IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Despite the “munchies” being a common cannabis effect, frequent users are leaner and less likely to develop diabetes than people who don't use the drug. According to a new study that attempts to tackle this pot paradox, cannabis use in teenage years may alter how the body's fat cells work – and not necessarily for the better.
Study author Daniele Piomelli is a professor in the University of California, Irvine's anatomy and neurobiology department, and the director of the university's Center for the Study of Cannabis.
"All too often we think of cannabis only as a psychoactive drug," Piomelli said in a news release. "But, its effects extend well beyond the brain."
In the study, researchers gave adolescent mice low daily doses of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol: the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. When treatment was stopped in adulthood, they continued to evaluate the mice's metabolism and discovered that mice that had been exposed to THC as adolescents had reduced fat mass and increased lean mass than the control group. They were also more resistant to obesity and high blood sugar, had higher than average body temperatures, and were less able to use fuel from fat stores.
The study noted that several of these features are common to people who frequently use cannabis.
To understand why this is happening, the researchers analyzed the molecular changes caused by THC. Although the fat cells of the mice on THC looked normal under a microscope, they also unexpectedly produced large amounts of muscle protein, which is usually not found in fat, while their muscles had fewer of these proteins.
This unusual process, the researchers concluded, was interfering with the normal functioning of fat cells and their ability to store and release energy, meaning that they were less capable of utilizing stored nutrients for muscle activity. In addition to physical effects, this could also impact mental processes like attention, which require a steady flow of energy to the brain.
The study chose to focus on adolescence, because it a time of rapid physical development, and also when many regular users first try cannabis. The study defined "the munchies" as "the stimulation of hedonic high-calorie eating" and one "of cannabis’ most iconic effects."
The study was published on June 1 in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Metabolism.
"[Cannabis'] main constituent, THC, mimics a group of chemical messengers called endocannabinoids, which regulate important functions throughout the body," Piomelli explained. "Our results show that interfering with endocannabinoid signaling during adolescence disrupts adipose organ function in a permanent way, with potentially far-reaching consequences on physical and mental health."
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Biden wants the 2024 election to be a referendum on Trump's record and plans, but he also wants voters to look favourably on his own policies and actions
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.