If you have a goal to which people respond “you’re crazy” or “I’d rather die,” you’d be wise to proceed with care. This past weekend, I ran in Montreal’s Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon; here is what I did to ensure I arrived alive at the finish line. Pre-Race Become[Read More…]
Articles by Izze Siemann
The world is larger than English
Like many others at McGill, I come from a background of multiple languages. My father grew up in Wolfsburg, Germany—a relatively small country town, about an hour away from Berlin. After 20 years of living in a rainy climate, he decided to venture south in search of sun and a[Read More…]
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story
The iconic song that concludes Hamilton, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” elicits a fundamental inspiration for creativity—the idea of sonder, that each individual is living a life as complex and intricate as our own. I myself wonder whether or not my stories will matter, and marvel at[Read More…]
Everything you wanted to know about hurricanes
Over the past few weeks, hurricane Harvey plummeted into Texas, and record-breaking hurricane Irma plowed through the Caribbean and into the west coast of Florida—with smaller hurricanes Jose and Katia. Technically, a hurricane is a tropical cyclone. According to NASA, the name “hurricane” is regional, applying only to tropical cyclones[Read More…]
Everything you wanted to know about the blobfish but were afraid to ask
Ever pictured a cross between Squidward from Spongebob and a grumpy English Bulldog? If not, look at a picture of the infamous “blobfish” and wonder at the mysteries of life. According to the New York Daily News, the blobfish, or Psychrolutes marcidus, was voted “World’s Ugliest Fish” by the Ugly Animals[Read More…]
The impact of music on identity
Music affects the human brain in endless ways. From experiencing pleasure and joy to sound, to remembering autobiographical events, to communicating through movement, music impacts humans constantly and significantly. In a recent study published in February in Scientific Reports—led by Cognitive Psychologist and Professor Dr. Daniel Levitin—sex, drugs, and music[Read More…]
Benefits of geothermal energy discussed at Engineers-in-Action event
One of the biggest issues concerning attempts at reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the world’s complete dependency on burning fossil fuels for energy. Currently, modern livelihoods rely on continuous advancements in electricity, transportation, and technology. Antonino Lagana, the principal engineer at engineering company Stantec and a 1993 McGill University graduate[Read More…]
MNI researchers link lack of pleasure from music with decreased connectivity in the brain
Researchers link lack of pleasure from music to dampened connectivity in the brain.
How McGill invented pain: 1970s pain scale still used today
Has a doctor ever asked you to rate your pain on a scale from one to ten? Over 40 years ago, McGill University’s Dr. Ronald Melzack and Dr. Warren Torgerson set out to create a quantitative measure for pain—that is, a numerical scale to analyze the condition of patients. “The[Read More…]
Man vs. storm: In conversation with George Kourounis
“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…]
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…]
Invasive species found moving into Canadian ports
Species in one continent can move to and thrive in another in a matter of days. In McGill’s backyard, mussels that have never been seen in Canada were discovered at the Old Port. With humans as their vessels, invasive species are continent-hopping at an alarming rate according to Associate Professor[Read More…]
Combatting dystopian visions of the future with Seeds of Good Anthropocene project
The Earth has reached a new epoch, one in which the climate is largely impacted by human activities. The anthropocene, as scientists call this period, is often viewed as hopeless, a geological age which will bring environmental destruction; or, in an even more dystopian view, an era that will lead[Read More…]
What are the rules in Star Wars? MILAMOS aims to clarify military law in space
Outer space plays a vital role in every person’s daily life—from sending a text message, to hearing a broadcast on the radio, to swiping a credit card. However, terrestrial warfare is also dependent on space. So, if one country interferes with another country’s satellites, does this constitute an act of[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…]