The human brain is the most complex, compact system known in the universe and certainly one of the most mysterious. Researchers from McGill and the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, now known as the Neuro, have long been at the forefront of neuroscience. This includes Wilder Penfield, who discovered brain[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
How many people is too many people?
There are currently 7.6 billion people on Earth. The United Nations (UN) projects that the planet’s population will increase by one billion within the next 15 years. By 2100, over 11 billion people could be inhabiting the planet. The concept of overpopulation is not new. Thomas Malthus, an 18th century[Read More…]
Exploring Physicist Stephen Hawking’s Scientific Contributions
On March 14, Stephen William Hawking, physicist at Cambridge University and international best-selling author of A Brief History of Time, passed away, leaving behind a legacy of revolutionary discoveries spanning the past five decades. At the age of 21, Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou[Read More…]
Meet the newly-discovered species of 2017
The most recent estimates of the number of species world-wide, according to Science Daily, suggest that there are around 7.8 million animal species on Earth of which only about one million have been described and catalogued. Fortunately for aspiring field biologists, a staggering 87 per cent of animal species may[Read More…]
Uncoiling the accuracy of DNA ancestry tests
DNA ancestry tests from services like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, Family Tree, and MyHeritage are becoming increasingly popular methods of delving into our genetic histories, often at steep prices. While their methods used to retrace an individual’s ancestry may vary, each compares the genomes of their customers using DNA databases. Ancestry tests[Read More…]
Bioenergy Plantations: A step towards meeting our climate change goals
On April 22 2016, nations from across the globe signed the Paris Agreement, an international climate accord with the aim of managing countries’ greenhouse gas emissions and reducing average global temperatures increases to 2℃ above pre-industrial levels. Since 2015, it has become increasingly apparent that further reducing emissions will not[Read More…]
Reefer Madness: Understanding the schizophrenia risk associated with cannabis
Cannabis, or what the 1937 film Reefer Madness coined the “burning weed with its roots in hell,” is slated to become federally legal in Canada by the end of 2018. The potential risks and benefits of its use are still being disentangled from antiquated disinformation, individual studies, and hearsay. While[Read More…]
Five science documentaries to binge this Reading Week
Reading week has finally arrived. For many eager students, this well-deserved break only moves their academic pursuits from the lecture halls and libraries to the comfort of their own homes. While the semesterly grind may leave students feeling bogged-down and stressed-out, kicking back and relaxing with a good documentary, in[Read More…]
SpaceX blasts through expectations
February kicked off with a blast as private aerospace company SpaceX sent its most technologically advanced rocket, the Falcon Heavy, out into space on Feb. 6. This was a momentous occasion for anyone with dreams beyond our atmosphere, as the Falcon Heavy can reportedly carry a record 64 tonnes into[Read More…]
Observing our cosmic past
Of all the questions discussed by theologians, philosophers, and scientists, perhaps the most enduring and enigmatic is: Where did the universe come from? Lyman Page, professor of physics at Princeton University and co-winner of the 2018 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, is a part of a team that has brought[Read More…]
