McGill University achieves Socially Responsible Investing targets two years ahead of schedule
McGill University has achieved the performance targets set out in its Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) strategy, a full two years ahead of schedule. This milestone is highlighted in the 2022 Investment Committee Report on Socially Responsible Investing, presented yesterday to the McGill Board of Governors.
A more convenient and accessible way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease?
Despite extensive research and encouraging findings, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains difficult to diagnose based on signs and symptoms alone. But what if one day, a blood sample during an annual check-up could be used to identify the disease? A recent McGill-led study has found that a new kind of blood test is as effective at detecting AD as lumbar punctures, one of the current methods used to diagnose AD.
Joint Chair aims to leverage AI and IoT to improve animal welfare in Canadian dairy farms
McGill University and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) announced today the creation of the Research and Innovation Chair in Animal Welfare and Artificial Intelligence (WELL-E). The five-year, $5 million Chair will carry out a major research project funded by a grant from NSERC Alliance and PROMPT, fiduciary of the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy.
Not so sweet after all: are candy-striped spiders a threat to ecosystems across North America?
For years, pollinator declines have been a pressing issue for ecosystem health and food security in the face of climate change and human impacts on the environment. Even in their sleep, pollinating insects cannot catch a break – for fear they’ll be taken down by a small, but mighty predator: the candy-striped spider.
Reducing fatigue and errors among nurses working night shifts
Nurses exposed to 40 minutes of bright light before their night shifts feel less fatigued and make fewer errors at work, according to a study led by McGill University. The nurses also slept better after their shifts.
Meet the first global cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars
Thirty students from 10 countries will form the first global cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars at McGill University, arriving in September 2023.
Designed to encourage purposeful leadership, the scholarships are the result of a landmark $200 million gift in 2019 by John and Marcy McCall MacBain, the second-largest single donation in Canadian history.
Tastes differ – even among North Atlantic killer whales
Killer whales (also known as orcas) are intelligent predators. While it’s known that killer whales in the Pacific Northwest exploit widely different food types, even within the same region, we know much less about the feeding habits of those found throughout the North Atlantic.
How different were galaxies in the early universe?
An array of 350 radio telescopes in the Karoo desert of South Africa is getting closer to detecting the “cosmic dawn” — the era after the Big Bang when stars first ignited and galaxies began to bloom.
Cutting down on social media to improve teens and young adults’ body image
Teens in North America are spending several hours per day on screens, and there’s growing concern over how social media may affect their mental health.
What areas should Canada protect to save species at risk of extinction?
At the recent COP 15 conference in Montreal, Canada committed to protecting 30% of its land by 2030, but which areas are most crucial to protect for at-risk species such as the spotted turtles?
From sex education to online misinformation
McGill University is pleased to announce the winners and runners-up of the 2023 Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement through Media. The Prize was created to recognize outstanding achievement among those who share their knowledge on a vast range of subjects with the public and the media.
Does immigration really increase crime?
Many people who oppose immigration say that it increases crime. But does immigration really affect crime? Studying a country whose proportion of migrants has tripled in less than ten years, researchers find immigration significantly impacts people’s perceptions of crime but has no effect on actual crime.
How the brain's 'internal compass' works
Scientists have gained new insights into the part of the brain that gives us a sense of direction, by tracking neural activity with the latest advances in brain imaging techniques. The findings shed light on how the brain orients itself in changing environments – and even the processes that can go wrong with degenerative diseases like dementia, that leave people feeling lost and confused.
Towards reducing biodiversity loss in fragmented habitats
When natural habitats are cleared to make way for cities, roads and agriculture, this often leaves behind “islands” of fragmented habitat that can place species at risk of extinction. Species are at risk when they find it hard to move among habitat patches to find resources and reproduce.
Fresh produce contaminated with toxic BPA-like chemicals found in food labels, study finds
Steps were taken in Canada to reduce the use of Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical linked to prostate and breast cancer, commonly found in plastics, the lining of food cans, water bottles, and paper receipts. But in many cases, it has been replaced with similar hormone disrupting chemicals, like Bisphenol S (BPS).
