In 2017, Netflix released the series 13 Reasons Why, sparking a media frenzy about the show’s portrayal of suicide. In a recent study, Robert Whitley, an assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, investigated the Canadian media’s coverage of 13 Reasons Why. Collecting data from 20 Canadian news outlets, Whitley’s team[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Giant floating boom boosts Ocean Cleanup efforts
For decades, a solution to the problem of marine plastic pollution has seemed out of reach. Fortunately, Boyan Slat, an entrepreneur from the Netherlands, has invented a floating device that removes garbage from the surface of the ocean. Slat was 16 years old when he scuba dived in the Mediterranean[Read More…]
The immaculate conception of the internet: A balancing act
On Sept. 13, the Redpath Museum hosted Derek Ruths, a McGill professor of computer science and director of the Centre for Social and Cultural Data Science, who addressed a pertinent problem of our technological world: The dark side of the internet. According to Ruths, the three most substantial issues with[Read More…]
Smart pump improves insulin delivery to diabetics
With frequent needle pricks and the need for meticulously-managed blood sugar levels, most type 1 diabetics lead lives of constant monitoring and planning. Unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 often develops during childhood and cannot be controlled simply by changes to diet and exercise, although it can be mitigated. Until[Read More…]
Sounds fishy: Omega-3s and the fish reduction industry
Omega-3s have a storied reputation in the nutrition world. Studies claim that the fatty acids found primarily in fish can help fight inflammation, improve brain health, and may even prevent heart disease. Since 2002, the American Heart Association has recommended two servings of fish a week, or, for those who[Read More…]
Policy and research struggle to keep up with opioid epidemic
Although once upheld as an exemplary source of pain relief, opioid painkillers have quickly come to cause a deadly health emergency across North America. While in 2016 there were 2,458 reported opioid-related deaths in Canada, 2017 saw a considerable increase to 3,987 deaths. In light of this growing crisis, the[Read More…]
Exercising your right to a better brain
While it might be difficult to consciously visualize how to balance on a bike or catch a ball, a recent study at McGill sheds light on the role of exercise in motor memory, or learning how to perform a skill instinctively. Individuals normally pick up motor memory through repetition, but[Read More…]
World Cup sees injuries increase among young Montreal soccer players
Whether you celebrated France’s win or are recovering from Germany’s early exit, there’s no denying that the 2018 FIFA World Cup had its fair share of momentous upsets, brilliant goals, and stirring controversies. For young soccer enthusiasts, the global tournament that comes around only once every four years is an exciting time. Yet,[Read More…]
Eager volunteers take to the web in search of spiders
A recent McGill study following the distribution patterns of the northern black widow and black purse-web spider populations hints at what the future of biodiversity research may look like in the digital age. Using previously collected observations from public online databases, McGill researchers have joined the increasing number of academics[Read More…]
How sustainable is your sex life?
When we think about sex, people consider their own needs, and, if they’re a decent person, those of their sexual partners as well. Rarely are the needs of the environment considered in the bedroom. However, the sustainability of contraception habits is an arena in which sexual sustainability and environmental health[Read More…]
