David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science

Evolutionary biologists have long known that DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all organisms, contains a record of ancestry.

But could genomes also bear an imprint of the environments in which organisms evolved? According to a recent bioinformatics study, the answer, at least for some life forms and for some extreme environments, is an unexpected yes.

As Canada experiences record snowfall, new research from the Cheriton School of Computer Science suggests that tiny amounts of industrial pollution trapped in snow can change how sunlight reaches the ground below and significantly alter fragile environments.  

The culprit is black carbon, a sooty form of pollution produced when fossil fuels burn incompletely. It can come from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions and other combustion sources. While black carbon is already known to contribute to warming, the Waterloo research highlights another, less visible effect: how it alters the “light environment” under snow in ways that affect plant growth.

Circle has signed an agreement to acquire the Interop Labs team along with its proprietary intellectual property, the company behind the development of the Axelar Network