Study finds air quality warnings had only a modest impact on Montrealers’ movements
When Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) urged Montrealers to limit outdoor activity during Canada’s worst wildfire smoke episodes, the city’s travel patterns shifted – but far less than public health officials might have hoped, according to a new McGill University study.
The gas around Milky Way's central black hole is rich in metals, study finds
The gas orbiting Sagittarius A (Sgr A*), the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy, is rich in metals, researchers at McGill University’s Trottier Space Institute have found. The metal enrichment probably resulted from stars that exploded and released material into the black hole's surroundings over time, they said.
Urbanization takes a bigger toll on bird diversity in the tropics than it does at other latitudes, McGill study finds
Researchers at McGill University have found that urbanization is weakening one of Earth's most enduring ecological patterns: the tendency for biodiversity to increase toward the tropics, a pattern known as the latitudinal diversity gradient.
Montreal’s squirrels provide insight into evolutionary change in urban species
By comparing variations in the colour of the coats of the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in Montreal city parks, researchers found that hyper-local conditions appear to play a bigger role in determining wildlife traits than had been thought.
McGill researchers develop a more efficient way to identify when AI responses may need human review
McGill University researchers have developed a more energy-efficient method of building AI systems that are better at measuring – and indicating – their own uncertainty. This will help users determine when human oversight is needed, when additional data should be collected and when a model is being asked to work beyond the conditions it was trained for, the researchers said.
Posture can influence your mood and behaviour, McGill study suggests
A person's posture appears to affect their emotions and decision-making ability more than they realize, according to new research from McGill University. In a recent study, participants sitting upright performed better at a risk-taking task and reported more positive feelings than did their peers in the slouching or control groups.
Restored wetlands aren’t clear-cut wins against climate change, McGill study suggests
Wetland restoration is often promoted as a definitive way to support wildlife, improve water quality and help store carbon. However, new research from McGill University suggests the overall climate picture is more complicated.
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.
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.
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.
What an illusion involving a fake hand can tell us about our mind-body connection
People who have a weaker sense of self are also more likely to have less bodily awareness, McGill researchers have found. The study supports the idea that people’s perceptions of themselves and how they experience their own bodies are deeply connected.
Historic plant collections offer a window into genetic change
Pressed plant specimens collected centuries ago and stored in herbaria around the world could play a key role in facilitating the tracking of genetic change and extinction risk in plants, a McGill University-led study indicates.
McGill researchers’ novel device could boost the development of sound-based lasers
Researchers at McGill University have developed a novel device that generates sound-like particles known as phonons at extremely cold temperatures. The technology could be used to create phonon lasers, with possible applications in communications and medical diagnostics.
2024 Interdisciplinary Research Development (IRD) Award Recipients Announced
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Interdisciplinary Research Development (IRD) Award! As part of the Computational & Data Systems Initiative, these awards are presented by the McGill Collaborative for AI & Society (McCAIS) and encourage interdisciplinary research aimed at understanding and positively influencing the impact of AI on Society.
Soup & Science: McGill’s stew-pendous serving of research
Recently, McGill undergraduate students had the opportunity to savor an enriching blend of knowledge and soup at the 37th edition of Soup & Science. This week-long event, occurring once a semester, highlights research taking place on campus. This semester’s showcase included topics across disciplines, ranging from quantum meta-photonics to optogenetic stimulation in roundworms, and students were able to learn and engage with these topics in an intimate setting.