Millions of gamers advance biomedical research
Leveraging gamers and video game technology can dramatically boost scientific research according to a new study published today in Nature Biotechnology.
Safer, more efficient drug discovery
McGill researchers have discovered a safer and more efficient technique for testing new drugs while they are in development.
A promising discovery in a rare neurodegenerative disease
Imagine being middle aged and starting to feel that you are off balance a lot and that you are having a hard time coordinating your movements. Those are among the symptoms of Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, known as SCA6, a rare neurodegenerative disease which typically appears in adulthood and worsens over time. Over time, other problems such as slurred speech and difficulty seeing or seeing double, may also appear.
Soup & Science: McGill’s stew-pendous serving of research
Recently, McGill undergraduate students had the opportunity to savor an enriching blend of knowledge and soup at the 37th edition of Soup & Science. This week-long event, occurring once a semester, highlights research taking place on campus. This semester’s showcase included topics across disciplines, ranging from quantum meta-photonics to optogenetic stimulation in roundworms, and students were able to learn and engage with these topics in an intimate setting.
Species diversity promotes ecosystem stability
What maintains stability within an ecosystem and prevents a single best competitor from displacing other species from a community? Does ecosystem stability depend upon the presence of a wide variety of species, as early ecologists believed, or does diversity do the exact opposite, and lead to instability, as modern theory predicts?
Energy poverty in Canada
As many as one in five Canadian households can be considered to be in energy poverty, according to researchers from McGill University. Energy poverty occurs when households cannot afford or access the levels of energy necessary to meet their daily needs, live decent lives, and maintain healthy indoor temperatures all year round. More Canadians potentially suffer from energy poverty than from food insecurity.
Uncertainty in measuring biodiversity change could hinder progress towards global targets for nature
More than ever before, there is a growing interest in dedicating resources to stop the loss of biodiversity, as recently exemplified by the
New understanding of avian eggshell attachment
Athletes often suffer injuries to ligaments in their knees, particularly to the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. While surgery to replace these torn ligaments is becoming increasingly common around the world it often needs to be repeated.
Surprising new evidence on happiness and wealth
Global polls typically show that people in industrialized countries where incomes are relatively high report greater levels of satisfaction with life than those in low-income countries.
But now the first large-scale survey to look at happiness in small, non-industrialized communities living close to nature paints quite a different picture.
Looking at happiness in non-industrialized settings
Energy poverty: an overlooked determinant of health and climate resilience in Canada
Despite Canada being an important energy producer, not all Canadians can access or afford adequate levels of energy services at home to meet their needs, maintain healthy indoor temperatures, and live a decent life—a situation known as energy poverty. Depending on the measure, 6–19% of Canadian households face energy poverty. Health risks associated with energy poverty are documented in countries with milder climates.
Alfonso Mucci elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union
Alfonso Mucci, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, has been elected an American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fellow. He joins 53 other individuals in the 2022 Class of Fellows. AGU, a nonprofit organization that supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space sciences, annually recognizes a select number of individuals as part of its Honours and Recognition program.
Undergraduate students celebrated for summer research
On August 10, thirty or so undergraduate students gathered in Leacock 232 to share their experiences as researchers in the Faculty of Science over the summer.
Making data science accessible to all
The Faculty of Science’s new Computational and Data Systems Initiative will help researchers unlock the power of data-intensive research methods
Real-time alert system heralds new era in fast radio burst research
McGill University scientists have developed a new system for sharing the enormous amount of data being generated by the CHIME radio telescope in its search for fast radio bursts (FRBs), the puzzling extragalactic phenomenon that is one of the hottest topics in modern-day astronomy.
Stress affects our motivation – but not necessarily our ability – to do difficult tasks
Stress increases people’s tendency to avoid cognitively demanding tasks, without necessarily altering their ability to perform those tasks, according to new research from McGill University.