Heather E. McFarlane
Career Profiles
Assistant Professor & Canada Research Chair in Plant Cell Biology
The Solutioneers Week 9: Renewable Energy
Interactives
This week's episodes and hands-on activity explore renewable energy.
Algae Biofuel: Can Pond Scum Power the Planet?
STEM Explained
Learn about the potential of algae as a material for making biofuel.
Adam Tofani
Career Profiles
Offshore Completions Engineer
Natalie Swanson
Petroleum Geologist
Terry Penney
Hibernia Offshore Installation Manager
![Hamilton Street Railway bus in downtown Hamilton, Ontario © Adam E. Moreira [CC BY-SA 3.0], Wikimedia Commons](/sites/default/files/styles/resource_card_image_360x300_/public/2019-08/Hamilton%20Street%20Railway%20bus%20in%20downtown%20Hamilton%2C%20Ontario%20%C2%A9%20Adam%20E.%20Moreira.jpg?itok=1ZSDJMZQ)
Fueling Internal Combustion Engines
Backgrounders
Learn about the wide variety of fuels used in vehicles.
What is Ocean Warming and Why Does It Matter?
STEM Explained
Oceans absorb the greatest amount of solar radiation on Earth. Ocean warming can lead to glaciers melting and ocean acidification.
What are the Pros and Cons of Ethanol Biofuel?
STEM Explained
Biofuels like ethanol might help fight climate change. But they can contribute to food insecurity and greenhouse gases in ways that might surprise you.
What are the Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy?
STEM Explained
These two “point-counterpoint” videos provide arguments for and against using nuclear energy to generate electricity.
What If You Could Charge Your Phone Using Radio Waves?
STEM Explained
Could we use radio waves to charge electrical technologies in the future?
What is Fracking?
STEM Explained
The fracking process gets natural gases out of rocks. This process can have effects on freshwater, water quality and even earthquakes!
Thermopower and the Body Heat-Powered Flashlight
STEM Explained
Can your body be a source of electricity generation? Maybe, if you understand heat transfer. Explore this concept through a 2013 invention by a Canadian teen.
Understanding Electricity Supply and Demand
Backgrounders
Electricity demand changes constantly. Suppliers need to generate more electrical energy when demand is high, and less when demand is low.
Temperature on Earth and on the ISS
Backgrounders
Temperature is an important part of life on Earth and life in space. This backgrounder explains what temperature is, how it affects people and how it is controlled on the International Space Station.