A history of COVID-19 and the neuroscience of religion.

On this year's edition of our holiday science question show, we've got answers for your burning science questions like why did Bob's voice change so much? Does more C02 help trees grow? Do insects and reptiles play? And more...

Climate change and insects, and designing Canada’s lunar rover

Farming fish lose their fertilizer and inoculation against misinformation.

Polar pre-primate, Black in science update and domestication and taming.

A sandwich inspired water filter and 19 ways of looking at consciousness.

Songbirds swarm their predators and seals appreciate a good rhythm

Nearly every powered device we use these days depends on microchips, from cars to electric guitars. A look at the origin of the integrated circuit, its rapid development, and the way this technology has changed the world's geopolitical and economic landscape.

A new crop of digital platforms aim to address housing equity, from improving mortgage terms to providing homelessness resources. But do technical answers work for social questions?

How can we meet the increased demand for the materials needed to build batteries, while keeping the environmental and human costs of resource extraction low?

The evolutionary biology of friendship and how digital tech has shaped our fundamental sense of togetherness.

Security experts and historians discuss how the 6,000-year-old invention has evolved, shaping how we think about safety, protection and trespass in the physical and digital world.

From the Whole Earth Catalogue to Facebook drag queens: a short history of online counterculture.

Mai Ishikawa Sutton and Alicia Urquidi Díaz discuss the vision behind the movement known as DWeb, and how the decentralized web combines the community aspect of the '90s online experience with today's equity and accessibility principles.

Routine online activities like sharing photos to social media, uploading files to shared drives, or streaming TV shows produce a lot of digital data. And as that data production soars, so does the energy demand for storing and processing it. 

Cookie-cutter condos, glass business towers, minimal green space — there's clear evidence that many urban spaces have negative impacts on our mental health. But does it have to be that way?

On today's social media platforms, people speak in code to elude algorithmic censors, an example of how improvisation reshapes language.

The food on our plate might look — and taste — different 30 years from now, but new approaches promise to equitably and sustainably feed everyone on the planet.

Today on Q with Tom Power: pop music superstar P!nk and actor Sarah Gadon

Today on Q with Tom Power: iconic musician Neil Young and actor Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Today on Q with Tom Power: cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and writer Monica Heisey

Today on Q with Tom Power: lead singer Hayley Williams and actor Emma Mackey

Today on Q with Tom Power: viral sensation Rebecca Black and dancer Hannah Alissa Richardson

Today on Q with Tom Power: actor Jay Ellis and make-up artist Adrien Morot

Today on Q with Tom Power: saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and author Lindsay Wong

Today on Q with Tom Power: musician David Harrington and actor Rakhee Morzaria

Today on Q with Tom Power: comedian Ali Hassan and musician SYML

Today on Q with Tom Power: music producer Rick Rubin and cartoonist Barbara Brandon-Croft

Today on Q with Tom Power: musicians Christian McBride and Tate McRae

Today on Q with Tom Power: director Chris Williams and actor Gabriel Luna

Today on Q with Tom Power: author Catherine Hernandez and composer M. M. Keeravaani

Logic’s new album, College Park, is his first record as an independent artist after parting ways with Def Jam. He tells Tom Power about the ups and downs of major labels, his turbulent early life and how he has prevailed in spite of setbacks.

Today on q: job title guest 1, job title guest 2, job title guest 3, job title guest 4.

Joe Pillitteri and Courtney Gilmour’s arguments are anything but uniform when they discuss if every kid should have an after-school job. Then, can you have too many cousins? Arthur Simeon and Jackie Pirico decide if it's all relative.

Elvira Kurt and Graham Chittenden have no time to waist when they discuss if belts are superior to suspenders. Then, should everyone move to Hamilton? Gavin Stephens and Ron Sparks bring the Hammer down on each other in their debate for this Ontario city.

Derek Seguin and Chad Anderson grow the generation gap when they discuss if Gen Xers are the best age group. Then, Hisham Kelati and Kathleen McGee have a spirited debate on whether angels are superior to ghosts.

Deborah Kimmett and Myles Anderson make waves when they discuss if there’s no better day than a day at the beach. Then, are mosquitoes the most annoying insect? Pete Zedlacher and Rob Bebenek get under each other’s skin when they take on these bothersome bugs.

The Debaters’ season finale episode is creating a buzz! Charlie Demers and Derek Seguin sweet talk the audience when they debate if maple syrup is superior to honey. Then, Henry Sir and Erica Sigurdson are ready for a pillow fight when they discuss if nothing’s more fun than a sleepover.

It’s the premiere of The Debaters’ 19th season and this is one for the bever-ages! Dave Hemstad and Lisa Baker are in Newfoundland trying to burst each other’s bubble when they decide if Coke is superior to Pepsi. Then, are family doctors overrated? Clifton Cremo and Martha Chaves checkup on these medical professionals.

Patrick Ledwell and John Sheehan bring it home when they discuss if a staycation is the best type of vacation. Then, This Hour Has 22 Minutes’s comedy couple Chris Wilson and Stacey McGunnigle are in good company when they go head-to-head on whether it’s okay for one partner to have more success than the other.

Charlie Demers and Lisa Baker are anything but fake when they discuss if it's okay to ignore the news. Then, are windows superior to doors? Graham Clark and Charles Haycock tear a weather-strip off each other in this architectural argument.

Here's the latest map...

A Few Points
-As I mentioned tonight, MUN weather station is reporting 60+ mm as of 4:30 this afternoon. St. John's airport reporting 40 mm as of 2:30 pm. So totals could be close to 70 or 80 mm in some places by Saturday evening.
-St. John's and the Northern Avalon has been included in the Freezing Rain Warning for Northern sections and higher elevations overnight and early tomorrow.
-Gander is reporting 17 cm as of 4:30 pm... so 30-40 cm there is likely there.
-Grand Falls-Windsor and Bay of Exploits have been included in the Snowfall Warning.

Have a good weekend!

Ryan

Hey folks,

I posed this question last night on Here & Now... Do you think this past weekend storm was Sheila's Brush? I know, I know, it's only March 9th... but here are a few facts for you.

1) Sheila's Brush is of course the big Winter Storm that hits Eastern Newfoundland every year around St. Patrick's Day. The Storm is usually considered that last big one of the Winter.

2) St. Patrick's Day is next just around the corner... next Wednesday the 17th.

3) This has been a CRAZY winter with a lack of Snow and Warm temperatures.

PAST 5 YEARS

Here's a look at the Past 5 Years and when Sheila's Brush moved in.

2009- March 21st. 28 cm in St. John's and Gander had 24 cm.

2008- March 17-19th. St. John's had 58 cm of Snow! Gander had 57 cm of Snow. Gander also got hit just days before 64 cm of Snow on the 13th and 14th... so it was a double whammy.

2007- March 29th-30th. Gander gets 20 cm while St. John's only gets less than 5. However St. John's had 14 cm just a few days earlier. You have to go all the way back to Feb 23-24th to find a Big Snowfall for St. John's in the weird year of 07.

2006- March 27-29th. St. John's sees 32 cm of Snow. Gander lands 27 cm.

2005- March 30-31st. St. John's gets 18 cm of Snow and 60 mm of Rain. Gander gets 63 cm!!!

So there's no doubt the numbers show, this past weekend storm was WAY too early to be Sheila. But again you never know. This winter has been one of the warmest we've seen in decades... it will be really interesting to see how it all plays out. Especially considering we do appear to have something brewing for early next week.

NEXT WEEK SYSTEM

A quick update on our potential (Sheila) system for early next week.

-The Canadian model is still bringing the system in on late Sunday and into Monday. It's taking the centre of the system waaayyy to the West and wrapping nothing but warm air and rain into Newfoundland and even Southeastern Labrador.
-The American model continues to do the cha cha cha. It was showing a miss early yesterday, then it brought it back West... now it's somewhere in between. Still with the Tuesday idea.
-The European is thinking Tuesday as well and has an interesting track... just East of the Island.

Again, I'll keep you updated.

Ryan

Hey Folks,

If there's one thing we know about the Weather in Newfoundland and Labrador... it's that it's always changing.
I know many of you check out the blog on a regular basis during the day or even on the weekends to find out the latest on a big storm moving in or last minute changes to the forecast... and so I do my best to update it as often as I can. However, I'm trying to make it even easier for you to get quick updates on the latest Weather situation.

TWITTER
As some of you already know I've joined Twitter. Which allows me to quickly drop you a line about changing weather... or what I'll have on the show tonight. It's a very cool tool.
twitter.com/ryansnoddon

FACEBOOK
And so I wanted to let you know that I've also finally joined this thing they call "Facebook". Hahaha. Yes I know facebook has been around forever... I should have joined years ago. Using facebook, you'll be able to post weather pictures on my wall, post messages on my wall about what the weather is doing in your backyard and we'll be better able to stay connected. This is a big Province with a 1000 micro-climates so the more I hear from you, the better. I'll also be able to send out status updates when there are big weather events happening.

So what are you waiting for... be my friend on facebook!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/ryan.snoddon

WEEKEND WEATHER

Alright on to the weather... and it's looking pretty good for the weekend. We'll have a few more clouds and flurries kicking around for Friday, however things will improve from there. An area of High pressure over Northern Quebec is slowly sinking Southeast and will move over the Province as we move into the weekend.

-That high will help block a system moving into Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes and keep Newfoundland and Labrador in a nice Mix of Sun and Cloud.
-Temperatures will warm throughout the weekend as well. As our high moves to the Southeast of Newfoundland on Sunday we should start to see a weak Southwesterly flow.
-It's a little early to talk about actual temps right now, however it appears 3 or 4 degrees could be on the menu for a good portion of the Province. Maybe even warmer in some spots!

Talk to ya soon,
Ryan

Hey Folks,

I'm running short on time today... but I just wanted to show you this...

This is the latest GFS model run... for next Wednesday. A completely different idea than the GFS model run I showed you yesterday. The model is really backing off on the strength of the Ridge of High Pressure in the Atlantic. As a result, our system would be allowed to come much further East. Yesterday the track was through Western Labrador... which would bring a southerly flow of nice warm air into the Province. However, this further East track would allow colder air to sink into Labrador and wrap into the backside of the system producing a decent shot of... S-N-O-W for some.

The latest GFS and European have also shifted their thinking on this one... whether it's a temporary shift or permanent shift... still remains to be seen.

I'll update you on this tomorrow.

Ryan

Hey Folks,

I hope you had a great weekend. Enjoy the sunshine that's around today and Tuesday... because things will turn unsettled on Wednesday and could stay that way through next weekend.

A Few Points

-The actual track of this system has changed again since we last talked. It looks like now it's destined to track into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and then up into Eastern Labrador.
-That track will help wrap SOME warm air in from the Southeast... however it doesn't look like it will be enough to change everyone from Snow to Rain.
-The South Coast of Newfoundland could take a pretty good hit from this storm. A good shot of Snow to start and then some good onshore Rain to follow.
-Labrador will be a Mostly Snow event. We could see some light showers mixing in on Thursday through Eastern Labrador, especially along the Coast.
-Labrador could see upwards of 20 cm from this system.
-The big question mark with this Storm will be Newfoundland. Especially Central Newfoundland in terms of how far Northwest that mixing line will go. With that warm air invading from the Southeast... temperatures will start to rise and change the Snow to Rain... however just 1 to 2 degrees will be vital. This will be a tough forecast for Central Newfoundland for sure.

-Western Newfoundland and up the Northern Peninsula I think will see some Rain mixing in as well... however this will be a mostly Snow event for you as well. I think more than 15 cm is possible.
-St. John's, The Avalon and the Northeast Coast will see some Snow (maybe even 10+ cm) from this system when it moves in on Wednesday. However it looks like Rain will take over for most in the East late Wednesday into Thursday.
-During the transition from Snow to Rain... Freezing Rain is a possibility again with this system... especially Wednesday night in Eastern and Central Newfoundland.

I'll see you tonight on Here & Now.

Ryan

This week on The House: CBC reporter Ashley Burke brings you the latest on Air Canada's expected layoffs; Transport Minister Marc Garneau explores what it could take to see Canada’s grounded airline industry take off again; three tourism operators open up about a difficult season ahead; CBC Washington correspondent Alex Panetta reveals where Canada has surpassed the U.S. in a concerning statistic; and two economists discuss whether a rising federal deficit is an urgent concern. Plus, hear part two of senior producer Kristin Nelson's report on Canada's abortion debate, then and now.

The China file is back on the desk of Canada's foreign affairs minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne. Not that it ever wandered very far.

Canada's second failure in a row to win a Security Council seat was a blow to the Trudeau government's prestige. But how much will it matter to this country in the long run?

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the coming throne speech will be a watershed moment for the nation — but a prominent New Democrat says he's taking an awful risk.