The Decibel

Philip Mai, senior researcher at Toronto Metropolitan University, discusses school boards suing social media giants. They explore the impact of social media on classrooms, mental health, and youth engagement. The lawsuit aims to address addictive features and implement age restrictions, emphasizing social media responsibility and accountability.

Exploring Canada's AI future, the podcast discusses the need for infrastructure investment to support AI research talent. They delve into the challenges of computing power, potential brain drain of AI talent, and the implications of government funding in the AI sector.

Jason Kirby, Matt Lundy, and Mark Rendell discuss the reasons behind soaring housing prices in Canada, construction challenges, declining productivity, inflation's impact on building supplies, and the demographic shift with seniors selling homes affecting future housing projections.

Science reporter Ivan Semeniuk discusses the upcoming total solar eclipse in Canada, explaining the science behind eclipses and how to view them safely. The episode covers the path of totality, historical significance, and the profound impact of witnessing a total solar eclipse.

There are few more important habits for human health than the hours we spend asleep every night. Research shows sleep – or lack of it – affects everything from our physical and mental health, decision making and ability to fight illness. Despite this, at least one in four Canadians say they’re unhappy with the quality of their sleep.Dr. Rébecca Robillard, neuropsychologist at the University of Ottawa and Co-Chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium, goes deep on the science of sleep and why it’s vital for cognition and brain health.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Aspen, Colorado is a picturesque mountain town often called a snowy “playground for the rich”. Real estate is also one of the most expensive in the United States, and for the teachers that live there, that means they’ve been priced out. Now, the local high school is trying to solve that problem with student-built tiny homes for their teachers.The Globe’s international correspondent, Nathan VanderKlippe recently spent time in Aspen to find out about this makeshift solution to the affordability crisis, the other cities doing similar projects and what this all says about the effects housing has on our social structures.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Guest Brenda Bouw from Globe Advisor explains how CPP works, factors influencing payment amounts, and optimal claiming age. Topics include contributions, universality, management, payment decisions, sustainability, and navigating CPP for different generations.

The number of single parents in Canada has been steadily growing since the 1970s. Today, one in five children grow up in single-parent homes. However, the increasing cost of living and lack of sufficient financial support is pushing many of these families towards poverty.Dave McGinn, a reporter for the Globe and Mail, dives into the additional struggles that single parents face and explains how Canada’s policies to help families fall short.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The federal price on carbon is set to increase on April 1. This tax is being criticized by many provinces including Saskatchewan. At the end of last year, Premier Scott Moe announced that the province will stop collecting a carbon levy on home heating bills. Then, earlier this year, he said that the province wouldn’t pay part of its carbon bill to the Canada Revenue Agency. Ottawa says this is against the law.The Globe and Mail’s Alberta and energy reporter Kelly Cryderman explains why Saskatchewan made that decision and how the political debate on the carbon tax got so fraught.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the longest serving leaders of the country, on track to surpass the rule of Joseph Stalin. Over the years, Putin has cracked down on opposition, as seen with Alexey Navalny and many others before him, to the extent that there is little opposition left in Russia.Mark MacKinnon, The Globe’s senior international correspondent, has been speaking with members of the Russian opposition movement, both in prison and in exile. Today, he tells us their fates, how they’re making sense of this moment, and what it means for the future of Russia that Putin has such a firm grip on power.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com