Web of Science metadata to support their research projects. Access to the Derwent Innovations Index and the Policy Citation Index will help members better understand the societal impact of their outputs. Craig Olsvik, Director, Content Program at CRKN, said: "CRKN is pleased to have renewed our agreement with Clarivate for Web of Science through 2029. Expanded access to Web of Science content will serve Canadian researchers across the country, and we're particularly happy to now include extended access to the Web of Science API for our members." Bar Veinstein, President of Academia and Government at Clarivate, said: "We are delighted to extend our partnership with CKRN. Canada holds a prominent and often collaborative position in academic research globally, with its research contributions surpassing the international average in terms of innovation and patents. "This new agreement underscores the value we offer to Canadian institutions and researchers through the Web of Science. We remain committed to supporting the research community in Canada by providing the necessary tools and resources to foster innovation and discovery which ultimately drives societal impact."
