Alberta to sell off caribou habitat land to energy industries despite warnings from experts of immediate endangerment of the local caribou population.
A caribou roaming in the tundras of Nunavut. The population is at risk of completely disappearing. (Image courtesy of CTV News)
A crucial caribou habitat north of Grande Cache, Alberta, is to be auctioned off by Alberta Energy, a component of the Alberta government. This is happening just days after a federal scientific panel alerted the government of the immediate danger the herds were facing of vanishing completely. Caribou numbers have dropped by about 60 per cent over the last decade. They are designated as endangered, the highest level of threat available under Canadian law.
Currently, Alberta conducts a wolf-kill program meant to aid in the survival of caribou by culling predators, but this has been seen as a temporary solution. Scientists commented that the reliable way to preserve the Alberta caribou herd population is for the government to be willing to reject deals offered to them by energy companies looking for expansion.
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South Korea denies the status of North Korea as a “real country,” claiming it exists solely for the benefit of one person – Kim Jong-Un.
South Korean Defence Minister Kim Min-seok issued a criticism of North Korea this Monday. (Image courtesy of Arirang News)
In a surprisingly sharp statement delivered this Monday, South Korea criticized North Korea’s status as a “real country,” claiming that the only one to benefit from the country is its leader Kim Jong-Un. Defence Ministry Spokesperson Kim Min-Seok condemned North Korea in a press briefing Monday following North Korea’s denial of responsibility over drones found near the inter-Korean border earlier this year. “Can North Korea even be regarded as a country? Are there human rights? Is there freedom? It continues to make false claims that are historically retrograde. It’s a country that cannot exist and should disappear soon.” North Korea has been hurling sexist and racist remarks against the South Korean and American leaders ever since Obama’s visit to South Korea earlier last month.
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President of FIFA calls Qatar 2020 World Cup “a mistake.”
FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s original announcement of Qatar 2020 back in 2010. (Image courtesy of CBC News)
In an interview with a Swiss television channel, Sepp Blatter, president of the Federation International Football Association, admitted his opinion that selecting Qatar to host the World Cup in 2020 was “a mistake,” stating personally that “One makes a lot of mistakes in life.” Numerous factors made the selection of Qatar a controversial decision. Among them includes climate, of which Qatar is notoriously hot during summers. A proposition was made to host the event during winter months but was rejected due to the impact it would have on European soccer clubs that typically operate in the winter season. Other controversial issues include the numerous human rights violations in the construction of stadiums and infrastructure associated with the World Cup. As of now, the decision of Qatar FIFA 2020 is still withstanding.
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New study shows that traditional stand-and-deliver lectures are substantially less effective than more engaging, active-learning techniques.
Traditional lecturing has be shown to be less ineffective than more dynamic teaching methods. (Image courtesy of Media Factory)
The results of a recent study conducted by the University of Washington have shown that students in undergraduate classes with traditional lectures are on average 1.5 times more likely to fail than students in classes with more engaging and dynamic “active-learning” methods. A meta-analysis that was conducted using results of 225 studies of various teaching methods showed an average 6% exam improvement. Lectures have been the traditional way of instruction in post-secondary institutions. However, there have been recent movements towards more hands-on course work. This includes peer involvement as well as utilizing technology to inject more interest into classes.
Source and more information can be found here.
A scientific study has shown that gluten intolerance may not exist at all.
A study has shown there to be no physiological evidence behind gluten intolerance. (Image courtesy of Fiesta Farms)
A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled experiment at Monash University has found there to be absolutely no evidence of gluten intolerance. Instead, the nocebo effect may be to blame, a psychological phenomenon in which a harmless substance produces harmful effects on a subject. The results of this study were in complete contrast to an earlier study conducted by the same head researcher at Monash, in which evidence for gluten intolerance had seemingly been clearly established. However, there was suspicion of underlying causes behind the experiment that led to the results. A new experiment had been ordered which was controlled much more strictly. The conclusion of the study revealed that no physiological causes for gastrointestinal distress could be linked to gluten and that psychological effects were most likely the cause.
Source and more information can be found here.
