Throughout history, blood moons have been associated with bad omens. In Chinese tradition, a blood moon foreshadowed famine or disease. Mesopotamians believed that a lunar eclipse resulted from attacks by demons. But on Sept. 27, from 10:11 p.m. to 10:37 p.m., when the moon turned red, there were no famines[Read More…]
Research Briefs
Summer research briefs: Brain power
Molding memories Some people find it hard to remember what they had for lunch yesterday, while others can remember every detail of the house they grew up in. Understanding how memories are retained and recalled has always intrigued researchers, especially when seeking therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Researchers speculate[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Mar. 10, 2015
Working out boosts grey matter A recent study of adult twins has shown that an exercise routine can do more than just burn fat. Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland analyzed data from 10 pairs of adult male twins who had grown up playing the same sports,[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Feb. 24, 2015
Giving the finger The notion that there exists a correlation between the length of a person’s finger and their amicability may seem strange. However, researchers from McGill University are showing exactly that—but only in men. Scientists, by comparing the length of the index second finger (2D) to the fourth finger[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Feb. 17, 2015
#engaged Charting into unprecedented territory, relationships are now using digital platforms to display signs of love and appreciation. A study from Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Interactive Computing will be presented at California’s iConference in March. Entitled She Said Yes! Liminality and Engagement Announcements on Twitter, the study[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Jan. 27, 2015
Is being bilingual better? A 2011 census of Canada revealed Montreal to have the highest rate of bilinguals in the country. While this figure may not come as a surprise to many, it does make Montreal the ideal candidate for demonstrating the ‘bilingual advantage.’ Evidence has shown that raising[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Nov. 18, 2014
Long-term marijuana use on the brain A study published in The Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences last week has found that chronic—defined as three times per day over 10 years—marijuana users have a lower IQ score and smaller gray matter volume in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) region of[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Nov. 11, 2014
Neuroscience of choking under pressure The experience of choking under pressure—in an exam, at the free-throw line, or in a presentation—is a familiar one. This week a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience attempted to explain what goes on in the brain when the stakes are raised. While monitoring their[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Oct. 28, 2014
Physicists transport marbles with optical tractor beam The tractor beam—a long-distance invisible attraction beam—is a legendary staple in science fiction. In real life, moving objects using only light seems absurd, if not impossible. However, in a paper published in Nature Photonics, a team of Australian and American physicists successfully transferred[Read More…]
Research Briefs—Oct. 21, 2014
Breakthrough in nuclear fission Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC), one of the world’s largest defence contractors—in 2009 it received 7.1 per cent of the Pentagon’s total funds—has had a major breakthrough in the study on the viability of shifting to nuclear energy. Led by Tom McGuire, the team demonstrated the feasibility of[Read More…]
