Breaking boundaries in water research

Twice a day, the ocean lifts a glacier. The movement is small, sometimes only a few centimeters. It happens quietly, far from cities and coastlines. But along the edges of glaciers, these subtle tidal pulses help control how quickly ice flows into the sea.

Working with Dr. Wesley Van Wychen, Dr. Jae Hun Kim studies how glaciers in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic respond to the rhythm of the tides. Using radar, he tracks the grounding line, the place where a glacier lifts off bedrock and begins to float. This narrow boundary plays a crucial role in glacier mass loss.

A virus that infects harmful freshwater cyanobacteria is challenging one of biology’s most fundamental assumptions about the difference between viruses and living cells.

Published in The ISME Journal, new research reveals that the jumbo cyanophage PhiMa05 carries the largest set of ribosomal protein genes ever found in a virus. The discovery is prompting scientists to rethink how viruses evolve and where the line between viral and cellular life truly lies.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development's newly released report, Sustaining Canada's Freshwater for Today and Tomorrow, outlines recommendations to strengthen Canada's freshwater future, informed by testimony from leading researchers and experts across the country.