Engineering today looks drastically different from engineering 100 years ago. In the past, designs were focused on safety, economic development, and durability. While these issues still remain important, advancements in technology and research have opened our eyes to issues that extend well beyond the strength of the physical structure. It[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference a hit among student researchers
The 14th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference (AMBGC) took place this past Thursday, March 13 at the Holiday Inn in Montreal. The conference aimed to provide an encouraging and stimulating environment for students to present and discuss their work in biomedical research with other like-minded individuals from around McGill. This[Read More…]
Research Briefs
Sea turtles “lost years” uncovered When sea turtles hatch, the first few hours of their lives unfold as a desperate obstacle course as they attempt to reach the ocean. Dodging sea gulls, footprints, and crabs, many of these scampering hatchlings—little over an inch in diameter—do not survive the trek from[Read More…]
This Month in Student Research: Finding the art in developmental biology
Known for its excellence in research, McGill University is home to a host of professors and scientists whose work contributes to scientific innovation. In tribute to the amazing work conducted within McGill’s walls, each month, Science and Technology features a student researcher who has helped further the cutting-edge science conducted[Read More…]
Science from Science Fiction: Gravity
From invisibility cloaks to light sabres, many recent scientific advancements have made it possible for researchers to get a little bit closer to reproducing some of our favourite technologies portrayed in films. However, while science inches towards science fiction, science fiction can still take a lesson in recreating science. One[Read More…]
Defining a new pathway to the study of mucosal immunity
At first sight, Irah King looks like your average yoga teacher: long hair, cool bracelets, and a warm smile. However, you’d be surprised at the story behind this new member of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. King has a diverse background—a bachelor in psychology, a master’s in physical therapy[Read More…]
This month in science @ McGill
Seashells inspire shatterproof glass: The intricate patterns of waves on the surface of seashells serve more than a decorative purpose. These tiny cracks are actually the secret behind the incredible strength of the shell. Thanks to a technique developed by Francois Barthelat—a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at[Read More…]
Sloths hold untapped resource for novel antibodies
Hanging from the canopy of trees in Soberania National Park, Panama, the coat of the world’s slowest mammal may become the medical community’s newest “bioprospect.” Fungi isolated from the hair of the Bradypus variegatus Three-toed sloths have been found to have anti-parasitic, anti-cancer, and anti-bacterial activity by a study published[Read More…]
Researchers uncover metabolic fountain of youth
If aging were an orchestra, our youth would be a symphony that eventually starts to play out of tune. First the winds and brass would skip a beat, then the strings would lose their tempo and the percussion would fall behind. As time progresses, the beautiful melody unravels to a[Read More…]
Scientists create the first customized, genetically engineered monkeys
Ningning and Mingming are not ordinary monkeys. From the exterior, their pink noses and furry faces make them appear as normal macaques, but at the genomic level, these brothers carry mutated genes. Researchers at the Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University in China reported the creation of the first[Read More…]
