“There have been times when I’ve had lightning strikes so close I can feel the heat on my face, [times] I’ve been hit by massive hail, [times] I’ve been caught inside a tornado […],” professional storm chaser George Kourounis said. While Kourounis was studying to become a sound engineer, he[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
Edward Snowden discusses how technological advances have changed the way governments spy
Edward Snowden, former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), spoke remotely via Google Hangouts at McGill University on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Snowden’s notoriety has not waned since his leak of some 10,000 classified NSA files in 2013. Snowden began with a few words about surveillance issues in Montreal.[Read More…]
The science of hangovers
With 77 per cent of drinkers reporting that they suffer from hangovers, wasting a weekend morning that was meant to be spent studying because of a splitting headache and nausea is no uncommon occurrence. While there is still no magical cure, scientists are coming closer to understanding the science behind[Read More…]
How polling works and why it went wrong in 2016
Many avid media observers were shocked by Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 United States presidential election. For weeks, media outlets had reported on polls predicting a swift Trump defeat. On election day, FiveThirtyEight, a data journalism website, conservatively projected that there was 71 per cent chance of Hillary Clinton[Read More…]
The impact of climate change on Arctic biodiversity
“Most spiders are small. I don’t know if that’s a comfort to you or not,” Dean of Students and Department of Natural Resources Associate Professor Christopher Buddle said to the audience on Nov. 10 at Cutting Edge Lectures in Science, hosted by the Redpath Museum. As an arachnologist studying the[Read More…]
Where to look for life on Mars: Finding clues from sulphate isotopes deep within the crust
Thanks to a study published in the October issue of Nature Communications, ecosystems are now known to be capable of surviving in the ancient rocks of the Earth’s crust. Two members of McGill’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences—Boswell Wing and Thi Hao Bui—assisted colleagues from the University of Alberta[Read More…]
Seasonal Affective Disorder: How light therapy can help fight the winter blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder provoked by reduced daylight hours during autumn and winter. SAD is considered a seasonal type of depression characterized by irritability, oversleeping, increased tiredness, changes in appetite, and reduced motivation to participate in social activities. Countries closest to the equator report almost no[Read More…]
Joint McGill-Concordia team design net-zero energy dwelling at 2017 Solar Decathlon China
Students and faculty from McGill and Concordia have teamed up to construct a sustainable dwelling to enter the 2017 Solar Decathlon China. This year the competition will be held in Dezhou, China’s ‘Solar Valley’–so named because of the region’s focus on solar power generation. The design theme of this year’s[Read More…]
Fact or Fiction: What is the placebo effect?
When you hear the word “placebo,” what comes to mind? A flashback to the 100 flashcards of Psych 100? Medical studies and controls? People tend to think of this phenomenon detached from their own lives. But, in reality, the placebo effect can have concrete physiological consequences and is frequently used[Read More…]
How far away is the male contraceptive?
A recent clinical trial published in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism produced promising results for a male contraceptive injection, but was halted early due to reports of side effects. The study, which followed 320 men and their partners, found that administering testosterone and progestogen hormones effectively prevented pregnancy in 96[Read More…]