Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald is the host of CBC Radio's award-winning weekly science program, Quirks & Quarks. He is also a science commentator for CBC News Network and CBC TV's The National. He has received 12 honorary degrees and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Latest from Bob McDonald

Analysis: Bob's blog

European Paralympic athlete in line to become the first disabled astronaut in space

British Paralympian John McFall has formally completed his astronaut training, and is now on the waiting list for a spot to fly to the International Space Station, which would make him the first disabled person to reach orbit.
Analysis: Bob's blog

Does ELIZA, the first chatbot created 60 years ago, hold lessons for modern AI?

Using code that was thought to be lost for nearly 60 years, scientists brought the world's first chatbot back to life for anyone to try.
Analysis: Bob's blog

Falling space debris could increasingly affect airline traffic, research finds

A new study from researchers at UBC found that the chance of debris entering air space around major cities is as high as 26 per cent each year.
Analysis: Bob's blog

Stunning photo mosaic of neighbouring Andromeda Galaxy captures the glow of 200 million stars

To celebrate the 100-year Edwin Hubble discovery that Andromeda was a galaxy outside our own, astronomers release the most detailed Andromeda Galaxy image ever.
Analysis: Bob's blog

Kissing moons may explain why Earth's moon is so large

The larger moons of Pluto and Earth likely formed through a collisional process with Charon and our moon, respectively, rather than by gravitationally capturing them. Due to Pluto and Charon's rocky, icy nature, their collision was more of a gentle short-lived kiss.
Analysis: Bob's blog

How quickly is the universe expanding? Astronomers and theorists can't agree

New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope back up previous findings from the Hubble telescope that contradict theoretical predictions, suggesting the standard model theorists work from needs a revisit.
Analysis: Bob's blog

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket will launch NASA probe to Saturn's largest moon

NASA's sending an octocopter-lander to Saturn's cloud-covered moon, Titan, with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket with a launch scheduled for 2028.
Analysis: Bob's Blog

Astronaut brain fog known as the 'space stupids' not so bad after return to Earth, study suggests

A new study shows that the brain fog many astronauts report feeling when they're in space is not just all in their head. The good news is that these so-called "space stupids" go away once they return to Earth.
Analysis: Bob's blog

Blind and sighted people alike can learn to 'see' with echolocation, study finds

Some people who are blind have been able to forego a walking cane by using echolocation instead to visually sense their world. Now in a new study, scientists discovered that sighted individuals can also gain this ability through training.
Analysis: Bob's blog

Contest invites teams to design a 'generation starship' for a 250-year journey

A voyage in this kind of spacecraft — while still conceptual — would take multiple lifetimes, crossing unimaginable gulfs of interstellar space. The theoretical exercise puts aside technical problems, including the propulsion system, and focusses on the design of the habitat and society.