From Our Own Borealis Blog

From Imposter Syndrome to Expert Grubber

Science Borealis 5 Comments Biology and Life Sciences, Communication, Education, and Outreach, Environmental and Earth Sciences, General Science, Guest contributors

This December, Science Borealis is excited to feature a series of stories developed for a story-telling event held at the […]

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Miniature, soft lithium-ion battery constructed from biocompatible hydrogel droplets for bio-integrated devices

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
The original headline for the University of Oxford press release was “Batteries for miniature bio-integrated devices and robotics” but it’s not clear to me what they mean by robotics (soft robots? robotic prostheses? something else?). An October 25, 2024 news item on ScienceDaily announces the research, University of Oxford researchers have made a significant step...

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Menstrual stem cells and their promise

Various bloggers Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science
Image from Freepik A challenge in stem cell research and clinical application is the imbalance between demand and the limited availability of these stem cells. This shortage complicates the development of effective therapies and restricts treatment options for patients. Because stem cells come from unique sources, such as the bone marrow, kidneys, heart and liver,...

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Robot rights at the University of British Columbia (UBC)?

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
Alex Walls’ January 7, 2025 University of British Columbia (UBC) media release “Should we recognize robot rights?” (also received via email) has a title that while attention-getting is mildly misleading. (Artificial intelligence and robots are not synonymous. See Mark Walters’ March 20, 2024 posting “Robots vs. AI: Understanding Their Differences” on Twefy.com.) Walls has produced...

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Electro-agriculture and uncoupling from nature?

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
An October 23, 2024 news item on ScienceDaily announces a radical (by my standards) new technology for agriculture, Photosynthesis, the chemical reaction that enables almost all life on Earth, is extremely inefficient at capturing energy — only around 1% of light energy that a plant absorbs is converted into chemical energy within the plant. Bioengineers...

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Winter Wonders at Ingenium (Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and Canada Science and Technology Museum)

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
Ingenium is the ‘portfolio’ name and governing organization for the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and its January 2025 newsletter (received via email and visible here) lists a number of museum(s) events for the new year, i.e., January/February...

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RIP (rest in peace) Sir Fraser Stoddart, nanotechnology pioneer

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
I received (via email and it’s also here) a January 2, 2025 Northwestern University news release by Megan Fellman announcing Sir Fraser Stoddart’s (also known as, J. Fraser Stoddart) death on December 30, 2024, Note: Links have been removed, Sir Fraser Stoddart, a pioneer in nanoscience, dies at 82 Stoddart received the 2016 Nobel Prize...

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Wilderness Writing Residency in Port Renfrew, BC, Canada: apply until midnight (Pacific Time) Friday, January 10, 2025

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
This is a little late (I’m sorry) but, on the plus side, it’s not a complicated application process. The residency is offered by the Port Renfrew Writers Retreat, from their About webpage, Founded in 2019 on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Port Renfrew Writers Retreat is a space for writing that relates to the...

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