As autumn brings shorter days and new routines, creative activities can support well-being, connection and curiosity in families, schools and communities. As the days darken, making more room for arts-based practices and experiences is one way to bring useful, interesting or sustaining activities into the seasons ahead. For families and people working in schools, this may be particularly relevant

A scan of publicly documented AI initiatives at research-intensive universities suggests universities may need to invest more in teaching. Some universities are starting to offer certificates, microcredentials or degree programs related to AI, and this isn't the same as addressing human judgment related to AI across all learning and research. (Kenn Chaplin/Flickr) , CC BY Artificial intelligence h

Given names have shifted from inherited collective identity to personal expression. A given name holds the spark of identity. It is ours — we wear it — yet it is also the primary label by which others know us. Names are inherently both personal and public. Some choices are idiosyncratically memorable. Two of Elon Musk’s children are named X Æ A-Xii and Exa Dark Sideræl . Recent name registrations

When you seek medical care, you hope that your doctor will present you with treatment options that are proven to be effective for your condition, that harms do not outweigh benefits and that recommended treatments are affordable and account for your personal situation. But if your doctor has been influenced by messages, payments or gifts from drug companies, that is unlikely to be the case, as our

Carson’s Nobel Prize in Literature celebrates a writer whose work returns to antiquity as an unfinished reservoir of images, voices and fragments capable of unsettling contemporary experience. When the Swedish Academy announced Anne Carson as the recipient of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature , in Stockholm, I was participating in a panel discussion in the same city at Stockholm University about

The carcass of a swordfish recently discovered in Haida Gwaii. (Quinn Barabash) Filmmaker and outdoorsperson Quinn Barabash recently made headlines when he found a nearly two-metre-long swordfish carcass on the remote shores of Haida Gwaii in northern British Columbia. Swordfish are large-bodied, highly migratory fish typically found in temperate and warmer tropical waters far south of Haida Gwaii

AI can improve access to settlement services in Canada, but human expertise must remain central to complex, legal and sensitive newcomer needs. A well-designed AI system could help newcomers find English or French classes, employment workshops, food banks, legal clinics, housing information or community events. (Unsplash/John Lockwood) Artificial intelligence is no longer just a technology-sector

Three years ago, I wrote an article for The Conversation Canada about rape culture when actor Danny Masterson went to jail for sexual assault . His friends from That ’70s Show , Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, had written letters of support for him because he was a such a great friend and they wanted the judge to be lenient in sentencing. I argued this episode illustrated several elements of what i

Growing plants indoors means replacing free sunlight with expensive, energy-intensive systems. The Canadian government launched its first-ever National Food Security Strategy in June 2026. The strategy aims to invest $750 million to increase year-round Canadian production of fruits and vegetables, including on so-called vertical farms. These multi-storey towers and warehouses filled with fresh pro

if AI shut down the electricity grid, it would swiftly shut down agriculture. Without fuel, refrigeration, irrigation and fertilizers, we would all have to get creative in feeding ourselves. If a cyberattack shut down the electricity grid, we would need to eat animal feed and biofuel crops, ban alcohol production, cut food waste and fish from sail boats. (Unsplash) The capacity of rogue AI agents

Allegations of sexual assault at Cornell University, and the public response to them, reveal persistent misunderstandings about consent, bystander responsibility and sexual violence. The allegations surrounding the so-called Cornell 7 have attracted growing public attention and political scrutiny around the world, exposing persistent misunderstandings about consent and sexual violence. According t

Canada is recruiting internationally educated health professionals, but recognizing their credentials is only one step toward professional integration. Canada is recruiting internationally educated health professionals to help address health-care workforce shortages , while governments are also trying to make it faster and easier for newcomers to have their qualifications recognized. The 2025 fede

Shorebirds undertake some of the world’s most impressive migrations — but as sea levels rise, the habitats that they depend on are expected to shrink. Birds undertake some of the world’s most impressive migrations , travelling hundreds to thousands of kilometres every year in search of safe breeding grounds and seasonally abundant food resources. For many birds, migration is the key to their succe

If the White House wanted to teach the public about ongoing social issues, it could have built video games for its website that consider the various challenges surrounding those issues. What if someone modified the video game Snake , where the snake’s tail grows longer the more it eats, but instead, the game involved a border guard who creates a growing tail of arrested migrants? This is actually

Governments and international organizations should develop policy that incorporates remittances into how we respond to climate change. Africa faces a vast shortfall in the finance needed to adapt to climate change . Although the continent is among the lowest contributors to the greenhouse gas emissions , climate impacts are already affecting food production, water security, livelihoods and economi

Beyond Donald Trump’s anti-Canada rhetoric, there are many material and geo-strategic reasons why Canada must take his threats to Canadian sovereignty very seriously. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently revealed Canada has contingency plans for a possible military attack by the United States, calling it an “ extreme tail risk ” scenario that would nonetheless be irresponsible to ignore. Several le

Canada has lowered its planned industrial carbon price. Research from China shows why the effects of environmental rules depend on firms’ ability to adapt. In May, the federal government lowered the planned trajectory for Canada’s industrial carbon price . The system puts a price on greenhouse gas emissions to give companies a financial incentive to reduce their emissions. Under the revised schedu

Some separatist organizers in Alberta have distanced themselves from Donald Trump as the independence referendum approaches. Our research explains why. American interest in Alberta separatism over the last 18 months has ranged from overt statements of support from cabinet officials and congressional allies to backing of the sovereignty movement by the wider MAGA media ecosystem online. In late Jan

More than half of students had missed at least part of a school day because of their period. When asked why, about one-third said they had been without pads or tampons when they needed them. Ontario students went back to school this month for the final year of a three-year provincial supply of free menstrual products. The products are made available through Ontario’s Menstrual Equity Initiative ,

A recruiter’s advice that candidates should leave their iced coffee at home has sparked a familiar Gen Z workplace debate. Imagine two candidates with identical qualifications interviewing for the same job. One arrives carrying a bottle of water, while the other walks in with an iced coffee. Should that difference matter? A recent TikTok from an American recruiter argued that it can. Discussing Ge