A team of researchers from the University of Toronto has isolated the genetic markers for a key behavioural trait in ant species: their tendency to act as bodyguards to protect plants from herbivorous insects like grasshoppers and beetles. The phenomenon is known as mutualism and it is seen widely throughout the natural world. Everyone knows […]
Controversial McMaster study says antidepressants are a health risk
Researchers at the University of McMaster in Hamilton have released a study on the health impacts of long-term antidepressant use, arguing that the commonly-prescribed medications raise the risk of death by as much as 33 per cent. The study has already produced a strong reaction from some in the medical community who say that the […]
Global “atmospheric bridge” links up weather at the planet’s two poles, new study finds
A 30,000 year-old kauri tree in New Zealand is shedding light on global temperature changes, with researchers concluding that a newly identified phenomenon, a 20,000 km-long “atmospheric bridge,” is responsible for connecting melting sea ice in the Antarctic with a quick spike in temperatures in the Arctic during the last ice age. The findings speak […]
How many emotions do you have? Scientists say it’s 27
If the cloud of literally hundreds of emojis available on your iphone has left you a bit overwhelmed (not one of the emotions that made it on the new list, it turns out), then fear not, for new research has whittled down the possible range of human emotions to a neat and complete set of […]
McGill researchers find our bodies are more prone to parasitic infection at night
Does it matter what time it is when you get bitten by that bug? Apparently so, say scientists with the Douglas Mental Health University Institute at McGill University in Montreal who conclude that the severity of infections caused by bites from sand fleas can vary depending on the hour, finding that peak levels occur during […]
Canadian scientists invent cheap and fast way to detect E. coli in water
Researchers at the University of Waterloo and York University have come up with a cheaper and faster method for detecting the presence of deadly E. coli bacteria in drinking water through a simple litmus dip test. The new approach could have a widespread impact on health in developing countries as well as anywhere a quick […]
Another new study finds humans may have come from Europe, not Africa
A new fossil discovery on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean is threatening to rewrite the history books when it comes to human evolution. Footprints found in the Trachilos region of western Crete bear all the markings of a human or hominin foot, and here’s the surprise: they are dated by stratigraphy at approximately […]
Students with anxiety issues are more likely to overuse marijuana, Canadian study shows
A new study on the effects of marijuana finds that high levels of cannabis use in young adults are linked with both anxiety sensitivity and a condition known as negative urgency, described as the tendency to act impulsively in response to stressful situations. The results show that treating young adults for negative urgency through means […]
What are Dragon Boogers? New species discovered in Stanley Park’s Lost Lagoon
Scientists accompanied by a team of volunteer bio-enthusiasts have just discovered a strange new species lurking in the depleted waters of Stanley Park’s Lost Lagoon. The fresh water bryozoan (Pectinatella magnifica) is actually a minuscule creature only about half a millimetre long, sporting a crown of tentacles covered with fine hairs. But lumped and living […]
Female students are more likely to quit programs in science and engineering due to poor grades, study shows
New research from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, finds that poor grades in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses cause female students more than male students to change their major. The study also concludes that having more female professors teach STEM courses does not seem to encourage greater female enrolment in STEM fields. Gender […]
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