Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · 5d

Ironic that just as we are learning how to reverse aging www.cell.com/cell/abstrac... we are also unable to stop ourselves from progressing AI to the point of being able to develop a virus that could wipe out humanity. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/o...

Senescence-resistant human mesenchymal progenitor cells counter aging in primates

Genetically engineered senescence-resistant human mesenchymal progenitor cells can reduce aging markers and improve tissue and cognitive functions in aged macaques, highlighting their potential as a r...

www.cell.com

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Sep 15

That’s the goal… but only if everything goes according to plan!

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Sep 5

The key proposal at the upcoming COP in Belém is the TFFF, which is to be funded via speculation in capital markets. It’s a heck of a way to fund protection for tropical forests.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/should...

Should we Fund Schools by Speculating in Crypto?

Imagine the government announcing a bold new idea: instead of using tax revenues to fund schools, it would borrow billions and invest the proceeds in cryptocurrency. Since crypto has historically deli...

www.linkedin.com

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Jun 2

It's a special anniversary for Canadians: the last time the Americans invaded was 2 June 1866. Proud that my great-grandfather stood with the Queens Own Rifles, 2nd Battalion, and fought to repulse them. Let's keep Canada strong. www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembran...

Battle of Ridgeway Memorial | Veterans Affairs CanadaFollow Us

Ridgeway Battlefield was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1921 because the Queen’s Own Rifles, 13th Hamilton Battalion, Caledonia and York Rifle Companies of Haldimand fought here, in ...

www.veterans.gc.ca

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NBER @nber.org · May 29

Automation technologies can increase the magnitude of electricity demand response, from Megan R. Bailey, David P. Brown, Blake C. Shaffer, and Frank A. Wolak https://www.nber.org/papers/w33836

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Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · May 16

PSE spending as a percentage of total provincial spending, 2006-07 to 2025-26, Canada and select provinces. It's down everywhere, but the Alberta slump has been especially pronounced.

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Apr 25

Love this essay on pharmacare and the the frustration of a long-time bureaucrat expressed with both pain and humour here:
dclarka175.substack.com/p/waiting-fo...

Aoife Mac Namara @aoifemacnamara.bsky.social · Apr 24

Arts Awards! Congratulations, @jlisayoung.bsky.social ! youtube.com/watch?v=aKaO...

Lisa Young

YouTube video by Faculty of Arts — University of Calgary

youtube.com

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Apr 5

The US tariffs are creating a single country that will be facing high tariffs from the rest of the world. If you want to supply the world (including US), locate in Canada or Mexico. If you only want to supply the US, invest there. No chance this will bring manufacturing to the US.

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Apr 5

Hello @ucalgary.bsky.social

Avis Favaro @avisfavaro.bsky.social · Apr 4

Brain gain? Toronto's @UHN hospital system will announce a strategy to attract U.S. health scientists - plan to be unveiled Monday.
Website isn't up yet, but U.S scientists interested check here Monday. Hopefully other hospitals & universities follow UHNCanadaleads.ca

a canadian flag with a red maple leaf in the middle

ALT: a canadian flag with a red maple leaf in the middle

media.tenor.com

Avis Favaro @avisfavaro.bsky.social · Apr 4

Brain gain? Toronto's @UHN hospital system will announce a strategy to attract U.S. health scientists - plan to be unveiled Monday.
Website isn't up yet, but U.S scientists interested check here Monday. Hopefully other hospitals & universities follow UHNCanadaleads.ca

a canadian flag with a red maple leaf in the middle

ALT: a canadian flag with a red maple leaf in the middle

media.tenor.com

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Apr 2

As a Canadian and an economist, I am not always onside with Trump's tariff ideas. But here he is spot on! The US should definitely impose 25% tariffs on the value of the illegal fentanyl imported into the US, whether from Canada or elsewhere. I would suggest even higher!

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 29

montreal.citynews.ca/2025/03/28/c... Saunders suggests that moving forward, people should double-check what’s on their device if they plan on driving across the border.

Trump's stance on border leads to trouble for Canadians going to U.S.

A Washington-based lawyer says there have been more reports of Canadians being detained at the United States border.

montreal.citynews.ca

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 26

Canadians have decided that they dont want to travel to a hostile country… onemileatatime.com/news/airline...

Airline Demand Between Canada & United States Collapses, Down 70%+

Future flight bookings between Canada and the United States are down by over 70% year-over-year in the summer months. WOW.

onemileatatime.com

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 23

Happy to be quoted in this inspiring article about opportunities for drug repurposing (even with my name misspelled…) www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/w...

Doctors Told Him He Was Going to Die. Then A.I. Saved His Life. (Gift Article)

Scientists are using machine learning to find new treatments among thousands of old medicines.

www.nytimes.com

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Eric Schmaltz @eschmaltzzz.bsky.social · Mar 13

"In Bonememory, the questions I am working with are about how memory is held in our bones and what that means personally, familialy, intergenerationally, collectively" @annaveprinska.bsky.social

robmclennan.blogspot.com/2025/03/12-o...

12 or 20 (second series) questions with Anna Veprinska

Anna Veprinska is the author of Empathy in Contemporary Poetry after Crisis . She was a finalist in the Ralph Gustafson Poetry Contest, has...

robmclennan.blogspot.com

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 11

Trump makes an offer Canadians can hardly resist! Sadly, he forgot to mention life expectancy, which is over 3 years longer in Canada than the US. Even if you wanted lower taxes or to be part of "the most powerful nation in the World" who would give up >3 years of their life for that?

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 10

Proud that the Department of Economics at @ucalgary.bsky.social continues to value diversity equity inclusion and access! Canada isn’t afraid of human values!!

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 7

And claims that Canada is not a real country. www.bbc.com/news/article... as does his loyal lieutenant, who still has Canadian citizenship...

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 7

Trump using the Putin-Ukraine playbook to attack Canada. Just wants a piece. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/w...

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 2

The point of such weapons is deterrence. So that’s what they would be for. We have the technical capability and materials. So let’s protect ourselves.

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 2

It’s become clear that we need to have some “cards” to play — and nukes are the ultimate wild cards. I know. Non-proliferation. But just consider: suppose a “foreign power” were to invade Canada from, for example, the south. What protection do we have?

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Mar 2

It’s obviously time for Canada to invest in developing its own nuclear weapons in case a hostile country like “Russia” decides to invade. We have the capability. And flight time to relevant cities would make deterrence highly effective. Let’s keep Canada independent.

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Feb 20

Axis of evil?

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Feb 20

The whole study is available at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti.... It was great to participate in a study that involved researchers from across Canada, led by @ucalgarymed.bsky.social 's brilliant Reed Beall and Tyler Williamson. Recommended reading for RFKjr.

A Canadian multi-province study of COVID-19 vaccine coverage along area-level social determinants in 2021

www.sciencedirect.com

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Feb 20

This new study highlights the importance of targeting vaccination campaigns where they are needed most: especially towards those with less education.

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Climate Policy @climate-policy.bsky.social · Feb 20

🔓 : #ClimateImpactAuctions can support #mitigation in low & middle income countries by offering greater rewards for stronger performance. Matthey, @aidanhollis.bsky.social et al. find that results-based subsidies can:
💲Decrease costs
🌍 Facilitate participation
⏩ Increase efficiency

Read more👇

Climate impact auctions: an underused tool for green subsidies in the Global South

www.tandfonline.com

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Feb 17

If you are still reading, you should probably check out irpp.org/research-stu...
@irpp.org too!

Climate Impact Auctions: Increasing the Effectiveness of Global Climate Finance - IRPP

IRPP research offers cost-effective path to accelerate renewable energy in developing nations.

irpp.org

Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Feb 17

The most efficient mechanism for allocation is through reverse auctions, where the projects needing the smallest subsidy are the ones to get it.

A recent brief from KFW comes to a similar conclusion: kfw-entwicklungsbank.de/PDF/Download...

kfw-entwicklungsbank.de

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Aidan Hollis 🇨🇦 @aidanhollis.bsky.social · Feb 17

So our paper simply shows that we need to reorient a substantial fraction of climate financing to achieve measurable objectives that are best supported through results-based subsidies. And how should those subsidies be allocated?

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