Science & Earth

Rosy-faced lovebirds, native to the Namib Desert, have likely established a pet-derived colony in Phoenix that may number about 2,000 birds; the species is noted for forming strong lifelong pair bonds and mutual grooming.

Researchers at the University of Sydney used an AI system called AMIGO to correct detector distortions and restore the James Webb Space Telescope's interferometric infrared images.

An annular solar eclipse will pass across Antarctica on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, with annularity touching only a narrow 616‑kilometer track on the continent and partial views reaching parts of southern South America, southern Africa and Madagascar.

Janice Kennedy, a retired journalist, writes that older adults resent patronizing language and stereotypes and that many remain socially active while also experiencing loss and vulnerability.

The article reports extensive damage to Gaza's historic sites, including the Great Omari Mosque and Pasha Palace, and describes local recovery work by Palestinians and heritage groups after a ceasefire halted most large-scale fighting.

The father of the Tumbler Ridge shooter issued a public statement expressing sorrow and asking for privacy, and police say officers previously visited the residence and that firearms were once seized and later returned.

A study in Astrobiology examined large organic molecules (decane, undecane, dodecane) that Curiosity detected in Gale Crater and found that known non-biological sources could not fully account for their estimated original abundance; researchers say more work is needed before any conclusions about past life can be drawn.

Rocket Lab announced a HASTE rocket mission named Cassowary Vex for the Defense Innovation Unit, scheduled no earlier than late February from Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island. The flight will carry Hypersonix's DART AE scramjet and is described by the company as its fourth hypersonic test mission in under six months.

Rocket Lab is preparing to launch a hypersonic test mission for the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit, using its HASTE hypersonic test launch capability. The company describes a range of launch vehicles and spacecraft services and says it has supported more than 1,700 missions.

The EPA revoked its 2009 'endangerment finding' that identified greenhouse gases as a danger to public health and welfare, and environmental groups are expected to challenge the decision in court.

UNESCO's IRCAI placed Whale Seeker's Cetus among its top 100 AI projects, marking a second recognition for the Montreal startup; Cetus uses AI and high-resolution satellite imagery to detect and classify whales and other large marine mammals to support conservation and routing efforts.

Thomas Varey led volunteers to install bird-deterrent dot markers on high-risk glass at Humber’s Lakeshore Campus; the team recorded more than 150 dead or injured birds in 2024 and expects a 95% reduction in collisions in treated areas.

The Trump administration is expected to rescind the EPA's 2009 endangerment finding that has underpinned U.S. greenhouse-gas rules, and observers say the move is likely to face legal challenges.

On Feb. 8, Elon Musk announced via X that SpaceX will prioritize creating a self-sustaining city on the Moon, citing shorter timelines and faster launch cadence; he said Mars development is being deferred but not abandoned.

The Anishinabek Nation says proposed changes to Ontario's Permit to Take Water program would let some projects avoid new permits, environmental review and meaningful consultation; Ontario's environment ministry says permit renewals for the same water-taking can be processed under a streamlined approach while applications and Duty to Consult requirements are reviewed.

A 44-year-old man from France diagnosed with severe hydrocephalus reportedly had most of his skull filled with fluid and only a thin layer of brain tissue, yet lived with a family and worked; researchers say the case challenges some theories of consciousness and highlights extensive brain plasticity.

Ailene MacPherson, a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair at Simon Fraser University, uses mathematical models to study how global change affects disease evolution. She highlights mentorship, community and diversity as key elements in building a scientific career.

Saint John Water will dredge a shallow channel linking First Lake and Robertson Lake in the Loch Lomond watershed to help maintain flow after an exceptionally dry summer. The utility is also seeking permits to do similar work at four additional sites.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation and a 35-member coalition launched The Secret Life of Grasslands campaign to raise awareness about the biodiversity and climate role of native grasslands. The release notes that fewer than 20 percent of native grasslands remain in Canada and that roughly 90 species at risk rely on these habitats.

Three environmental groups filed for judicial review in Vancouver Federal Court, alleging the federal government has not published required critical habitat maps for southern mountain caribou; the environment ministry says mapping to refine critical habitat identification is underway.

The article uses a rolled-up paper analogy to explain how a massless graviton that can access a compact extra dimension would appear to us as an infinite set of massive states (the Kaluza–Klein or graviton tower). It notes that missing energy and momentum in high-energy collider experiments could signal such gravitons escaping into extra dimensions.

Researchers at the University of St Andrews used long-molecule DNA sequencing in a sea squirt, a lamprey and a frog and found increased isoform diversity in certain signalling-output genes at the invertebrate–vertebrate transition, a result reported in BMC Biology.

An IPBES report presented in Manchester lays out how governments, investors and companies could align policies and finance to address biodiversity loss; the report notes a 33-to-1 gap in 2023 between harmful economic activity (about US$7.3 trillion) and public and private conservation funding (about US$220 billion).

Meteorologists report that the coldest Arctic air that drove recent extreme cold across Ontario has moved away, and daytime highs are likely to rise above seasonal normals for the next 10 days; however, forecasters say winter will continue with more snow possible later this month.

Archaeologists found a Paleo‑Inuit camp on the Kitsissut islands dated to about 4,000–4,400 years ago, with at least 18 tent rings and hearths. The site and boat fragments reported by researchers indicate repeated long-distance sea journeys — roughly 53 km estimated as 12–15 hours of paddling across the North Water polynya.

Since September 2025 the University of Toronto introduced an MEng emphasis in Nuclear Engineering, featuring two new graduate courses and micro-credentials; the emphasis is currently open to students in Materials Science & Engineering and Civil & Mineral Engineering.

Ship traffic and soot in the Arctic have risen in recent years, and several countries have proposed an IMO rule requiring cleaner 'polar fuels' for ships north of the 60th parallel even as geopolitics and industry resistance slow progress.

Ephesus is a 1,600-acre Greco-Roman archaeological site in Izmir Province that drew about 2.5 million visitors in 2025 and contains landmarks such as the Library of Celsus, the Great Theater and the site of the Temple of Artemis.

The Region of Waterloo has paused approvals of new development applications after identifying a water capacity shortfall in the Mannheim Service Area; construction with existing permits will continue while officials and stakeholders discuss solutions.

Researchers at Acadia University and entrepreneur Katie McNeill are growing mycelium on a local agricultural food waste substrate to make a powder that is reported to be about 40% protein, and they aim to open a small commercial facility in the Valley by the end of 2026.