100 scientific leaders convene in Davos to shape global decision-making

Frontiers

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Frontiers Science House announced it will convene over 100 leaders from 16 countries to help shape the global agenda alongside the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026.

As scientific breakthroughs accelerate, too many remain disconnected from policy, capital, and the institutions that govern their impact. Frontiers Science House is designed to close that gap, creating a dedicated space where evidence informs decisions and science carries weight in the boardroom.

The program will feature more than 50 sessions across open science, health, climate, technology, and governance. CEOs, government ministers, Nobel laureates, heads of international organizations, university presidents, leading researchers, and innovators will convene at an unprecedented scale, placing science on equal footing with economics during a week that defines global priorities.

Cutting-edge science and world-leading innovation will take center stage, including contributions from Nobel Prize laureates. Victor Ambros (Physiology or Medicine, 2024) will be on hand to explore how foundational breakthroughs in biology are moving from the laboratory into real-world decision-making; and John Martinis (Physics, 2025) will discuss how quantum technologies could profoundly reshape science and industry. The race to harness AI and accelerate drug discovery will feature perspectives from Novartis, GenBio, and Eli Lilly.

Leadership from the partners of the Frontiers Science House are also part of the program, with participation of Vasant Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, Lisa Monaco, President of Microsoft Global Affairs, and Daniel M. Skovronsky, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of Eli Lilly.

The program will introduce new initiatives spanning global genomic data exchange, omic mapping, and the Frontiers Planet Prize, presented by Johan Rockström alongside this year’s International Champions. Jimmy Wales will mark Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary with a forward-looking discussion on the future of knowledge in the age of AI.

The role of policy will be deeply integrated into the program, with confirmed participants including Swiss State Secretary Alexandre Fasel; European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher; and senior European policy leaders including MEP Christian Ehler, Robert-Jan Smits, and Ann Mettler.

Dr Kamila Markram, CEO of Frontiers, said: 

“Science House is built for moments like this. When leaders are making decisions that shape markets, policy, and society, science must be in the room. By bringing researchers and decision-makers together, we can move faster from discovery to impact.” 

Explore the full program and the below list of organizations participating: 

• African Academy of Science 

• AE4RIA 

• Anicka Yi Studio 

• Arctic Base Camp 

• Arup 

• Australian National University 

• AXA Group 

• Better Planet Laboratory 

• Business World 

• Bühler 

• Carnegie Mellon University 

• CERN; Open Quantum Institute 

• Chalmers University of Technology 

• Charité 

• Columbia University 

• Cyprus Institute 

• Duke University 

• Eindhoven University of Technology 

• Eli Lilly and Company 

• European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) 

• ETH Zurich Board 

• European Innovation Council 

• European Commission 

• European Space Agency (ESA) 

• European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) 

• Fairfield Bio 

• Falling Walls Foundation 

• Fidocure 

• Flybits 

• Fusion for Energy 

• GESDA 

• Ginkgo Bioworks 

• Global Fund 

• GoodTech Advisory 

• Human Immunome Project 

• INAIT 

• Innovator 

• Institut Merieux 

• Imperial College London 

• Inclusive Brains 

• International Science Council 

• Johns Hopkins University 

• KTH Royal Institute of Technology 

• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories 

• Leibniz Supercomputing Centre 

• Lifespan Academy 

• Major Inc 

• Marvel Fusion 

• Mavatar Merieux Institute 

• Microsoft 

• MIT Media Lab sAIpien program 

• Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) 

• National University of Singapore (NUS) 

• Necker Hospital; Paris Descartes University 

• New Enterprise Associates (NEA) 

• Novartis 

• Novo Nordisk Foundation 

• Novotron Fusion 

• NVIDIA 

• One Sustainable Health for All Foundation (OSHF) 

• Open Brain Institute (OBI) 

• Open Planet 

• Pasteur Network 

• Phagos 

• Planet Labs 

• Planqc 

• Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) 

• Precision Neuroscience 

• Prolific Machines 

• Quantum City, University of Calgary 

• Regeneron 

• Rhonda Barnet Advisory 

• San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (TIGET); San Raffaele Scientific Institute 

• Shanghai University of Medicine 

• SPARK Microgravity GmbH 

• Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs 

• Swiss Re 

• Swiss School of Public Health 

• The Global Fund 

• UMass Chan Medical School 

• UNESCO 

• UNFCCC 

• UNSDSN 

• United Nations World Food Programme 

• University of Exeter 

• University of Johannesburg 

• University of New South Wales (UNSW) 

• University of Sydney 

• Villars Institute 

• Volvo Group 

• Voya Machine Intelligence (VMI) 

• Voyager Space Holdings 

• Wellcome Trust 

• Wikimedia Foundation 

• World Economic Forum 

• 7 Things

‘Canada is late to the party’: Experts divided on benefits of LNG exports

By Joshua Santos
Published: November 12, 2025 

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Oil and gas experts are at odds on how Canada should diversify its energy resources.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is developing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry to capitalize on Canada’s natural gas reserves, meet global energy demand, and unlock economic benefits like job creation and revenues. Competition however is expected from the United States and Qatar.

“Many importing countries are shifting away from expensive and imported gas and towards cheaper, more reliable renewables,” said Steven Haig, policy advisor for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

“This means that when it comes to the economic benefits of LNG, Canada is late to the party, and that party is almost over.”

LNG is natural gas in a liquid state. When chilled to -160 C, it becomes clear, colourless and odourless. When liquefied, it shrinks more than 600 times in volume, according to Natural Resources Canada.

“Canadian LNG projects will depend on high prices and high demand for decades to come. With a global supply already around the corner, the market favours lower cost producers like Qatar, which could leave Canadian projects at risk of becoming stranded if prices fall below profitable levels,” said Haig.

Canada is a long-time exporter of large quantities of natural gas and for many years was second only to Russia. Today, Canada is fourth in global natural gas exports and fifth in global production.

Global demand for LNG meanwhile is expected to increase particularly in Asia and Europe, which are seeking to diversify their energy supply and reduce reliance on coal.

Richard Masson, executive fellow for the University of Calgary School of Public Policy and former CEO of Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission said Canada is well positioned to compete in the LNG market.

“When you look at Canada, we have a gigantic natural gas resource,” said Masson adding that Canada has been able to sell at $3 MMBtu for 1,000 cubic feet of gas when the world sold it at $12 MMBtu.

“There is clearly enough value for LNG facilities on their B.C. coast to turn that cheap Canadian natural gas into a product that the world wants,” said Masson.

A massive project is under review at the Major Projects Office. According to the government, LNG Canada Phase 2 in Kitimat B.C. is expected to attract $33 billion in private-sector capital to Canada and contribute to GDP growth.

Countries around the world however have moved to clean and renewable energy. Solar and wind power adoption have accelerated, electric vehicle sales have surged globally, and energy efficiency overall has improved, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Global investment in clean energy reached US$2.2 trillion last year, surpassing the US$1 trillion invested in fossil fuels, according to IEA data.

“Canada has vast potential for renewable energy projects, and these are projects that can bring growth, jobs and lower bills to Canadians all across the country,” said Haig.


“Now whether that’s offshore wind in Atlantic Canada or large scale solar in Alberta, there are huge opportunities for renewables nationwide, and there’s certainly space for the government to increase support for these projects going forward.”

Fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal account for about 83 per cent of global primary energy consumption, according to the Energy Institute.Stay on top of your portfolio with real-time data, historical charts and the latest news on oil

Masson said global demand for energy is continuing to grow as renewables in hydro, wind and solar continue to expand. He said renewables however are not expanding fast enough to meet the needs of the world.

“It’s very difficult to change a global energy system that we have built over decades,” said Masson. “Building LNG facilities in Canada is one of the better ways to try and meet that energy demand, because we’re closer to the Asian market.”

Initiatives in the major projects office are fast tracked through the government as they are deemed to be of natural interest, potentially undermining environmental assessments and regulatory oversight.

Masson said Canada has high standards of producing natural gas.

“Methane emissions regulations are very strong on a global basis, for sure,” said Masson.

“LNG from Canada is some of the lowest emissions LNG in the world. Yes, it will create more greenhouse gas emissions on a global basis, but if it’s not done in Canada, it will be done in other places like Qatar or Australia or Russia. It’s better for the world, for Canadian LNG to get produced than some of those countries.”

BNN Bloomberg reached out to the Major Projects Office for comment, but received no response by press time.


Joshua Santos
Journalist, BNNBloomberg.ca

 

First-in-North-America resource touts research into health benefits of fermented foods

New network helps consumers, researchers and food industry find and share trusted information about ‘ferment-ceuticals'

Lawson Research Institute

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image: 

Fermented foods may be as good for your gut health as they are for your palate. A new Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative is connecting health researchers with consumers and the food industry.

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Credit: Credit: St. Joseph's Health Care London

London (Ont.) – A one-stop network, the first of its kind in North America, has begun sharing easily digested research, recipes and other resources about the health benefits of fermented foods.

The new Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative (CFFI) launches officially on Nov. 17 with a gathering of research and industry experts from across the country and Europe.

The collaboration helps consumers, researchers, health professionals and food industry share trusted, science-based expertise and information about fermented foods.

Funded by the Weston Family Foundation, the initiative is led by Jeremy Burton, PhD, who heads of one of Canada’s largest microbiome research programs and is Interim Vice President Research at St. Joseph’s Health Care London and Lawson Research Institute. His research leadership is joined by Raylene Reimer, PhD, professor of nutrition at the University of Calgary; and University of Alberta professor Ben Willing, PhD, former Canada Research Chair in Microbiology of Nutrigenomics.

Fermented foods such as sourdough bread, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha offer more than just good taste and an economical way to preserve food, Burton says. Large, population-based studies show people who eat fermented foods are generally healthier, with fewer digestive issues and lower risk of chronic diseases.

“How exactly does that work – and why? Well, that’s the big question we’re trying to solve,” Burton says. “One day, I believe, ‘ferment-ceuticals’ will be engrained in our diets and our health vocabulary.”

St. Joseph's is a leader in the field. A paper authored by the team and published this week in Advances in Nutrition represents the most comprehensive synthesis to date of research on fermented foods and human health.

Connor Flynn, a London, Ont., chef, master food preserver and high school teacher whose video recipes are included in the CFFI website, adds, “Fermenting foods is an old practice that’s never fallen out of flavour, but has sometimes fallen out of favour to North Americans. Now it has become popular again.”
To learn more about the CFFI, including fermented food recipes, head to fermentedfoods.ca.

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Scientist Jeremy Burton of Lawson Research Institute at St. Joseph's Health Care London, heads one of Canada's largest gut microbiome programs. He has spearheaded a North-American first: the Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative, which connects fermented-foods health research with consumers and the food industry.

Credit

Credit: St. Joseph's Health Care London

About St. Joseph’s Health Care London
Renowned for compassionate care, St. Joseph’s Health Care London is a leading academic health care centre in Canada dedicated to helping people live to their fullest by minimizing the effects of injury, disease and disability through excellence in care, teaching and research. Through Lawson Research Institute, our innovation arm, and with collaborative engagement with other health and academic partners, St. Joseph’s has become an international leader in the areas of: chronic disease management; medical imaging; specialized mental health care; rehabilitation and specialized geriatrics; and surgery. St. Joseph’s operates through a wide range of hospital, clinic and long-term and community-based settings, including: St. Joseph’s Hospital; Parkwood Institute; Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care; and the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care.

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Journal

Advances in Nutrition

DOI

10.1016/j.advnut.2025.100554 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Current Research in Fermented Foods: Bridging Tradition and Science

Article Publication Date

11-Nov-2025

Calgary’s historic Hudson’s Bay building at risk, says national charity

By Michael Franklin
October 08, 2025 

Pedestrians pass the Hudson's Bay building in downtown Calgary, Alta., Thursday, March 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

A national charity dedicated to the conservation of Canada’s historic places has added another 10 locations to its list of heritage places at risk.

Calgary’s downtown Hudson’s Bay building, completed in 1913, is among the new entrants on the list released by the National Trust of Canada on Wednesday.Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
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The six-storey Edwardian Classical landmark on Stephen Avenue, designed by Toronto firm Burke, Horwood and White, was further expanded in 1930 and again in 1958.

“It features Chicago Commercial-style massing, rare cream-glazed terracotta cladding, granite columns, and a sweeping colonnade — making it a showpiece of early 20th-century department store design and Calgary’s first large-scale commercial concrete structure,” the organization said on its website.

The charity says the recent collapse of the company has put the building, along with many other landmark Bay structures, at risk.


“Now vacant, the future of the Calgary Bay Building is uncertain,” the charity said.

“The Hudson’s Bay Company has announced the closure of nearly all its remaining stores across Canada.”

The Bay in downtown Calgary (Courtesy Glenbow Archives)

In August, the Calgary Downtown Association said that no one had come forward to cover the maintenance costs for the building, which it believes are mounting the longer the structure sits vacant.

Experts do not expect a large retailer to set up shop in the space, and other factors such as online shopping and market conditions have made it even more difficult for companies to step up.

Meanwhile, the National Trust of Canada says other former Bay buildings, including in Winnipeg, are finding new life as housing and cultural hubs.

In September, Hudson’s Bay signaled interest in auctioning some historic documents related to the trading company, including its charter, written in 1670.

The company also said it has 1,700 pieces of art and more than 2,700 artifacts it intends to sell.

The National Trust of Canada says “despite its architectural merit and deep social legacy” there is no protection for the Calgary Bay building through a heritage designation.

Without that, the charity says the building could be subject to demolition and redevelopment at any time.

National Trust of Canada’s new listings in 202524 Sussex Drive (Ottawa) — vacant, with no plan for its future;
Hudson’s Bay Building (Calgary) — faces an uncertain future as the historic company goes bankrupt;
Dr. Martin Murphy House (Halifax) — challenged to access insurance;
Claybank Brick Plant (Claybank, Sask.) — falling deeper into disrepair;
500 Lot Area (Charlottetown) — left vulnerable by weak bylaws;
Peck Building (Winnipeg) — made fragile by prolonged vacancy;
Saint Joseph d’Alma Church (Alma, Que.) — Quebec’s historic churches face a crisis as provincial funding recedes;
Pascal Poirier House (Shediac, N.B.) — never re-opened after COVID;
Sisters of the Visitation Convent (Ottawa) — vacant and crumbling; and
Spruce Avenue School (Edmonton) — faces demolition despite local opposition.

Click here for more about these endangered places.

Michael Franklin
Digital Lead/Senior Digital Producer, CTV News Calgary