On March 1, the McGill physics department hosted a public lecture by Nobel laureate Dr. Theodor W. Hänsch of the Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics, as part of this year’s Anna I. McPherson lecture series. During his talk, called “Passion for Precision,” Hänsch discussed the importance of precise measurements in his[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Raspberry Pi is a lot of computer for very little money
raspberrypi.org When the Raspberry Pi Foundation announced in the late 2000s that they intended to create a capable computer for only $25, most people said they were crazy. The idea of a desktop computer in the double-digit price range was unheard of back in 2006, and indeed it still seems[Read More…]
Forum held to critically analyze autism-vaccine link
On Feb. 15, McGill’s department of psychology hosted “Critical Thinking and the Vaccination Debate,” a forum designed to present a range of topics and case studies to help students critically analyze the issue. Dr. Amir Raz of McGill’s psychology department set the stage for a highly contested debate on autism[Read More…]
Genetic breakthrough made in childhood brain cancer
chemgapedia.de Dr. Nada Jabado, an associate professor of pediatrics at McGill, recently led an international cohort of scientists in search of the genetic factors behind the onset of childhood brain cancer. The study, published in Nature, uncovered two important mutations that affect the regulation of the genome. Glioblastoma multiforme, a[Read More…]
McGill research sheds light on hidden genetic potential
Groundbreaking research at McGill is shedding light on the importance of environmental stress on evolution. Researchers led by Professor Ehab Abouheif, a Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Developmental Biology, recently created “supersoldiers” of the ant genus Pheidole morissi in the lab. The “super” ants sport huge, oblong, heads and ultra-sharp[Read More…]
SOPA migrates north
The fight between the entertainment industry and illegal file sharers has moved north of the border, with Bill C-11 set to reach the floor of Canadian Parliament this week. Bill C-11 is the latest iteration in a series of proposed amendments to Canada’s Copyright Act which aim to provide more[Read More…]
St. Lawrence river may hold clues to the ocean’s future
A paper that was first drafted in a bar in Mont-Joli has been recognized by Quebec Science Magazine as one of the top 10 discoveries in 2011. The paper, written by McGill earth and planetary science professor Alfonso Mucci, is the result of a study on water quality in the[Read More…]
CEOs leave RIM as company struggles to regain position
financialpost.com The Canadian technology firm Research in Motion (RIM), maker of the Blackberry smartphone, lost its two top executives on Jan. 22, amid the company’s continuing efforts to restructure in light of recent struggles. Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazardis acted as co-CEOs and co-chairmen of RIM for more than two[Read More…]
Neuroscientist Marc Tessier-Lavigne speaks at McGill
mskcc.org World-renowned neuroscientist and McGill alumnus Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne spoke to an audience of science undergraduates on Friday evening. Tessier-Lavigne was formerly executive vice president of research for the biotechnology firm Genentech, and is now president of The Rockefeller University, a prestigious university in Manhattan devoted to research in the[Read More…]
Websites dark for a day in protest of U.S. anti-piracy bills
en.wikipedia.org Black banners confronted visitors to the English version of Wikipedia, reddit and several other websites this past Wednesday as part of the largest online political demonstration in history. The websites were protesting two proposed bills in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA),[Read More…]
