Each mistletoe berry can produce up to two metres of a gluey thread called viscin. It allows the seeds of this parasitic plant to stick to and infect host plants. Since ancient times, mistletoe berries have been explored as treatments for everything from infertility and epilepsy to cancer. But, until now, no one has fully investigated the potential medical or technical uses of the glue itself.
Fever, cough, sore throat – symptoms in the spotlight in the era of COVID-19 – are just some of the tell-tale signs of our body’s immune system kicking into action against an unwanted intruder. Whether triggered by an infection, an allergen, or a vaccine, immune responses are driven by a complex array of cellular processes that can play out over several days or even weeks.
The recipient of the Leo Yaffe Award for 2022 is Gabriel Venne, assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. The award is given each year to recognize a faculty member for superior teaching at the undergraduate level in the Faculty of Science.
Astronomers have unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy. This result provides overwhelming evidence that the object is indeed a black hole and yields valuable clues about the workings of such giants, which are thought to reside at the centre of most galaxies. The image was produced by a global research team called the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration, using observations from a worldwide network of radio telescopes. Astronomers from McGill University were part of this global effort.
The Faculty of Science’s new Computational and Data Systems Initiative will help researchers unlock the power of data-intensive research methods
If you follow science news, you will almost certainly have encountered the term ‘modelling’. From understanding climate change, to predicting the course of a pandemic, to developing the pharmaceuticals to fight one, scientists seem to have a ‘model’ for everything. But have you ever wondered just what the term means and how scientists go about creating models?
In the quest to identify the origins of one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries – fast radio bursts (FRBs) – Canada’s world-renowned telescope, the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), is getting backup.
McGill students participated for the first time this year in École en réseau and Cœur des sciences, two programs that provide programming for elementary and secondary school students across Quebec. Read about McGill students Jeremy Dawkins and Kirsten Crandall's engaging collaborations with École en réseau and Cœur des sciences in McGill dans la ville's article
Ballast water release from ocean vessels has introduced hundreds of invasive species to coastal ecosystems worldwide, causing major disruptions to fisheries and biodiversity. Attempts to control aquatic invasions have met with mixed success in general. However, a new study suggests that a bi-national regulation targeting ships entering the Great Lakes since the mid-2000s has been remarkably effective in reducing a large proportion of the invasive species in the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem.
Founding members of the award-winning McGill Chemistry Outreach program have documented the inception and work of the group in Beyond exploding balloons- bringing the science of chemistry to the public, a new piece in the Canadian Journal of Chemistry.
March 9 is McGill24, the University’s day of giving.
The pitch
Help us bring the hands-on experience of a natural history museum into schools and community venues by supporting the Redpath Museum Discovery Boxes.
Check out our promo video here: https://youtu.be/ZKij3NXK1Ks
The highlights
With your help we can:
It's today!
Time for, Question 3 of 3 that we asked 10 students of the Redpath Museum on their research, career and general path in science.
This week, "What advice would you give your younger scientist self?"
Without further ado, here is the video: https://youtu.be/F-7htHPkaf0
Thank you to everyone who have been part of this amazing project and thanks for watching! We hope to see you again soon!
Since the onset of the worldwide pandemic, face masks have been widely adopted to control the spread of COVID-19. While masks are critical for mitigating disease contagion, they hide parts of our faces which are used for nonverbal communication to express our emotions and intentions.
It's today!
Time for, Question 2 of 3 that we asked 10 students of the Redpath Museum on their research, career and general path in science.
This week, "What is a notable struggle you had that you overcame?"
Without further ado, here is the video: https://youtu.be/D0nGZzYI054
Stay tuned and meet us on Facebook, YouTube or our website to know more on the last question we asked on February 23rd, always at noon!
It's today!
Time for, Question 1 of 3 that we asked 10 students of the Redpath Museum on their research, career and general path in science.
This week, What brought you to science?
Without further ado, here is the video: https://youtu.be/W0Iw-CBoWiM
Stay tuned and meet us on Facebook, YouTube or our website to know more on February the 16th and February the 23rd, always at noon!
Join the first global cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars!
Are you interested in mentorship, leadership skills development, and full funding to start a graduate degree?