Subscribe to the OSS Weekly Newsletter!

Want more information on the "Virulent" screening?

General Science

How do erasers work?

10 Jun 2022

These days we are accustomed to pressing the delete key and a word on the screen disappears, ready to be replaced by a few keystrokes. But that doesn't mean pencils and erasers have disappeared. On...

The Deception of Temporary Tattoos

8 Jun 2022

Tattoos are a way to express creativity, individuality, even loyalty (though in the latter case designs often end up getting removed if loyalty fades). Sounds appealing but the idea of permanence...

The “Unintelligent Design” of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

25 May 2022

The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is a touchstone in anatomy education and evolutionary biology research, known for its unnecessary U-turn in the neck. But can we learn something intelligent from...

Babies, Botulism and Honey

25 May 2022

The young mother was surprised by the doctor’s question. “What does your little girl eat for breakfast?” “Only hot oatmeal with milk,” she answered. “Does she put any sugar on it?” the doctor...

Salon-Free Highlights are Just a Spray Away

19 May 2022

Summer is almost here! Tans will get darker and hair will get lighter. If you really want to get blonder this year, many brands sell hair lightening sprays – a way to heighten the sun’s natural...

What’s the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?

19 May 2022

What if your significant other gifted you baking powder instead of chocolates? What if they invented baking powder? In 1843, British chemist Alfred Bird did just that for his lucky, yeast-allergic,...

“Forever Chemicals” Seem to be Forever in the Spotlight

17 May 2022

One of the questions I’ve been asked recently with increasing frequency is how to avoid exposure to those “forever chemicals” that we are being warned about in numerous newspaper articles, books,...

I’m Allergic to Nuts, Pollen, and Montreal Winters

13 May 2022

As strange as it sounds, being allergic to the cold is a real thing, and it’s called “cold urticaria.” Compared with nut or pollen allergies, an allergy to cold temperatures is much less common,...

Brightening Up Traffic

13 May 2022

Red signifies danger in many cultures. From a distance, green is highly visible by day. At night, yellow is easier to see. That briefly explains the choice of colours on every traffic light. But...

Pages

Back to top