Including diamonds
A new study sheds light on a fundamental mechanism of how Earth’s continental plates heal, with implications for diamond exploration and locating economically important minerals. “Cratons are the oldest stable continental land masses on Earth and are widely known as repositories for diamonds and metals of economic importance,” said Jingao Liu, lead author and visiting…
U of A students providing free support to hundreds of business owners looking to create an online presence
While Paige Lutz didn’t know what she wanted to do when she joined the Alberta School of Business four years ago, she certainly didn’t foresee herself balancing the final classes of her degree with a University of Alberta-linked job she loves, helping traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses make the jump to virtual. “The fact that I’ve landed…
Quality of faculty members and research performance bolster best-ever showing in latest CWUR rankings
The University of Alberta struck deep into the top 100 of a leading ranking of the world’s top universities, thanks to the quality of the school’s faculty and their research. According to the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) World University Rankings 2021-22, the U of A sits 81st in the world – up 20 spots…
The program gives students in Grades 4 to 9 a week-long exposure to life on campus
There isn’t usually a chorus of sad students saying “Noooooo!” on the last day of class, but University of Alberta U School organizer Michaela Mann was thrilled when she heard it last fall. That reaction to the end of their class showed just how much the youngsters loved the program, despite having to go virtual during the…
Ranking acknowledges what the university has been doing and how it has been contributing to sustainability
The University of Alberta has been named one of the world’s top 100 most sustainable post-secondary institutions for its ongoing efforts creating sustainability on campus and in the local and global community. According to the third annual Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking, which lists participating universities by their contribution to a list of 17…
International study sheds new light on how the huge carnivorous dinosaurs moved, based on fossil evidence of their footprints
New research by an international team including paleontologists at the University of Alberta and the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum has revealed evidence that juvenile tyrannosaurs were more trim and slender-bodied than their multi-tonne elders, a difference that may have helped them pursue fast-moving prey. “The results suggest that as some tyrannosaurs grew older and…
Pregnant women can now easily and quickly determine whether they should be exercising, thanks to a new one-of-a-kind tool developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Alberta. The Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy, newly published by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, guides pregnant individuals through a series of yes/no questions to confirm…
Researchers have found a causal link between caesarean section birth, low intestinal microbiota and peanut sensitivity in infants. They report the effect is more pronounced in children of Asian descent than others in a recently published paper in the journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. “It’s important to know what predicts or increases (the) risk of…
Study re-examining what early snakes might have looked like
New research led by a University of Alberta graduate student could lead to reimagining what early snakes might have looked like, suggesting that some of the world’s supposedly simplest snakes have a more complex evolutionary history than traditionally thought. Snakes are broadly divided into two groups based on their feeding mechanisms: macrostomatan snakes, able to…
Cardiologists, computing scientists team up to build video game-based MedBIKE fitness program for pediatric heart patients
Zacharie Biollo, 16, was born with a ventricle missing in his heart and had three life-saving surgeries by the time he was three years old. As he grew up, his parents encouraged him to get involved in sports such as soccer and karate, but he found he ran out of breath faster than some other…
Potentially life-saving product wins Telus Innovation Challenge's $100,000 first prize
A group of University of Alberta science students won $100,000 to help turn a brainstorming session about what could have helped family members avoid a fentanyl overdose into a street-ready solution that will ultimately be a lifeline for those who struggle with addiction. “We’ve witnessed addiction and overdose in our families, so we were talking…
Project delves into how one growth hormone contributes to the problem and whether drugs can stop it
Researchers are looking for ways to prevent or slow cachexia, a muscle-wasting syndrome thought to cause up to a third of the 80,000 deaths related to cancer every year in Canada. By understanding the role of activin A, a growth factor that contributes to muscle wasting, the team hopes their lab research will eventually help…
With help from Alberta farmers, an online animal science course is giving U of A students an inside look at the agricultural industry
Online classes during COVID-19 can feel a bit distant. But add in 48 farmers and a real-time calf birth, and things perk up considerably. That vivid minute-by-minute experience of watching a Black Angus cow give birth was a matter of lucky timing as Jesse Emery gave University of Alberta animal science students a virtual walking…
Covid-19 has proven the feasibility of online conferences. But as we emerge from the pandemic, will we slip back into our old ways?
As a conference co-ordinator, Oliver Rossier couldn’t believe the sheer waste of time, money and carbon it took to fly an international scholar to Edmonton for a one-hour lecture. “I tried to set up workshops with graduate students and other researchers the following day, but he had to get on a plane right after his…
Job site and neighbourhood risks should be taken into account when setting priorities, experts argue
It's time for a more nuanced approach to prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations as more contagious variants become prevalent and a third wave of infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in some provinces, according to an analysis published recently in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. “It’s time to move the debate away from age and medical risk factors,” said lead author…