“You are star-stuff” was a catchy but concise phrase astronomer and television personality Carl Sagan used to illustrate our connection to the universe. All elements found on Earth today, with the exception of hydrogen and helium, originated in stars. Understanding stars and the galaxies they reside in, argued Sagan, would give us insights into our [...]
“Unusual” manuscripts found in Mexico City
Professor Néstor Rodríguez of Spanish and Portuguese and the Latin American studies program has discovered two previously unknown works written by famed Latin American literary critic Pedro Henriquez Ureña (1884-1946), a man he calls the “equivalent of Northrop Frye.” continue
Documenting and preventing road rage
Robert Mann hates car horns. “It always seems that I’m at a traffic light and there’s a person behind me who,as soon as the light turns green,is on the horn. I find that incredibly irritating.” continue
Obesity, diet and metabolism
Obesity is a growing epidemic in Canada that affects an estimated 5.5 million adults and half a million children, according to the Canadian Obesity Network. Its links to major diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer have brought it into the spotlight as an international health concern and made it a focal point [...]
Global warming and the political process
FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, Ontario, along with other North American jurisdictions, has steadily reduced the legally allowed emissions of the traditional regional air pollutants (particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen) as well as toxic materials such as lead and mercury. Across North America, airborne concentrations of these pollutants are, except for oxides [...]
Dick Peltier's lab is the planet itself
Dick Peltier doesn’t like mystery when it comes to Planet Earth. The renowned physicist has spent the past 34 years learning the complex science behind virtually every physical force that governs our planet — from ancient ice ages to how oceans work. He has developed powerful models, using sophisticated mathematical concepts, to depict what has [...]
An engine of environmental reform?
As we as a society become increasingly concerned about the erosion of our natural environment, we also question means by which reform can be undertaken. Often in these discussions, attention is focused on the corporation not only as the culprit of existing environmental degradation but also the primary institution by which global warming (and other [...]
Visual artist wins Governor General’s Award
Tanya Mars, a senior lecturer and program supervisor in visual and performing arts at U of T Scarborough, has won a Governor General’s Award for artistic achievement in visual and media arts. continue
Philosopher holds prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship
Most people agree that murder is morally wrong. But what about the death penalty? Is torture ever justified? How we navigate the difficult moral questions that surround us is the question driving the career of philosophy professor Thomas Hurka. His research has focused primarily on normative ethical theory, the study of the general principles that [...]
The benefits of chilling out
What if you could take a pill that would eliminate headaches, heal ulcers, clear your skin, lower your blood pressure, help you lose weight, combat insomnia and reduce your risk of heart attack, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory arthritis and even certain cancers? continue
