The longest any human being has ever lived was 122 years. Jeanne Calment of France, who rode a bicycle until age 100, passed away in 1997. Since then, no one has been recorded to live past 120 years. A paper published in the Oct. 2016 issue of Nature claims to have[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Tiny materials, big changes: McGill announces new minor program in nanotechnology
McGill’s Faculty of Engineering launched a new minor program this year that explores into the world of nanotechnology. It’s a relatively young field that focuses on nanomaterials—materials that have one dimension measuring 100 nanometres or less. Nanomaterials are so tiny they often can’t even be seen under a microscope—in fact,[Read More…]
The Walrus Talks Energy: Perspectives on Canada and global climate change
As one of the top five oil and natural gas producing countries, Canada shapes the global conversation on the future of energy and the related issue of global climate change. At The Walrus Talks Energy, eight presenters from a variety of professions discussed Canada’s perspective in the global energy economy.[Read More…]
Combatting dystopian visions of the future with Seeds of Good Anthropocene project
The Earth has reached a new epoch, one in which the climate is largely impacted by human activities. The anthropocene, as scientists call this period, is often viewed as hopeless, a geological age which will bring environmental destruction; or, in an even more dystopian view, an era that will lead[Read More…]
Using chaos to examine the neurophysiology of aesthetics: Defining human appreciation for art and music
“What do we think is beautiful? How do our brains interpret what we perceive?” Physiology Professor Dr. Leon Glass asked the audience. His presentation, as part of the Cutting Edge Lectures in Science hosted by the Redpath Museum, discussed how chaos and fractals can be used to define human appreciation[Read More…]
The disappearance of truth from American politics
American politicians are rarely known for their honesty, and their performances in presidential debates tend to be no exception. From Gerald Ford’s claim in 1976 that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe” to Mitt Romney’s assertion in 2012 that the Obama administration took 14 days before acknowledging the[Read More…]
Economics of the anthropocene: Paradigm shift needed for sustainable future
On behalf of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) and Economics for the Anthropocene (E4A), Stewart Wallis, the former executive director of the New Economics Foundation (NEF), discussed the need for a transition from an anthropocentric economic system to a biocentric one. The Oct. 4 presentation, titled Economics without Growth, opened[Read More…]
Dr. Jane Goodall discusses her transition from scientist to activist
At the Young Women’s Veterinary Association International Conference on Sustainable Veterinary Practice on Oct. 6, the animal calls were so life-like there could have been a chimpanzee in the room. “This is me, this is Jane, in chimpanzee language,” primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall said. Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall[Read More…]
Origins of the Canadian accent: Canadian English and factors that contribute to linguistic change
Despite many linguistic similarities with our southern neighbour, the Canadian accent—or accents—can be as distinctive as our love of hockey, maple syrup, and good manners. The origins of Canadian English can be traced back to the American Revolution in the late 18th century when roughly 45,000 Loyalists—American colonists still faithful[Read More…]
What are the rules in Star Wars? MILAMOS aims to clarify military law in space
Outer space plays a vital role in every person’s daily life—from sending a text message, to hearing a broadcast on the radio, to swiping a credit card. However, terrestrial warfare is also dependent on space. So, if one country interferes with another country’s satellites, does this constitute an act of[Read More…]
