From invisibility cloaks to light sabres, many recent scientific advancements have made it possible for researchers to get a little bit closer to reproducing some of our favourite technologies portrayed in films. However, while science inches towards science fiction, science fiction can still take a lesson in recreating science. One[Read More…]
Articles by Abhishek Gupta
Memory-making in action: researchers film brain activity
This January, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University captured on screen the process of the brain making memories. Using mice to perform their experiments, researchers added fluorescent tags to mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) molecules that helped them track these molecules as the brain underwent the[Read More…]
Gene therapy shows promise in combatting blindness
In her novel Light in my darkness Hellen Keller wrote, “There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark.” Robert MacLaren, a surgeon and professor at the University of Oxford, has set out to do just that[Read More…]
New class of hypervelocity stars discovered
At the heart of our Milky Way galaxy lies a black hole—a gravitational sink so strong that not even light, which travels at speeds of close to 300 000 km/s, can escape its pull. However, a recent study conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee observed a new[Read More…]
Dress up your Android and iOS for productivity
Apart from the usual suspects on your phone, such as Instagram and Snapchat, many other apps exist that can help you keep up with your schedule and manage your social life. Check out these lesser-known apps to ring in the New Year. Evernote Advertised as a suite of programs that[Read More…]
2013 Technology: a year in review
1. Wearable computing Between Google Glass and the smart watch—including the models Galaxy Gear and Pebble, wearable computing is a rising trend. Pebble was founded by Eric Migicovsky and released in 2013. Originally, Migicovsky wanted a device that would allow him to use his smartphone without crashing his bicycle; from[Read More…]
Start-up Grind hopes to educate, inspire, and connect
Fifty cities; 15 countries; 15,000 entrepreneurs—this is the ground covered so far by the Start-up Grind. Founded by entrepreneurs Derek Anderson and Spencer Nielson in Feb. 2010, the event series will soon be making an appearance in Montreal. With the intention of creating a place for friends to come and[Read More…]
Moving beyond the classroom as a budding entrepreneur
Throughout his years at McGill, Jeff Kelisky never forgot his father’s advice, “Leave the world better than when you arrived.” Now, as a global business builder, Kelisky continues to strive to make his mark in the world of business and computer science. Kelisky graduated from McGill in 1988 with a[Read More…]
WildCard app acquires an academic spin
When does add/drop end? When will the finals schedule be released? These are all questions many McGill students struggle to find the answer to online, and that is where WildCard comes in. Tom Zheng and Randeep Singh started WildCard with a simple concept in 2011. According to Zheng, “It started[Read More…]
McGill Hackers battle it out in 30-hour MIT ‘hack-a-thon’
Thirty hours, more than 1,000 hackers and over $10,000 in prizes—this was HackMIT. Hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the picturesque town of Cambridge, Massachusetts, HackMIT brought programmers from every level to participate in a ‘hack-a-thon.’ The purpose of the event was to create a product or[Read More…]
‘Phonebloks’ could last a lifetime
What’s one of the main differences between the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5? Colour. Still, consumers are purchasing an entirely new phone.
Security beyond the internet of things
We are all familiar with the feeling of dismay when opening the fridge to an empty shelf. In response to that problem, refrigerators may soon be able to place an order for delivery all on their own, according to Kevin Ashton, a British technology pioneer.
Citizen journalism raises concerns to ‘wisdom of the crowd’
Every minute, there are 3,600 more photos on Instagram to like—and that’s not even including images posted on Facebook. Inspired by the volume and speed of information generated online, the browser Qmee, in collaboration with Social Media Agency mycleveragency, pulled together a detailed infographic to illustrate what transpires in the minute you spend turned away from your screen.
Australian restaurateur develops symbol for ‘the’
With the development of social media and communications technology, language is facing external pressures to shift towards a more condensed form, as seen in the current use of slangs, abbreviations, and connotations.
School in clouds, a new face to education
Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.” TED 2013 Prize Winner Sugata Mitra’s idea of building a school in the clouds epitomizes the way in which the human imagination can push boundaries to solve global issues. Mitra, a professor of educational technology at[Read More…]
Design inspired by nature’s simplest formula
Architects are often taught in specific styles that are reflected in their work. But with most of our structures influenced by pre-existing designs, engineers are now asking what would happen if we could create designs completely independent of any references and preconceptions. Algorithm-based architecture, the use of computer programs to[Read More…]
How does the internet work?
The internet, a network of networks, is often thought to have an ethereal existence—an illusive virtual web that somehow enables a message to travel from your McGill email to an account in London, or a tweet to circulate around the globe. What is surprising, however, is the tangible basis of[Read More…]
App Reviews
With finals less than a month away, the Tribune has reviewed three productivity apps to help keep you on top of your work.
How does our memory work?
The human brain, composed of over 100 billion cells, is a natural work of art. Groups of brain cells, called neurons, and their synapses—the gaps in between them—are the functional units of the brain that allow us to store memories. While these cells are responsible for what we remember, what[Read More…]
Touchscreens
Touchscreens have revolutionized the way we interact with digital devices. The most important attribute they have brought to the user experience is the reduction in the learning curve of operating a device. A simple tap on the screen can trigger commands that would have otherwise been complicated with a mouse[Read More…]
A sonnet stored in DNA would sound as sweet
DNA has an incredible capability to store information. Now, thanks to a simple cipher, DNA can be manipulated to act as a storage system for digital data. The importance of archiving data holds significantly more relevance in today’s world, where information is generated at an increasing pace. From GDP economic[Read More…]
Tech Reviews: Apple Alternatives
Alien M14x A true blend of aesthetics and exquisite craftsmanship, the M14x from Dell’s line of Alienware computers is the weapon of choice for dedicated gamers and multi-taskers. Designed for high-performance gaming, the laptop doesn’t fail to deliver in portability and performance. Under the hood, it packs the latest Intel[Read More…]
App Reviews
Better Me For those who have trouble making their 8:30 a.m. classes, ‘BetterMe’ provides a fun and ingenious way to wake up in the morning. The app is based on a simple idea—post a status update on your Facebook profile each time you hit that dreaded snooze button. Essentially, ‘BetterMe’[Read More…]
Quantum teleportation: science straight from Star Trek
The words “quantum teleportation” bring forth the image of transporting a person from one location to another. Although it is applied very differently than its portrayal in science fiction movies, teleportation is possible, and has been carried out in laboratories around the world. In 2012, a team of scientists in[Read More…]
Companies jump on smartphone trend: home automation
At the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (ICES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, over 150,000 people watched as companies revealed a new wave of smartphone technology. More than just miniature computers, phones on display at the ICES were designed to be remote controls for the consumer’s life, connecting apps to household[Read More…]
Wearable computing at a glance
Imagine window-shopping down Ste. Catherine on a crisp Sunday morning, when a stunning suit on display catches your eye. Beep! Brand: Arrow; Size: M; Price: $700—all this information pops up in front of your eyes in the flash of a second. This is the future of shopping, as Google envisions[Read More…]