Back to the Future, the 1985 sci-fi classic, is in the news this week for a special anniversary. The protagonist of the movie, Marty McFly, time-travels from 1985 to 1955 and back again. In the process, he saves his mentor, mad scientist Doc Brown, and assures his own existence by[Read More…]
Science & Technology
The latest in science and technology.
2015 Nobel Prize winners in physics, chemistry, and medicine
During the week of Oct. 5, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the winners of the 2015 Nobel Prizes. The laureates’ scientific breakthroughs contributed to humanity’s understanding of DNA, explained fundamental properties of the universe, and provided doctors with means of combating diseases like malaria and parasitic diseases. Physics[Read More…]
Leaked documents reveal critical information regarding U.S. drone programs
On Oct. 15, The Intercept released a number of articles based on leaked documents about the U.S. drone program. The articles showcased the processes by which objective enemies are tracked, targeted, and then neutralized by a drone strike. This information was acquired by The Intercept via an anonymous source and[Read More…]
Demilitarize McGill: The unexpected applications of military research
Demilitarize McGill is one of the most well-known and controversial groups on campus. Those unfamiliar with Demilitarize McGill from their ubiquitous stickers and posters will have heard about their Remembrance Day protest last year, which drew large amounts of media attention in. Their goal continues to be the condemnation of[Read More…]
Paralyzed man walks using brain-wave systems
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, successfully created a system of artificial electrical signals to circumnavigate a paraplegic man’s spinal injury. The man’s name undisclosed for privacy reasons. As a result, the 26-year-old was able to walk for the first time in five years, making him the first paraplegic[Read More…]
From the BrainSTEM: Discovering scientific serendipity in the upcoming general election
The last several years under Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s term have been intolerable for the scientific community. Described by the media as the “War on science,” Harper has muzzled government scientists in an effort to control how and what information is disseminated to the public. These policies are a form[Read More…]
Learn to Code: An evening hosted by HackMcGill
On Sept. 30, HackMcGill hosted its second Learn to Code event at the Lorne Trottier Building. Created for McGill students unfamiliar with the programming world, Learn to Code offers newcomers help from those with experience. Following a brief introduction about the types of programming languages and a list of the[Read More…]
This week in space
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…]
Bioinformatics is changing the experimental process
Every iPhone has a processor that is roughly 10 times faster than the Apollo Guidance Computer, used during the first moon landing. The IBM 7090, considered the fastest supercomputer in the 60s, would fail to keep up with today’s smartest watches. Computational power has grown exponentially over the years, but[Read More…]
Vaccines, GMOs, and cell phones: The Lorne Trottier Symposium discusses modern controversies
Known for his ventures in communicating science to the general public, Director of the Office for Science and Society (OSS), Joe Schwarcz moderated the 10th annual Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium this past Monday and Tuesday at Centre Mont Royal. Every year, the symposium brings together like-minded individuals to discuss[Read More…]
