Biases hinder access to sexual assault evidence kits, study finds

Survivors of sexual assault in largely rural and remote Northwestern Ontario face systemic barriers when seeking forensic care, according to a new study led by McGill University researchers.

Students with overprotective parents are more vulnerable to anxiety during their transition to university, researchers find

First-year undergraduates who grew up with overly cautious or controlling parents tend to experience increased anxiety when faced with stresses associated with the transition to university, researchers from McGill University and the University of California (Los Angeles) have found.

New technique replicates microplastics in the lab with greater precision

McGill University researchers have developed a novel method to replicate four types of microplastics commonly found in the environment, providing researchers with a standardized approach to study their toxic effects.

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.