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Wildfires are raging in parts of Canada, and communities are being affected by the noxious fumes they produce. Smoke from wildfires has already led Environment Canada to issue air quality warnings for much of Ontario. In Toronto, the city briefly had the worst air quality in the world.
Anyone who has experienced wildfire smoke knows how it can leave you with a scratchy throat, stinging eyes and can have an impact on your lungs. However, smoke can also affect your brain. Tiny airborne pollutants found in smoke have been linked to increased risk of stroke, dementia and flare-ups in neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Today, in The Conversation Canada, Dr Bhavini Gohel and Muskaan Muse Laroyia from the University of Calgary outline how wildfire smoke can affect our brains as well as our lungs. They write: “The science is clear: breathing smoky air affects our minds, especially for those already facing health and social vulnerabilities.”
Also today:
All the best,
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Wildfire smoke is seen on Highway 97 north of Buckinghorse River, B.C., on May 30, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nasuna Stuart-Ulin
Bhavini Gohel, University of Calgary; Muskaan Muse Laroyia, University of Calgary
Wildfire smoke doesn’t just darken the skies — it harms the brain, especially in those most vulnerable.
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There are huge disparities in provinces’ school food funding: Per student, per school day, Nova Scotia contributes $3.30, whereas Ontario pays only nine cents. A market in Saint John, N.B., on May 6, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Tina Moffat, McMaster University
Parents and teachers in a southern Ontario survey conducted in the city of Hamilton and Peel Region spoke about their desires for an equitable and inclusive school food program.
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The ways ultra-processed foods harm health goes beyond their typically high salt, fat and sugar content. It’s also in the way they’re made.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Angelina Baric, McMaster University; Anthea Christoforou, McMaster University
Research shows that the effects of ultra-processed foods can accumulate over time, adding to the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health issues, even for healthy people.
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While there has been progress, women are still underrepresented in professorial positions at Canadian universities.
(Shutterstock)
Eya Benhassine, Université de Montréal
There are still signs of gender inequality in university teaching positions in Canada. Here is an overview.
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La profession infirmière au Québec traverse une crise majeure malgré l'élargissement de son champ d’exercice.
(Shutterstock)
Brigitte Legault, Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR); Marie-Josée Drolet, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR); Maryse Beaumier, Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)
La profession infirmière au Québec traverse une crise majeure malgré l’élargissement de son champ d’exercice. À peine 50 % des activités réservées aux infirmières sont exercées dans la pratique.
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Business + Economy
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Venkat Narayanan, RMIT University
A wealth tax on billionaires would require global co-operation and get us into the tricky territory of taxing unrealised gains. But we already do that in some circumstances.
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Science + Tech
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Kate Lewis, University of Portsmouth
The study has created a catalogue of horse facial expressions to help people understand how to read these incredible animals.
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