@askpippa.bsky.social
I'm a science and medical writer curious about the world. I like to share what I find out. I also write for kids, teens and specialty audiences. Remember Ask Pippa in the Toronto Star? That's me. Also Medscape, Medical Post, CHN, Globe&Mail, Vice, etc
Reposted
Six months from today, lucky folks in Iceland and Span will get to see a total solar #eclipse! Please enjoy my video, aimed at helping people plan for the big day in August, and also for the *next* eclipse, in 2027! 🌞🌗🌍 :)
youtu.be/99qmRY55iFE?...
youtu.be/99qmRY55iFE?...
Get ready for the total solar eclipses of Aug. 12, 2026 and Aug. 2, 2027!
YouTube video by danfalkscience
youtu.be
February 12, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Six months from today, lucky folks in Iceland and Span will get to see a total solar #eclipse! Please enjoy my video, aimed at helping people plan for the big day in August, and also for the *next* eclipse, in 2027! 🌞🌗🌍 :)
youtu.be/99qmRY55iFE?...
youtu.be/99qmRY55iFE?...
Reposted
Hey, if you want your mind absolutely crushed into dust today then read my article at Scientific American about how much energy is released when two supermassive black holes collide. To borrow from Douglas Adams, it's the best bang since the big one.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
🧪 🔭
www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
🧪 🔭
How much energy is released when supermassive black holes collide?
The collision of supermassive black holes shakes the entire cosmos, hard
www.scientificamerican.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Hey, if you want your mind absolutely crushed into dust today then read my article at Scientific American about how much energy is released when two supermassive black holes collide. To borrow from Douglas Adams, it's the best bang since the big one.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
🧪 🔭
www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
🧪 🔭
Moon mission.
www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/s...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/s...
NASA is about to send people to the moon — in a spacecraft not everyone thinks is safe to fly | CNN
As the four-person crew of Artemis II prepares to launch on a historic mission around the moon as soon as February, some experts are worried about the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield.
www.cnn.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:31 AM
Moon mission.
www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/s...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/s...
Reposted
They built wind turbines to make power — but under the sea, they “produce” something no one expected
www.ecoportal.net/en/turbines-...
www.ecoportal.net/en/turbines-...
They built wind turbines to make power — but under the sea, they “produce” something no one expected
Offshore turbines with nature‑inclusive Reef Cubes help restore oceans, boosting marine life as Dutch wind farms show clean energy can heal underwater ecosystems.
www.ecoportal.net
January 25, 2026 at 6:38 AM
They built wind turbines to make power — but under the sea, they “produce” something no one expected
www.ecoportal.net/en/turbines-...
www.ecoportal.net/en/turbines-...
Time to play Can You Spot the Neighbor's Car?
#Snowmageddon
#Snowmageddon
January 26, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Time to play Can You Spot the Neighbor's Car?
#Snowmageddon
#Snowmageddon
Lots of ice and snow in your area? If you can, put some feed out for birds and other wildlife. They can't forage in this.
January 24, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Lots of ice and snow in your area? If you can, put some feed out for birds and other wildlife. They can't forage in this.
Reposted
Me and all my friends...
January 23, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Me and all my friends...
Careful #Alberta. A separation vote would be a vote to become the 51st state -- willing or not. That means other interests controlling natural resources, oil, etc. And, it would drag the rest of Canada with you.
www.desmog.com/2025/07/22/t...
www.desmog.com/2025/07/22/t...
Trump Officials Discussed $500M Alberta Independence Loan, Separatist Claims
Private details from a Washington D.C., meeting about Alberta becoming the 51st state were revealed at a separatism event attended by DeSmog.
www.desmog.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:20 AM
Careful #Alberta. A separation vote would be a vote to become the 51st state -- willing or not. That means other interests controlling natural resources, oil, etc. And, it would drag the rest of Canada with you.
www.desmog.com/2025/07/22/t...
www.desmog.com/2025/07/22/t...
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🇨🇦⚡️ Canada is set to rollout a national clean electricity strategy this year as a "critical" part of the country's climate strategy, @nationalobserver.com reports.
#cdnpoli #energytransition #climateaction
#cdnpoli #energytransition #climateaction
Ottawa plotting a high stakes clean energy strategy
After dismantling many of the climate policies put in place by the previous government, Prime Minister Mark Carney has quietly directed his government to craft a national electricity strategy.
www.nationalobserver.com
January 22, 2026 at 8:27 PM
🇨🇦⚡️ Canada is set to rollout a national clean electricity strategy this year as a "critical" part of the country's climate strategy, @nationalobserver.com reports.
#cdnpoli #energytransition #climateaction
#cdnpoli #energytransition #climateaction
Reposted
Our brains are *messed up*. And I have to wonder how many myths and legends owe their origins to things like this.
[via @surlyamy.bsky.social]
[via @surlyamy.bsky.social]
With most psychedelic drugs, you never know what you're going to get. But this mysterious mushroom from China - without fail - causes users to hallucinate tiny people: crawling up walls, popping out from under furniture and marching under doors. www.bbc.com/future/artic...
'They saw them on their dishes when eating': The mushroom making people hallucinate dozens of tiny humans
Only recently described by science, the mysterious mushrooms are found in different parts of the world, but they give people the same exact visions.
www.bbc.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Our brains are *messed up*. And I have to wonder how many myths and legends owe their origins to things like this.
[via @surlyamy.bsky.social]
[via @surlyamy.bsky.social]
Buy Canadian. Buy European.
January 21, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Buy Canadian. Buy European.
Reposted
Nature imitates Larson
Cow astonishes scientists with rare tool use
The discovery suggests cows may have far greater cognitive abilities than previously assumed.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 20, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Nature imitates Larson
I've never been moved by a political speech before. But wow. Canada's PM at #DAVOs. btw he used to be head of the Bank of Canada, and the Bank of England. His book Values shows how much of a philosopher he is, and he's big on human values. A realist. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Read Mark Carney's full speech on middle powers navigating a rapidly changing world | CBC News
Read the full text of Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech about a shakeup of the global order and role of middle powers at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
www.cbc.ca
January 21, 2026 at 5:13 PM
I've never been moved by a political speech before. But wow. Canada's PM at #DAVOs. btw he used to be head of the Bank of Canada, and the Bank of England. His book Values shows how much of a philosopher he is, and he's big on human values. A realist. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Reposted
The rate of global mean sea level rise has increased from ~2.1 mm/year in 1993 to ~4.5 mm/year in 2023. www.nature.com/articles/s43...
The rate of global sea level rise doubled during the past three decades - Communications Earth & Environment
Global mean sea level rise amounted to 4.5 mm per year as a result of warming oceans and melting land ice, more than twice the rate of 2.1 mm/year observed at the start of satellite data in 1993, base...
www.nature.com
January 3, 2026 at 9:18 PM
The rate of global mean sea level rise has increased from ~2.1 mm/year in 1993 to ~4.5 mm/year in 2023. www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Introducing functioning robots smaller than a grain of sand.
The future: we are here.
www.techradar.com/pro/this-aut...
The future: we are here.
www.techradar.com/pro/this-aut...
Tiny robots swim, sense, and report temperature through small movements
Tiny robots smaller than cells can swim, sense surroundings, and decode temperature through miniature dance-like movements
www.techradar.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Introducing functioning robots smaller than a grain of sand.
The future: we are here.
www.techradar.com/pro/this-aut...
The future: we are here.
www.techradar.com/pro/this-aut...
Reposted
Parts of Canada could ring in 2026 with one of the coldest New Year's Day temperatures in more than a decade! 🥶
https://ow.ly/LuFS50XQnpR
https://ow.ly/LuFS50XQnpR
Coldest New Year's Day in over a decade possible across Ontario and - The Weather Network
A blip of Arctic air has set the tone for 2026, bringing some of the coldest New Year's Day temperatures in years to central and eastern Canada, with the chill spreading far beyond the border.
ow.ly
December 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Parts of Canada could ring in 2026 with one of the coldest New Year's Day temperatures in more than a decade! 🥶
https://ow.ly/LuFS50XQnpR
https://ow.ly/LuFS50XQnpR
How private are phone calls? "Unit 8200 had built an indiscriminate new system allowing its intelligence officers to collect, play back and analyse the content of cellular calls of an entire population." #technology #Azure www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its technology in mass surveillance of Palestinians
Exclusive: Tech firm ends military unit’s access to AI and data services after Guardian reveals secret spy project
www.theguardian.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:07 PM
How private are phone calls? "Unit 8200 had built an indiscriminate new system allowing its intelligence officers to collect, play back and analyse the content of cellular calls of an entire population." #technology #Azure www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Snow? FEED THE BIRDS. They're really hungry
December 26, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Snow? FEED THE BIRDS. They're really hungry
Reposted
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) paid $18 million for a chatbot named Charlie, which the auditor general reported gave her team the wrong answer 66% of the time.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
The CRA spent $18M on 'Charlie,' a new tax information chatbot that is wrong most of the time
The Canada Revenue Agency paid $18 million for a chatbot the auditor general says give her team the wrong answer 66 per cent of the time.
nationalpost.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:37 PM
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) paid $18 million for a chatbot named Charlie, which the auditor general reported gave her team the wrong answer 66% of the time.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
Reposted
This is one of our favorites!
December 24, 2025 at 8:24 PM
This is one of our favorites!
Reposted
I see there’s a post about microplastics going around with a photo of drinking straws, so here is my semi-regular reminder that the 3 biggest sources of microplastics are tires (45%), synthetic clothing particles (35%) and paint (~10%).
Lay article attached:
Lay article attached:
One of the biggest microplastic pollution sources isn’t straws or grocery bags – it’s your tires
Every few years, the tires on your car wear thin and need to be replaced. But where does that lost tire material go? The answer, unfortunately, is often waterways, where the tiny microplastic particle...
www.pbs.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:49 AM
I see there’s a post about microplastics going around with a photo of drinking straws, so here is my semi-regular reminder that the 3 biggest sources of microplastics are tires (45%), synthetic clothing particles (35%) and paint (~10%).
Lay article attached:
Lay article attached:
Reposted
Glutamate is the primary molecule that neurons use to communicate with each other.
Previously, scientists have mostly recorded when neurons fire output signals, but now with a new glutamate indicator, they can record the many inputs that causes cells to fire. 🧵
#neuroskyence
Previously, scientists have mostly recorded when neurons fire output signals, but now with a new glutamate indicator, they can record the many inputs that causes cells to fire. 🧵
#neuroskyence
December 23, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Glutamate is the primary molecule that neurons use to communicate with each other.
Previously, scientists have mostly recorded when neurons fire output signals, but now with a new glutamate indicator, they can record the many inputs that causes cells to fire. 🧵
#neuroskyence
Previously, scientists have mostly recorded when neurons fire output signals, but now with a new glutamate indicator, they can record the many inputs that causes cells to fire. 🧵
#neuroskyence
Reposted
Diminished T cell immunity during aging can have profound effects on responses to vaccines, cancer immunotherapy and infection. This article describes a unique way to enhance T cell immunity in mice, which could someday be translated to humans. #Science 🧪
Transient hepatic reconstitution of trophic factors enhances aged immunity - Nature
Using lipid nanoparticle delivery of mRNAs to the liver in aged mice, T cell function and declining immune cues can be restored.
www.nature.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Diminished T cell immunity during aging can have profound effects on responses to vaccines, cancer immunotherapy and infection. This article describes a unique way to enhance T cell immunity in mice, which could someday be translated to humans. #Science 🧪
Story Book Farm does a great job caring for monkeys and other primates who were abused, used in medical research, or faced other horrors. They are out of space and need to expand. For gift season, consider giving the Farm donations as gifts for friends/family. www.storybookmonkeys.org
Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary | Sunderland, Ontario, Canada - Storybook Farm Primate Sanctuary
Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary provides a permanent home for primates retiring from biomedical research, zoos, universities, pet stores, & private residences.
www.storybookmonkeys.org
December 14, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Story Book Farm does a great job caring for monkeys and other primates who were abused, used in medical research, or faced other horrors. They are out of space and need to expand. For gift season, consider giving the Farm donations as gifts for friends/family. www.storybookmonkeys.org
