Scientists believe that planets outside of the solar system capable of supporting life should look a lot like Earth. The theory posits that if the chemical components comprising Earth’s atmosphere can be found in that of distant planets, those worlds could harbour similar carbon-based life-forms. This summer, two McGill University[Read More…]
Research Briefs
Artificial intelligence is paving the way for less invasive surgical training
Repeated practice is necessary to achieve mastery, which is no exception for surgical residents who often train directly on patients for four to six years. However, in this hands-on learning environment, even a minor mistake can be serious. To protect against such fatalities, a McGill research team constructed a solution.[Read More…]
Hippocampus research introduces a new understanding of stress
In Aug. 2019, a team led by McGill professor and researcher Tak Pan Wong published a new study about the hippocampus and its ability to retain memories of stressful experiences. Published in the Journal for Neuroscience, the study detailed new connections to mental disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress[Read More…]
McGill welcomes inspiring new science professors
McGill University is world-renowned for the quality and exceptional range of its scientific research. Such excellence is made possible by its professors, competitively selected from among the world’s best scientists. This year, 17 new professors joined McGill’s Faculty of Science. The McGill Tribune got to know four of the departments newest[Read More…]
Soup and Science casts McGill researchers in the spotlight
From Jan. 15 to 19, the annual Soup and Science lecture series featured professors eager to present their research to students and spectators. The McGill Tribune reports: Assistant Professor Thomas Preston Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Emma Gillies Contributor On Jan. 16, Assistant Professor Thomas Preston from the Department[Read More…]
Fantastic new science professors and where to find them
As one of the top universities in Canada, McGill boasts top-notch professors—dedicated academics and researchers from all around the world. According to Gregor Fussmann, chair of the Department of Biology, as many as 200 candidates initially apply for a single tenure track position. From these, a search committee identifies a[Read More…]
From skin cells to brain cells: McGill researchers generate a cell critical to Alzheimer’s research
Researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (MNI) of McGill University have recently discovered a method for transforming patients’ skin cells into a type of brain cell critical for understanding and treating neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. According to the McGill Newsroom, the artificial cells are “virtually indistinguishable from[Read More…]
How invasive species change more than just ecosystems
An invasive species can be any kind of living organism—bacteria, fungi, plants, insects, fish, or even the organisms’ eggs—that has no evolutionary history in a particular region, but is able to establish a self-sustaining, reproducing population. Given that there are no natural mechanisms that control their influence over an ecosystem,[Read More…]
Research briefs: pictures of proteins, rape culture, and Reddit
First ever picture of a protein The study of proteins has always been essential to understanding diseases. Proteins, which are the little worker bees of the human body are responsible for cleaning out debris, transporting vitamins and nutrients, and even fighting off foreign invaders. Because the function of an individual protein is[Read More…]
Research briefs: Thanksgiving weekend
Pumpkin and mammoth pies Americans who celebrated Thanksgiving last weekend have mastodons and mammoths to thank for the pumpkin pie on the table. In a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, researchers established a link between the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna—mastodons, mammoths, giant[Read More…]
