Earth-like planets beyond this solar system, also known as exoplanets, are a popular target of research in the search for extraterrestrial life forms. However, the evolutionary processes that give rise to life depend heavily on the physical and chemical characteristics of habitable environments. The role of climate in shaping the[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Going Supernova: The swan song of a dying star
For centuries, astronomers have studied space phenomena in an attempt to address the fundamental question of our existence and place in the Universe. One astronomical event that is often considered is known as a supernova. It is a powerful stellar explosion that, for a short time, is often brighter than[Read More…]
MUHC to begin trial of ciclesonide for alleviating COVID-19 symptoms
While the race for a COVID-19 vaccine continues, scientists around the world are exploring the possibility of repurposing existing drugs to effectively treat COVID-19 patients. Recently, researchers have seen a number of breakthroughs. One of these successes is dexamethasone, a corticosteroid hormone with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. The conclusions of[Read More…]
In ‘The Invisible Man,’ not seeing is believing
Leigh Whannel’s film The Invisible Man, based on H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel of the same name, tells the story of a young woman, played by Elizabeth Moss, who escapes an abusive relationship with a tech-savvy millionaire. After faking his own death, Adrian, Moss’s on-screen ex-boyfriend, devises a bodysuit using optical[Read More…]
Taking a virtual tour of McGill’s stones and fossils
The earliest forms of life on Earth date back approximately 4 billion years. In an attempt to uncover the events leading to the development of life, scientists study sedimentary rocks and the fossils contained within them to uncover and map the history of living organisms through the ages. In Montreal,[Read More…]
UN member nations fail to meet decade-old biodiversity conservation targets
In October 2010, 190 UN member countries committed to reaching the Aichi Targets, a set of 20 goals developed to protect earth’s biodiversity. The targets encompassed multiple areas of biodiversity conservation, including sustainable fishing, land use rights, reforestation, public awareness, and more. On Sept. 14, the United Nations (UN) announced[Read More…]
Revealing the burning truth about droughts and heatwaves
Throughout the 1930s, horrific dust storms swept through Western North American, eviscerating agricultural fields and leaving the livelihoods of millions of underprepared farmers in peril. This period, known as the Dust Bowl, was characterized by severe drought and wind erosion. Since then, scientific advances have helped farmers develop more resilient[Read More…]
Science Rewind: How supercomputers became personal computers
In 2017, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) claimed to have built the world’s largest single-memory computing system, boasting a machine that could hold 160 terabytes of memory. In comparison, the iPhone 7 only has two gigabytes of random-access memory—electronic data that can be accessed at the same speed regardless of its location[Read More…]
Nerdy going on thirty: Soup & Science returns for its 30th edition
The first-ever Soup & Science event, held in 2006, was hardly an extravagant affair. Professors and students gathered together in the second-floor lobby of the Trottier building to talk science, pass along research developments, and, of course, share in the event’s eponymous light refreshments. Thirty editions and a venue change[Read More…]
Discussing the necessity of positive rhetoric on climate change
On Sept. 16, the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design held its seventh annual symposium titled “Lessons from a Pandemic: Solutions for Addressing the Climate Change Crisis.” The first speaker, Dr. Naomi Oreskes, an affiliated professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University, discussed why people should[Read More…]
