NASA has always been an institute of great scientific accomplishment and innovation, but this comes with a hefty price tag. As the agency moves forward in its three-stage plan to put humans on Mars, the public agency’s budget is under heavy scrutiny. Increased pressure has been put on NASA to[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
The impact of music on identity
Music affects the human brain in endless ways. From experiencing pleasure and joy to sound, to remembering autobiographical events, to communicating through movement, music impacts humans constantly and significantly. In a recent study published in February in Scientific Reports—led by Cognitive Psychologist and Professor Dr. Daniel Levitin—sex, drugs, and music[Read More…]
McGill Defi Ecotech Challenge hosts Women in Cleantech panel
The hosts of the McGill Defi Ecotech Challenge commemorated International Women’s Day on March 8 with a Women in Cleantech panel. Clean technology, coined “cleantech,” reduces environmental impact via innovation in any product, process, or service through increased efficiency and sustainability. The panelists, Myriam Bélisle, Solenne Brouard, Diane Leboeuf, and[Read More…]
McGill researchers develop new model for Zika virus experiments
The spread of new and emerging viruses poses a constant threat to public health and presents a concern to developing and developed countries alike. Population growth, climate change, and the increasing ease and speed of travel have exacerbated the transmission of these viruses. Overpopulation results in the construction of homes[Read More…]
Gravitational waves and the exploration of the universe
On the evening of March 9, Leacock 132 was filled with anticipation and intellectual curiosity as the crowd took their seats to hear Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professor Rainer Weiss give the Anna I. McPherson Public Lecture, sponsored by the McGill Department of Physics. Weiss’ presentation was titled “Exploring[Read More…]
Explaining reluctance in the face of climate change
The Pew Research Center found that, in all 40 nations polled, the majority of respondents believed that climate change is a very serious problem, with the most concern found in African and Asian countries. “There has been a one and a half degree Celsius rise in temperature linked to an[Read More…]
Douglas Mental Health Institute identifies new target for slowing cancer growth
Postdoctoral student Silke Kiessling and McGill Psychiatry Professor Dr. Nicholas Cermakian conducted a study out of the Douglas Mental Health Institute to better understand how people’s biological clocks affect cancer cells. Specifically, they examined whether cancer cells’ growth can be inhibited by targeting the biological clock. The study was published in[Read More…]
Zoos: Prisons or protection?
Animal lovers everywhere can relate to the excitement and wonder associated with going to the zoo. However, many are also dismayed by the small enclosures and the often oppressed and miserable-looking animals trapped inside. Not surprisingly, animal welfare organizations, such as PETA, have spoken out against zoos, condemning their push for[Read More…]
Bias means that fact-checking Trump may not be effective
In July 2016, Newt Gingrich offered a prime example of cognitive dissonance in a CNN interview. Gingrich argued that statistics showing declining crime rates were wrong because people didn’t say that they felt safer. His argument demonstrated the strong role that feelings play in the way people determine which data and[Read More…]
What to make of NASA’s announcement of newly discovered planets
What do a beer, a Roman Catholic religious order, and a newly discovered planetary system have in common? They are all named Trappist, but only one of the three could potentially hold the key to life beyond Earth. On Feb. 22, NASA announced the groundbreaking discovery of seven new exoplanets—planets[Read More…]
