Exactly how do we decide when it's time to end the focus on our planetary neighbour and turn our primary exploratory efforts elsewhere?

I ask in part because a casual reader of recent national headlines might have been tempted to pronounce that Canada seems to have aligned with Mars. In August, the Canadian Space Agency and the California Institute of Technology agreed to develop an instrument to help measure methane in the Martian atmosphere.

It will fly on a joint NASA/European Space Agency Mars in 2016.

. . .

This interpretation is not just media blather or the fallout of all those little-green-men-on-Mars science fiction stories.

“All the Mars science is couched around the search for life, even if it isn’t explicitly stated,” says Professor , acting director of 91��ɫ’s Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering in the Faculty of Science & Engineering, who is one of the scientists behind the effort.

For example, there was debate between NASA and ESA scientists about what instrument to send on the mission. Some favoured one that measured winds, another carbon dioxide, but ultimately the methane won out because of its life-on-Mars component, says McConnell.

The MATMOS instrument will try to figure out what created the methane in the Martian atmosphere. Was it the byproduct of a bacterial biology, as is the case for 90 per cent of the methane found in Earth’s atmosphere? Or did it come from some geological process such as the methane-producing oxidation of iron that happens on Earth?

If it does bear an isotopic signature of a biological source, then it follows there is something alive — probably bacteria — on Mars that is producing it. And if there is life on Mars, it seems almost imperative that humans should travel to there to find out what Martian life might be and what it might do. We will understand our evolution better if we understand their evolution better.

. . .

It is not clear what proving there’s no life on Mars would involve.

McConnell told me, “My feeling is that if we find life, that is one type of answer. But if we don’t, someone will always say, ‘You didn’t look here, you didn’t look there, you didn’t look deep enough to find the fossils.’”

Professor McConnell is among the 91��ɫ researchers working on the , a partnership between the , the (CSA) and . He is also a member of the (CRESS).

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin

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Delaney also spoke to CTV News Aug 2 about the 50-50 odds Canadians have for seeing the northern lights this week, provided the skies cooperate by staying clear:

The sun has entered a solar maximum, a stormy period in the sun's activity cycle that recently resulted in a coronal mass ejection -- a release of a large amount of charged particles that are hurtling towards the Earth at high speeds.

91��ɫ astronomer Paul Delaney said the result is that the incoming charged particles "are going to interact with the Earth's magnetic field, or magnetosphere."

"We've got a 50-50 chance that as those particles rain down into our atmosphere, they will trigger extensive aurora borealis -- the northern lights -- all across the northern hemisphere from about Toronto's latitude and further north," Delaney told CTV News Channel during an interview in Toronto on Tuesday morning.

Delaney's interview is also available on .

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer

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The annual prize, one of the top accolades for the advancement of space technology in Canada, was awarded Tuesday to the CanX-2 microsatellite team, headed by the University of Toronto. 91��ɫ’s instrument, a microspectrometer dubbed Argus, is currently riding aboard the microsatellite, which launched in April 2008. Argus can accurately detect sources of industrial pollution on Earth, to a resolution of one kilometre.

"We’re very excited to be part of the team receiving this award," said Argus principal investigator Brendan Quine, a professor in 91��ɫ’s Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering. "Argus was a Canadian first and we’re delighted we could make it happen at 91��ɫ."

Right: Brendan Quine with the Alouette Award

The device, which is small enough to fit in the palm of an adult’s hand, transmits data via infrared radiation emitted to space. It enables scientists to determine local levels of carbon dioxide and other climate change gases by recording infrared spectra, which contain information about atmospheric composition.

Developed in partnership with Thoth Technology Inc., it is the first space instrument to be built and tested in 91��ɫ’s space engineering laboratory, part of the University’s Centre for Research in Earth & Space Science (CRESS). Argus’ current mandate includes monitoring levels of ash from recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland.

CASI introduced the Alouette Award in 1995 to recognize an outstanding contribution to the advancement of Canadian space technology, science or engineering. It may be awarded to an individual, a group, an organization or group of organizations, as appropriate to the nature of the contribution. Preference is given to contributions that lead to new benefits for mankind.

The team's win was also covered in the North 91��ɫ Mirror May 12:

91��ɫ researchers who designed and built a miniature space-borne pollution monitor are part of a team of Canadians who were honoured with a 2010 Alouette Award from the Canadian Aeronautics & Space Institute (CASI).

The annual prize, one of the top accolades for the advancement of space technology in Canada, was awarded May 4 to the CanX-2 microsatellite team, headed by the University of Toronto.

91��ɫ’s instrument, a microspectrometer dubbed Argus, is currently riding aboard the microsatellite, which launched in April 2008. Argus can accurately detect sources of industrial pollution on Earth, to a resolution of one kilometre.

“We’re very excited to be a part of the team receiving this award,” Brendan Quine, Argus Principal investigator and professor in 91��ɫ’s Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, said in a release. “Argus is a Canadian first and we’re delighted we could make it happen at 91��ɫ.”

For more information, visit the Web site.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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Last summer, a number of 91��ɫ undergraduates won the chance to spend their 16-week break doing research and getting paid for it. Funded by national grants, they worked with 91��ɫ biology and chemistry professors on projects ranging from how wood thrushes care for their young to how to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

They were recipients of Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) offered by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Every year, NSERC offers hundreds of undergraduates across Canada this rare chance at summer research jobs. This year, hundreds more will get the chance if they apply by Jan. 22. At 91��ɫ, they can contact their department for details, and visit  and the Web sites.

For 10 91��ɫ students who received USRA awards last year, the experience opened up new worlds and opportunities.

Left: Ross Kresnik examines a bird with ornithologist Bridget Stutchbury at Hemlock Hill Biological Research Station in Pennsylvania

Senior biology student Ross Kresnik worked with Professor Bridget Stutchbury investigating how wood thrushes take care of their offspring. He conducted the research at Hemlock Hill Biological Research Station in Pennsylvania. Wood thrushes have multiple broods within a single breeding season. Kresnik used radio-tracking, blood metabolite analysis and mist netting to measure and investigate the factors that influence the length of the maternal care period following the fledging of first brood young. He found that females care for their young between nine and 16 days post-fledging, but longer if they have paired with a poor-quality male. Kresnik is publishing his findings and says his experience in the Stutchbury lab was a deciding factor in pursuing graduate studies.

Three USRA recipients worked on projects in cancer biology and fish reproduction in Professor Chun Peng’s laboratory last summer.

Left: From left, Professor Chun Peng, Eilyad Honarparvar, Michele Taffs and Tanita Manchanda in the Peng Lab

Third-year biology student Michele Taffs investigated the behaviour of endocrine disruptors on the reproductive system of zebrafish and ended up doing her honours thesis with Peng. She got a taste of what doing research was really like and “confirmed that doing research is what I want to do” – at the graduate level.

Biomedical science student Tanita Manchanda explored the role of microRNA molecules in placenta formation, and in cancer development and treatment. She learned techniques for extracting RNA from human tissues, running DNA and protein gels, culturing cells, and doing invasion and migration assays. “As an undergrad, there is not enough time and opportunity to learn all of these techniques during the year,” said Manchanda. “This experience has allowed me to learn a lot, and I am sure I will be able to use this knowledge when I enter into the field of medicine.”

In the Peng Lab, Eilyad Honarparvar investigated how protein p27 plays a protective role against cancer. For the future oncologist, this was a valuable experience. “Not only do you get the opportunity to learn different techniques essential for research but you gain an experience that is nearly impossible to simulate in a three-hour lab session during the normal academic year.”

Left: Dana Aljawhary in the Hastie Chemistry Lab

In Professor Donald Hastie’s chemistry lab, Dana Aljawhary learned to use a mass spectrometer to identify atmospheric pollutants, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the carcinogenic byproduct of forest fires and of burning gasoline, diesel, coal and wood. “The teamwork present in our lab, as well as the lab environment, helped me develop a better understanding of the research world,” said Aljawhary, who appreciated the chance to work with experienced researchers. “In the future, I hope to be able to apply my newly acquired skills towards both my undergraduate studies and research opportunities such as graduate school and work in the public sector.”

Third-year chemistry students Stephanie Ma and Mana Tirtashi worked in Professor Pierre Potvin’s carbon dioxide -focused laboratories to develop molecular catalysts for trapping carbon dioxide before it escapes into the atmosphere. Such catalysts could be used to transform carbondioxide (produced at a coal-fired power station, for instance) into a stable solid or liquid substance before its release.

Right: From left, Mana Tirtashi, Professor Pierre Potvin and Stephanie Ma in the carbon dioxide lab

They were also involved in exploring the possibility of replacing petroleum with carbon dioxide to produce plastics. “This was the best experience of my life so far,” said Tirtashi. “We all had a lot of fun together as a lab. It allowed me to grow intellectually and emotionally. I’ve discovered strengths I never knew I had. Research is not always easy, and experiments often don't work the way you want, but it's been very rewarding.”

In biology Professor Mark Bayfield’s lab, Dickson Kong, a third-year biology and kinesiology & health science student, hunted for genes that govern how cells respond to stress.

Left: From left, Dickson Kong and Professor Mark Bayfield

Kong also learned how to work with yeast as a laboratory model organism. “NSERC granted me a precious opportunity to learn and apply the techniques that are used by biologists on a day-to-day basis,” said Kong, who sees the experience as a positive step on his way to a career in medicine.

Fatima Panju, a third-year biochemistry student, worked under Professor Vivian Saridakis to understand what proteins, so essential in cellular processes, look like and how they function. She also learned about crystallography, a molecular tool used to analyze the structure of proteins, and about yeast proteins that destroy other proteins involved in disease formation. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working in a biotechnology lab as I have been able to do the experiments that I could have only read about before,” said Panju.

In Professor Patricia Lakin-Thomas’s “clock” laboratory, third-year biology student Ruchi Liyanage investigated how organisms, such as fungus, control their internal clock or circadian rhythm. Liyanage noted “the many pitfalls, frustrations and failed experiments” along with “the moments of triumph and fulfilment I felt during successful experiments.” After this experience, she concluded that “research should not focus solely on formulating conclusions, but also on acquiring knowledge and opening up more avenues for future scientists.”

Republished courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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