Earth’s deep time isn’t just layered — it’s fractal, study finds

Geological time, usually seen as a complex system of eras, periods, and epochs considered through layers of rock, may actually follow a simple, unifying pattern. A new study, led by McGill University physicist Shaun Lovejoy, shows that the boundaries dividing the Earth’s most important historical events, such as mass extinctions and major climate shifts, follow a fractal pattern: self-similar and statistically consistent across scales of millions to hundreds of millions of years.

Study linking depression to specific altered brain cells opens door to new treatments

Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Institute have identified two specific types of brain cells that are altered in people with depression.

The study, published in Nature Genetics, opens the door to developing new treatments that target these cells and deepens our understanding of depression, a leading cause of disability worldwide that affects more than 264 million people.

CHORD will be a huge leap forward for Canadian radio astronomy

Construction is underway of CHORD, the most ambitious radio telescope project ever built on Canadian soil. Short for the Canadian Hydrogen Observatory and Radio-transient Detector, CHORD will give astronomers an unprecedented opportunity to explore some of the most exciting and mysterious questions in astrophysics and cosmology, from Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and dark energy to the measurements of fundamental particles, and beyond.

Study raises red flags about BPA replacements

Chemicals used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging can trigger potentially harmful effects in human ovarian cells, according to McGill University researchers.

A new study examined several chemicals commonly used in price stickers on packaged meat, fish, cheese and produce found early signs of potential toxicity.

McGill researchers develop safe, scalable vibration technique to improve lab-grown tissues

Researchers in McGill’s Department of Mechanical Engineering have discovered a safe and low-cost method of engineering living materials such as tissues, organs and blood clots. By simply vibrating these materials as they form, scientists can dramatically influence how strong or, weak they become.

Even post-#MeToo, news reporting on sexual violence remains problematic, McGill researchers say

Even in the post-#MeToo era, news reporting on sexual violence remains problematic and causes harms, McGill researchers have found.

The researchers conducted a thematic review of academic literature, analyzing 41 relevant articles published between 2013 and 2023 in the Global North to assess whether news coverage of sexual violence has evolved since the #MeToo movement of 2017 had increased awareness.

Brightest fast radio burst seen so far allows researchers to zoom in on the location of origin  

A team of international astronomers, including McGill researchers, have pinpointed one of the brightest fast radio bursts (FRBs) ever detected to a location in a nearby galaxy. The finding and the location surprised the team and offered new insight into FRBs, which are one of astrophysics’ biggest mysteries. 

Tinnitus severity linked to mood, sleep and personality traits

How severely a person experiences tinnitus is shaped by their mood, sleep quality and even personality traits, a new study has found.

Tinnitus is a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears that affects roughly 14 per cent of adults worldwide. It is known to be linked to hearing loss and to affect people differently.