Seven years ago, a hunting accident left Maurice Desjardins severely scarred and unable to eat, drink, speak, or breathe on his own. His former life ruined, Desjardins saw no way for things to return to how they had once been. But, given modern medicine, new hope has arisen. Earlier this[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
McGill welcomes inspiring new science professors
McGill University is world-renowned for the quality and exceptional range of its scientific research. Such excellence is made possible by its professors, competitively selected from among the world’s best scientists. This year, 17 new professors joined McGill’s Faculty of Science. The McGill Tribune got to know four of the departments newest[Read More…]
Which came first: The chicken or the dinosaur?
At first glance, a chicken and a dinosaur may seem as distantly related as any two species could be. For Hans Larsson, McGill associate professor of paleontology and biology and director of the Redpath Museum, the correlation between the two could not be clearer. In his presentation on Sept. 14,[Read More…]
The evolving coverage of depression and suicide in the media
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…]
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…]
