A January 19, 2022 University of Michigan news release (also on EurekAlert) is written in a Q&A (question and answer style) not usually seen on news releases, Note: Links have been removed), Turns out entropy binds nanoparticles a lot like electrons bind chemical crystalsANN ARBOR—Entropy, a physical property often explained as “disorder,” is revealed as...

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Xenobots (living robots made from African frog (Xenopus laevis) frog cells) can now self-replicate. First mentioned here in a June 21, 2021 posting, xenobots have captured the imagination of various media outlets including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) Quirks and Quarks radio programme and blog where Amanda Buckiewicz posted a December 3, 2021 article about...

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The 2021 Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC 2021) is the 13th in the annual series and runs virtually from November 22 – 26 (including pre-conference events, CSPC runs from Nov. 8 -26). Early bird registration rates are available until midnight (presumably ET) October 8, 2021, Standard $150Academic $120Non-Profit / Retired / Diplomat $99Student / Postdoctoral Fellow / Trainee $40+ 13% HST I have never seen diplomats singled out for cheaper rates before. Are they paid…

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The drift in “Drift: Art and Dark Matter” (at the Belkin Art Gallery) comes from a mining term for an almost horizontal passageway or tunnel in a mine. (This makes sense when you realize SNOLAB is one of the partners for this show. For anyone unfamiliar with SNOLAB, there is more coming shortly.) The show itself appears to be a suite of multimedia installations from four artists, which were first shown at the Agnes Etherington…

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An August 31, 2021 Canadian Light Source (CLS) news release by Erin Matthews describes research which could change how chocolate is made, Scientists used synchrotron technology to show a key ingredient can create the ideal chocolate structure and could revolutionize the chocolate industry.Structure is key when it comes creating the best quality of chocolate. An ideal internal structure will be smooth and continuous, not crumbly, and result in glossy, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth decadence. However, this sweet…

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Toronto’s (Canada) Art/Sci Salon (also known as, Art Science Salon) sent me an August 26, 2021 announcement (received via email) of an online show with a limited viewing period (BTW, nice play on words with the title echoing the name of the institution mentioned in the first sentence), PROXIMAL FIELDSThe Fields Institute was closed to the public for a long time. Yet, ithas not been empty. Peculiar sounds and intriguing silences, the flowsof the few…

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I had just posted my Aug. 30, 2021 piece (4th International Conference on Science Advice to Governments (INGSA2021) August 30 – September 2, 2021) when the organization issued a news release, which was partially embargoed. By the time this is published (after 8 am ET on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021), the embargo will have lifted and i can announce that Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientist of Québec (Canada), has been selected to replace Sir Peter Gluckman…

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What I find most exciting about this conference is the range of countries being represented. At first glance, I’ve found Argentina, Thailand, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica and more in a science meeting being held in Canada. Thank you to the organizers and to the organization International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) As I’ve noted many times here in discussing the science advice we (Canadians) get through the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA), there’s…

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What I find most exciting about this conference is the range of countries being represented. At first glance, I’ve found Argentina, Thailand, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica and more in a science meeting being held in Canada. Thank you to the organizers and to the organization International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) As I’ve noted many times here in discussing the science advice we (Canadians) get through the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA), there’s…

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#VoteScience is back on the job *(for the 2021 election which runs from August 15 – September 22)8 after springing into existence on August 8, 2019, in time for the 2019 Canadian federal election. (For more about #VoteScience, see the ‘Science policy’ subhead in my April 21, 2020 posting, scroll down to the ‘Science policy’ subhead where I trace the evolution of science policy initiatives and organizations in Canada from 2009 -2019.) Since 2019, there…

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