For many, space is the final frontier. The challenges associated with its exploration are immense, but so are the potential rewards. Current international law proclaims that space belongs to all of humankind, but some believe that it is only a matter of time before the potential for financial gain puts[Read More…]
Author: David Cohn
SSMU base fee increase question fails by 17 votes
This is a developing story. Please check back later for updates. After two weeks of campaigning, voting for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Winter Special Referendum has closed. The referendum proposed a $5.50 increase in the base fee per term as well as the addition of a seventh[Read More…]
McGill remembers Marvin Minsky
Marvin Minsky, the MIT scientist, philosopher, and author, passed away last week at the age of 88, from a cerebral hemorrhage. Known around his campus as “Old Man Minsky,” he was a pioneer in a number of fields from cognitive and computer science to philosophy of mind and information theory.[Read More…]
The Zika virus, explained
News headlines are swarming with concern over outbreaks of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. First discovered in 1947, the Zika virus is part of the flavivirus family and was believed to pose no threat to humans; however, this virus is the recent cause of over 4,000 cases of microcephaly in infants—an[Read More…]
The red door flags MACES’ progress, but also underlying issues
The executive board of McGill’s Association of Continuing Education Studies (MACES) recently saw the resignation of two board members, including their vice-president (VP) finance Ghassan Berro and senator Nely Gaulea. These resignations have left a total of three vacant seats on their board. In 2012, an article published by the[Read More…]
Surfing the Korean Wave: How K-pop is taking over the world
Last December, K-pop superstar group EXO announced a North American tour scheduled for early 2016. This headline garnered thousands of views and shares on various social media platforms, and concert tickets sold out almost instantly for each stop of the tour. But before the late 2000s, K-pop and South Korean[Read More…]
Declassified: Mind control at McGill—a look at MK Ultra
The Allan Memorial Institute is located in an ominous mansion, formerly known as Ravenscrag, that looms over Rue McTavish at the foot of Mont Royal. The sinister stone building, said to be haunted, is befitting of the grisly experiment that occurred within its walls from 1957 to 1964: Project MK ULTRA.[Read More…]
Accommodations require standardization at McGill University
Following a two-year battle with a student and the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), York University will no longer require students to disclose mental health diagnoses before receiving special treatment for exam writing, assignment extensions, and other accordances. The issue of disclosure is highly contested at McGill, but the more[Read More…]
The Viewpoint: Le Doggy Café
Le Doggy Café, which first opened in January 2015, is a Montreal café that allows you to eat in the presence of your dog. Located on the corner of Avenue du Mont-Royal Est and Avenue Papineau, this unique spot is a bring-your-own-dog café that offers enticing vegetarian and vegan dishes as[Read More…]
Visible invisibility: The science of cinematography
Just about everybody loves seeing a good movie. Though a person’s experience is tied to many different factors, it generally boils down to whether or not the viewer can relate to what they’re seeing on screen and how fully they become immersed in this imaginary world. This is contingent on[Read More…]
