AI Summary

Scientists have monitored sugar maple leaves in Gatineau Park for over 65 years to track radiocarbon levels. The Geological Survey of Canada began monthly sampling in 1961 and continued until its radiocarbon lab closed in 2004. The André E. Lalonde National Facility for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at the University of Ottawa now analyzes the samples, extending the record through 2025 with 59 new measurements. A recent study published in Scientific Reports shows that the radiocarbon signatures from Cold War nuclear weapons testing have only recently faded from the local biosphere. The leaf collection remains active, with new samples collected in September 2026 awaiting analysis.

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