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Nutrients from salmon carcasses can substantively alter the growth and reproduction of plant species in the surrounding habitat, and even cause some flowers to grow bigger and more plentiful, SFU researchers have found. Their study, published today in the journal Royal Society Open Science , is the first to demonstrate a connection between salmon and coastal plant growth and reproduction.

Better fisheries management and conservation is effective at turning the tide on the shark and ray declines, according to a study from Simon Fraser researchers. The fact sharks and rays are increasingly threatened by overfishing has made global headlines in recent years. Oceanic populations have plummeted by as much as 71 per cent in the last 50 years and one third of all sharks and rays are threatened with extinction.

Nearly two-thirds of all shark and ray species that live among coral reefs are threatened with extinction, according to a new study from Simon Fraser researchers. They found sharks and rays are the most threatened groups found in coral reefs. The study, published this week in Nature Communications, found that 59 per cent of the 134 coral-reef associated shark and ray species are threatened with extinction - mainly due to overfishing, but compounded by climate change and habitat loss.

By Melissa Shaw Researchers with the SFU Nanodevice Fabrication Group are developing a new biosensor that can be used to screen for Alzheimer's disease and other diseases. An overview of their work has been recently published in the journal Nature Communications. Their sensor works by detecting a particular type of small protein, in this case a cytokine known as Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF alpha), which is involved with inflammation in the body.

New research from SFU-s Jeremy Venditti dives into the science of going with the flow predicting the evolution of the Earth's surface. Researchers at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have devised a better way to measure how fast sediment flows in rivers.

Creating smart sensors to embed in our everyday objects and environments for the Internet of Things (IoT) would vastly improve daily life-but requires trillions of such small devices. Simon Fraser University professor Vincenzo Pecunia believes that emerging alternative semiconductors that are printable, low-cost and eco-friendly could lead the way to a cheaper and more sustainable IoT.

New research shows promising results using neurotechnological approaches to treat depression in youth. The research, led by Simon Fraser University (SFU) professor Faranak Farzan, is published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. Researchers investigated the clinical and neurophysiological effects of using brain stimulation followed by cognitive exercise for treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in 26 youth (aged 16 - 24 years old).

Scientists from Simon Fraser University are part of an international team of researchers that has developed a new science-based indicator to assess the state of health of the oceans-and the possible risk of extinction of their species. Recent biodiversity studies show an unprecedented loss of species, ecosystems and genetic diversity on land, but the extent to which these patterns are widespread in the oceans is not yet known.

A Simon Fraser University physicist led an international team of scientists in reconstructing the laws of gravity-to gain a better understanding of how they work in the larger universe. The study, published in Nature Astronomy and featured in The Conversation , explored whether modifying General Relativity could help resolve some of the open problems of cosmology.

When it comes to spider love, female widow spiders hold the key to attracting mates, potentially adjusting their web-s attractiveness to lure males, according to new research. A study led by Simon Fraser University's resident -spider man,- PhD candidate Andreas Fischer, reveals new details about how female false widow spiders ( Steatoda grossa) communicate using pheromones-and suggests they can build more attractive webs- to lure mate-seeking males by adjusting the pH level of their pheromone-bearing silk.

Simon Fraser researchers are advocating for the inclusion of genomic data into forecasting models to better understand the spread of infectious diseases. The researchers say incorporating this data into forecasting models can inform monitoring, coordination and help determine where resources are needed.

Too much screen time can slow children's recovery from concussions, but new research suggests that banning screen time is not the answer. In a study published in the journal Pediatrics , researchers from the University of British Columbia, led by Dr. Molly Cairncross, who is now a professor at Simon Fraser University, and the University of Calgary looked for links between the self-reported screen time of more than 700 children aged 8-16 in the first 7-10 days following an injury, and symptoms reported by them and their caregivers over the following six months.

Hybrid work is better for worker mental health compared to fully remote or in-person formats, according to a new study by Simon Fraser University and Toronto Metropolitan researchers. The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , examined self-reported mental health scores from a survey of 1,576 Canadian workers aged 16 and older during the third wave of the pandemic.

Over a 50-year period, logging on B.C.-s Central Coast preferentially targeted the highest value locations on the landscape, according to new research from Simon Fraser University. The systematic depletion of high-value components of the environment raises concerns about future sustainability and intergenerational access to natural resources.

Work breaks should be seen as recovery opportunities that foster employee well-being and do not detract from performance, according to a Simon Fraser University researcher. Zhanna Lyubykh, assistant professor, Management and Organization Studies at the Beedie School of Business led a systematic review of 83 studies focused on the role of work breaks in fostering well-being and performance.

A new chemical compound under development at Simon Fraser University could give beekeepers an edge in the fight against varroa mites, a deadly parasite that affects honeybees. At her apiary in South Surrey, SFU Chemistry professor Erika Plettner is in the third year of field trials of a new treatment for managing these pests, which have become a serious problem for beekeepers around the world.

Researchers at Simon Fraser University have made a crucial breakthrough in the development of quantum technology. Their research, published in Nature today, describes their observations of silicon -T centre- photon-spin qubits, an important milestone that unlocks immediate opportunities to construct massively scalable quantum computers and the quantum internet that will connect them.

Researchers are a step closer to understanding how Parkinson's disease develops and progresses thanks to chemical biological tools developed at Simon Fraser University. New research, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, and spearheaded by SFU researchers Matthew Deen and Yanping Zhu, outlines new technology and methods to measure the activity of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GCase), an enzyme that is commonly linked to Parkinson's disease.

Researchers are advancing efforts to derail online child exploitation by determining which proactive attack strategies are the most effective. In a new preprint paper, Simon Fraser University researcher Richard Frank and Golestan University researcher Fateme Movahedi found greater efficacy in combating online exploitation using a digital attack strategy known as -principal component analysis,- or PCA.

Simon Fraser researchers are studying how a combination of genetics and brain MRIs may be used to predict the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease in the future. In a newly published study, researchers from SFU-s Functional and Anatomical Imaging & Shape Analysis Lab (FAISAL) identified distinct properties of brain MRIs and genetics that impact the prediction of Dementia of Alzheimer's Type, or DAT, for patients at various stages of the disease, then developed a biomarker that can help predict future conversion to DAT.