In the past few decades, human-driven global warming has left many questioning the future of the Earth’s oceanic dynamics and the implications of altering them. The Antarctic ice sheet (AIS), the largest body of ice on the planet, is retreating at an accelerated rate due to increased greenhouse gas emissions[Read More…]
Research Briefs
Exercise in a pill for those with rare movement disorders
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), a rare neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by severe, progressive movement and balance issues. It is associated with low levels of a neural molecule called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which guides the growth and maintenance of brain cells and overall plasticity. SCA6 affects one in 100,000[Read More…]
McGill researchers use drones to collect volcanic samples
Gasses emitted from volcanoes can provide crucial insight into their activity and eruptions, but gas samples are difficult, and often dangerous, to collect by hand. McGill scientists are among the first to overcome this issue by employing drones to collect samples remotely by piloting them into the crater of a[Read More…]
Honey, I shrunk the brains!
Aging is one of the few truly universal experiences, yet it is one of those things that no one really looks forward to. Along with visible signs like wrinkles and grey hair, however, comes a more insidious and harder-to-combat symptom: The decline of brain function. But according to a new[Read More…]
Mapping behaviour using genetic biomarkers
What if you could visibly lay out your entire genome sequence in front of you and see almost everything that explains who you are, from your eye colour to whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert? If this were true, we look at someone’s genes and calculate whether they will[Read More…]
As ice sheets melt, will Greenland mine?
While many are worried about large swaths of land disappearing under water as global sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets in the Arctic, Greenland finds itself with a different problem: Its coastline is growing. Scientists have observed that when Greenland’s ice melts, it runs down to the ocean,[Read More…]
The surprising link between muscle mass and cognition
Most people are aware of the crucial role muscles play in keeping us alive and moving us around.What might be surprising to some, however, is that muscles also secrete hormones that affect the brain. The connection between these seemingly distinct organs led a team of researchers at the Research Institute[Read More…]
A new immunocellular therapy at our doorstep
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, nearly 7,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with leukemia this year with a mortality rate of nearly 50 per cent. Similarly, over 10,000 will be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—a specific type of cancer that causes lymphocyte cells to develop abnormally. Many research institutions across the[Read More…]
The secrets beneath our skin
Skincare is a focal point in the beauty and wellness industry. One cannot scroll through TikTok or Instagram without seeing Reels promoting various skincare products and regimens. The importance of proper skin health, however, goes deeper than beauty. From 2008 to 2018, there has been a 44 per cent global[Read More…]
Mapping concussion symptoms in the brain
Concussions affect more than 200,000 Canadians each year, but, despite the injury’s prevalence, patients with the same symptoms often respond to the same treatment differently. This is why some children and adolescents who suffer concussions recover in a few weeks, while others may suffer symptoms lasting several months or even[Read More…]
