https://thenarwhal.ca Deep Dives, Cold Facts, & Pointed Commentary en-US Copyright 2026 The Narwhal hourly 1 https://thenarwhal.ca/opinion-spacex-satellites-night-sky/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=158184 Elon Musk’s company wants to put data centres into orbit around the Earth. If it happens, the satellites would outshine the stars Samantha Lawler and Aaron Boley and Hanno Rein Opinion Science Photo: Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press A stargazer with a camera is silhouetted against the milky way in the night sky. https://thenarwhal.ca/opinion-arctic-science-budget-cuts/ Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=156477 Research teams at Environment and Climate Change Canada are being dismantled as the federal government reduces the size of the public service Patricia Hania and Roxana Suehring Opinion arctic environmental law federal politics Science Photo: Gavin John / The Narwhal An aerial view of a handful of people dwarfed by a vast Arctic landscape dominated by sea ice. https://thenarwhal.ca/opinion-world-wildlife-day-2025-2/ Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=132354 In the face of head-spinning political times, a leading Canadian scientist says cutting ‘red tape’ and doubling down on resource extraction won’t help wildlife — or humans Justina Ray Opinion Endangered Species Science solutions Photo: Ryan Dickie / The Narwhal A boreal carbiou walks thorugh an industrial project site in Treaty 8 Territory https://thenarwhal.ca/clownfish-sex-transgender-natural-world/ Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=131689 From frogs to cardinals, sex in the natural world is malleable. But ‘transgender’ is a uniquely human label for a uniquely human experience of autonomy and personal choice Mel Woods Opinion federal politics Science wildlife Illustration: Beatrice Hayward / The Narwhal An illustration by Beatrice Hayward: a trans person lit by blue light is looking a tank full of clownfish, which can change sexes. https://thenarwhal.ca/moose-questionnaire-raygan-kirk/ Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=131744 Toronto Sceptres goalie Raygan Kirk is back home after time in the U.S. studying ecosystem restoration — and winning a college championship Denise Balkissoon The Moose Questionnaire Science The Moose Questionnaire https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-bamfield-huuayaht-dark-sky-festival/ Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=128499 Huu-ay-aht First Nation has followed the stars for centuries. Now the coastal B.C. community is safeguarding them for future generations Michelle Cyca On the ground B.C. Science Spirits of Place urban development Photo: Jeanine Holowatuik / Northern Escape Photography A group of people sits around a campfire in Bamfield, B.C. https://thenarwhal.ca/avon-river-windsor-mikmaq/ Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=121701 A provincial emergency order has kept Lake Pisiquid filled for more than 16 months. It’s also blocked the passage of fish, jeopardized Mi’kmaq Rights — and put a local fisherman, who had his truck keyed, at the centre of a hostile campaign Moira Donovan and Darren Calabrese On the ground conservation fisheries Indigenous Rights Nova Scotia Science https://thenarwhal.ca/wildfire-smoke-human-health-effects/ Fri, 06 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=117884 From respiratory illnesses to dementia, wildfire smoke increases a number of health risks. As Canadian summers get hotter and drier, here’s everything you need to know Shannon Waters Explainer climate change In the Line of Fire Science Wildfire Photo: Jason Franson / The Canadian Press Four young people play basketball as one shoots towards the net. Behind, an urban skyline is shrouded in wildfire smoke. https://thenarwhal.ca/green-energy-skilled-immigrants/ Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=114775 Thousands of engineers are needed to fulfill Canada's promise to double renewable energy. So why does it take so long for foreign credentials to be recognized? Kiernan Green In-Depth environmental racism renewable energy Science Photo: Jimmy Jeong / The Narwhal Because of how long it takes internationally-trained engineers to have their credentials recognized in Canada, Indian immigrant Manpreet Kaur was unable to use her degree in nanotechnology to work in green energy when she first moved here. Today, she is an engineering professor at Simon Fraser University. https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-experimental-lakes-area/ Tue, 07 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=92103 For over half a century, 58 small, self-contained lakes in Treaty 3 territory have allowed scientists to replicate — and clean up — the effects of oil spills, microplastics and other threats to fresh water Katherine KY Cheng On the ground climate change contaminated sites freshwater Ontario Science water Aerial view of the Institute for International Sustainable Development Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, known as the world's largest outdoor experimental freshwater research facility of its kind. https://thenarwhal.ca/fisheries-and-oceans-canadas-scientific-advice/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=84721 In a new paper, researchers from UBC, Dalhousie call for an independent advisory body to tackle concerns about federal fisheries science Larry Pynn News B.C. federal politics fisheries salmon salmon farming Science Photo: Amy Romer A group of biologists approach a fish farm in a small boat