What if we could rid the world of any species that we didn’t like: The annoying ones, the dangerous ones, and the disease-spreading ones? This seems like a tall order and one that carries a number of ethical quandaries. With the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 gene technologies, the once theoretical bioethics[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Ask a Scientist: How is spider silk so strong?
How is spider silk so strong? It’s so thin and light! The properties of spider silk—also known as gossamer—can seem mysterious if we try to think of it as a kind of string; however, the strength of spider silk comes primarily from its complex structure on the microscopic scale. Gossamer[Read More…]
Quebec promises to abolish health care accessory fees by early 2017
On Sept. 14, Quebec Minister of Health Dr. Gaetan Barrette announced that as of January 2017, Quebec doctors will no longer be allowed to charge accessory fees—additional fees on services already provided by the Quebec health insurance. Accessory fees have generally been charged for services such as eye drops, injections,[Read More…]
Advances in veterinary practice: Doggy acupuncture and the technological future
Anyone who has ever taken an introductory biology class probably recalls the effort that goes into learning a few evolutionarily basic phyla characteristics. Those who remember will likely appreciate a profession that builds exponentially upon that introductory class in order to diagnose and treat species across the animal kingdom. “Veterinarians[Read More…]
Saskatchewan doctors seek state of emergency over HIV rates
In response to high rates of HIV and AIDS within the province, a group of Saskatchewan physicians is urging the provincial government to declare a public health emergency. According to an open letter signed by a group of 30 physicians on Sept. 19, the 2015 provincial rate of HIV was[Read More…]
Federal government to impose contentious national carbon pricing: Pan-Canada climate plan provokes debate
“We [are] all united in our commitment to stepping up in the fight against climate change, to ensuring that we have a Canadian approach to climate change,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a press conference last November. While Liberal government has made many statements on climate change, until now,[Read More…]
Will legalizing the ivory trade save elephants?: Social media campaign #KnotOnMyPlanet highlights elephant population in crisis
A recent social media campaign, #KnotOnMyPlanet, inundated newsfeeds last week. With high-profile celebrities––like supermodel spokeswoman Doutzen Kroes––pledging to the cause, #KnotOnMyPlanet runs in a similar vein as the once-popular ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. In an effort to raise awareness about the illegal ivory trade, the challenge involves tying a knot from[Read More…]
Ask a scientist: Why isn’t the sky blue?
Two questions stood out for our first column. First, “Why is the sky blue?” This is a well-known one, but the subject has also been tackled by just about every scientific blog and answer column under the blue sky. The second attention-grabbing question was “Why isn’t the sky blue?” That query[Read More…]
Acetaminophen, the leading cause of liver damage: Health Canada adds new warning labels
Acetaminophen is one of the most popular pain relief—analgesic—drugs. It can be found in a variety of medications—it is most commonly sold as Tylenol—and can be readily purchased over-the-counter at any corner pharmacy or drugstore. It is also the number one leading cause of liver damage in Canada. On Sept.[Read More…]
Girls rule, boys sleep more soundly: McGill professor finds hormonal differences affect sleep quality
Men and women are constantly compared—whether in sports, academics, or income levels. A new study by Diane Boivin, McGill Medicine and Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, highlights how sex can also impact quality of sleep. Many scientists have researched the discrepancy of sleep disorders between men and women. An article by[Read More…]
