In 2021, mine workers in Morocco made a huge discovery. They found a fossil that scientists believed to be a new species of mosasaur – a large swimming reptile that lived in the same era as the Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, many scientists, including a group in Alberta, are now questioning whether or not the fossil is real or fake.

Ivan Semeniuk is The Globe’s science reporter. He’s on the show today to explain what we know about this fossil, the feud that it’s provoked between paleontologists, and when we might uncover the truth.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

What’s in your drinking water? On Prince Edward Island, the provincial testing program shows potable water in some communities have higher levels of toxic “forever chemicals” than is recommended by Health Canada. To what extent this affects other provinces is unclear – PEI is currently the only province that systematically tests water supplies to make sure they hit federal targets for toxic chemicals.

Patrick White is The Globe’s water reporter. He explains the safety concerns surrounding “forever chemicals” in our water, why the health agency revamped its guidelines and looks into why other provinces are slow to adapt.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

On Tuesday, King Charles III opened the 45th Parliament by delivering Canada’s throne speech. The speech lays out the government’s priorities, and the King is only the second monarch to deliver it – his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so twice before.

The speech affirmed Canada’s sovereignty amid ongoing tensions with the U.S., and touched on Liberal election promises, including a middle-class tax cut, an end to interprovincial trade barriers, and rapid approvals of major infrastructure projects.

Stephanie Levitz is a senior reporter in The Globe and Mail’s Ottawa bureau. She joins to discuss the significance of the speech and what it signals, Carney’s first days in the House of Commons, and what’s new in parliament after nearly six months off.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

It’s been a challenging few months for Canadian businesses. Even though Canada has been largely spared from the worst of U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, many Canadian small business owners are finding themselves caught in the crosshairs of the U.S. tariffs targeting China.

Mariya Postelnyak is a consumer affairs reporter for The Globe and Mail. She’s on the show today to explain how small businesses are being affected by the trade disputes between the U.S. and China, how they have been preparing for potential disruptions, and what this all means for their ability to survive.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Canada is facing tariffs, a possible recession and an ongoing housing crisis. The country needs millions of new, affordable homes, and Prime Minister Mark Carney wants the federal government to help build them. But how effective was it the last time the federal government built housing?

Today, Dr. Carolyn Whitzman, a senior housing researcher with the University of Toronto, will walk us through the postwar plan Carney is drawing inspiration from. And then, we’ll analyze the challenges Carney and Housing Minister Gregor Robertson will face, and whether their plan can solve Canada’s long-standing housing crisis.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

This week, Canada Post received a strike notice from its union representing 55,000 workers. The notice comes just less than a year after the last postal strike back in November. Canada Post is under major financial trouble. A recent report commissioned by the federal government says the postal corporation is in an “existential crisis.” Canada Post has lost $3-billion since 2018 and according to the report, that’s due to a drop in letter mail and parcel delivery competition. This is putting even more pressure on the corporation and the union to come to a deal.

Meera Raman is a financial and retirement planning reporter at The Globe. She’ll explain the financial state of Canada Post, what’s been happening with negotiations, and what the impact could be on Canadians.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Over the weekend, the Israeli military launched a new operation in Gaza called Gideon’s Chariots. It comes after a two-month long blockade of humanitarian aid that is finally starting to ease as some trucks with food have been allowed to enter the Palestinian enclave.

Hamida Ghafour is The Globe’s deputy foreign editor. She talks about the international response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent decisions, an update on the remaining hostages and what it has been like for Palestinians to live under the current circumstances.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Generative AI has been taking the world by storm, and Alberta wants in on the action. The province currently has plans to break ground on at least six AI data centres this year. But, more data centres means more electricity usage, and in Alberta, that means more natural gas.

Joe Castaldo is a business reporter for The Globe and Mail. He’s on the show to explain why Alberta is trying to become the next big data centre hub and what that means for the province’s electricity needs and emissions.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com