Study offers new insights into why ex-smokers remain at elevated risk of lung disease

A new study by a team of McGill researchers could help explain why people who have quit smoking remain at elevated risk of lung disease long after their last cigarette.

Their paper, published in Translational Research, provides one of the most detailed pictures to date of how quitting smoking affects the human lung at the cellular level.

Green LED light could help keep leafy greens fresher longer, McGill study suggests

Low-intensity green lighting in refrigerated storage can slow spoilage in leafy greens, helping maintain their appearance and nutritional value, according to a new study from McGill University.

CHIME collaboration helps identify location of "missing" matter in the universe

Estimates of ordinary matter in the universe exceed the amount observed in stars and galaxies, leaving much of it unaccounted for. Researchers from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME)/Fast Radio Bursts Collaboration, including McGill University and MIT, have developed a new method to seek out this “missing” matter by combining galaxy locations with fast radio burst detections.

The “forgotten children” of sexual abuse in family settings

When a child has been sexually abused by a family member, post-disclosure interventions prioritize the child who was victimized. Siblings who were not directly abused can also be deeply affected by the abuse. New research from McGill University finds siblings are nevertheless routinely unable to access available supports.

McGill-led study could help event organizers prevent crowd crushes and stampedes

McGill researchers have found that dangerous crowd conditions leading to surges and stampedes may not emerge suddenly, but instead develop gradually, as repeated physical contact and pushing may accumulate and become synchronized among nearby individuals. 

Recognizing how these conditions arise could help organizers strengthen security, site management and evacuation planning, reducing the likelihood of injuries during large-scale public events. 

Novel marine monitoring network could help improve environmental protections, shipping regulations in the Lower St. Lawrence

A single monitoring network developed by McGill, Natural Resources Canada, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Dalhousie University researchers can simultaneously track earthquakes, water behaviour, human activity and whales, providing a comprehensive picture of what’s happening in, under, and at far distances from the water.

Reducing vehicle emissions could prevent thousands of deaths in Canada

A shift to cleaner transportation could prevent more than 3,600 premature deaths in Montreal and Toronto by reducing ultrafine particle pollution, finds a new study led by McGill researchers.

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are microscopic pollutants produced in large quantities by vehicle exhaust. Because of their small size, they can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream and may contribute to serious health problems such as heart and lung disease.

McGill study provides further evidence that aspen patches can mitigate wildfires

Researchers at McGill University have confirmed that aspen play a key role in forest fire prevention and mitigation across Canada. Planting these trees near communities can reduce both the likelihood and severity of fires and limit how far they spread, the researchers said. 

Long hours, lack of social support undermine caregivers’ well-being, study finds

While caregiving can be meaningful and rewarding at manageable levels, those who spend more than 20 hours a week delivering unpaid care to others have poorer mental health outcomes, a McGill study has found.

However, the researchers also found that the provision of social support to high-intensity caregivers mitigates negative impacts.

Gambling addiction treatment underused in Quebec, study finds

A new study finds public specialized gambling addiction treatment services are underused in Quebec, pointing to a need to better reach people with gambling disorder.

Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Research Centre followed more than 2,300 people with a gambling disorder over 13 years. Despite free access, patients averaged fewer than two treatments during that period.

Bike infrastructure is expanding in Canada, but access remains uneven

Children and older adults are consistently less likely to live near bike lanes, finds a new study that mapped cycling infrastructure in three Canadian cities over a decade.

The McGill-led research analyzed census data for Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria. Across all three cities, neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of children (under 15) and older adults (65+) were located farther from cycling infrastructure.

McGill University researchers create a device that behaves like a single neuron

McGill University researchers have developed a light-detecting nanoscale structure that mimics how a neuron processes information. The neuron-like behaviour emerges from the materials themselves, reducing the energy demand associated with similar devices that rely on circuits or software.

Instead of capturing data first and processing it elsewhere, the device senses and interprets light in the same place, similarly to how the eye processes visual information.

Crop diversity and perennial grains could strengthen soil health under climate stress, McGill study finds

A McGill University study suggests that diversifying crops and replacing annual wheat with a perennial grain could help protect soil health as climate change brings more variable rainfall.

NASA should build a biocontainment facility on the moon to protect Earth, researchers advise

A biocontainment facility designed to protect Earth from potentially hazardous biotic contaminants from space should be part of a planned NASA base on the moon, a policy paper maintains.