news

Astronomy / Space Science - Campus - 10.03.2022

New, improved Dragonfly telescope is a galactic gas detector
The Dragonfly telescope is undergoing a metamorphosis. For the past decade, the Dragonfly Telephoto Array - designed by Yale's Pieter van Dokkum and the University of Toronto's Roberto Abraham and located in New Mexico - has conducted groundbreaking science by detecting faint starlight within dimly lit parts of the night sky.

Astronomy / Space Science - Campus - 10.03.2022

The new, improved Dragonfly is a galactic gas detector
The Dragonfly telescope is undergoing a metamorphosis. For the past decade, the Dragonfly Telephoto Array - designed by Yale's Pieter van Dokkum and the University of Toronto's Roberto Abraham and located in New Mexico - has conducted groundbreaking science by detecting faint starlight within dimly lit parts of the night sky.

Campus - Economics - 02.03.2022

Cause for Optimism
Pilot program explores possibilities of low-cost, online support to address COVID-19 learning disruptions A recent pilot program measuring the results of online tutoring for K-12 students has shown positive, promising results, according to a new study from the University of California San Diego's Rady School of Management.

Environment - Campus - 21.02.2022

Government Guidelines Across North America, Europe Fail to Protect Lakes from Salt Pollution
UC San Diego ecologists contribute to a coordinated international scientific experiment The salinity of freshwater ecosystems caused by road de-icing salts, agriculture fertilizers, mining operations and climate change is increasing worldwide and current water quality guidelines don't do enough to address the issue, an international study co-authored by University of California San Diego scientists and led by The University of Toledo and Queen's University in Kingston has found.

Campus - Linguistics / Literature - 14.02.2022

Virgil has the edge on Shakespeare in helping students to love literature
Students who study Virgil's Aeneid at school find it significantly more engaging than other 'high-prestige' literature, even though they only learn tiny fragments of the text, research suggests. Ultimately, if this is high-level poetry that students actually like, perhaps we ought to be finding ways to give them the chance to do it Frances Foster The finding comes from a limited study with three groups of 15 and 16-year-old state school students taking Latin GCSE, and raises the possibility that there may be a case for expanding ancient literature's use in the wider curriculum.

Psychology - Campus - 13.02.2022

Understanding how your romantic partner sees your emotions may help couples cope with conflict
Beliefs about how we are seen by our romantic partners may affect the quality of our relationships, McGill Psychology study finds A study by researchers at McGill University is shedding new light on the importance of the perception of emotion in romantic relationships. The all-McGill team found that, regardless of how an individual is truly feeling, knowing their partner sees their emotions as a typical reaction to a given situation may lead to better relations within a couple - especially in situations of conflict.

Life Sciences - Campus - 28.01.2022

A Map for the Sense of Smell
Evolution has structured flies with an energy-efficient olfactory system The distinctive smell of a flower.. the unmistakable aroma of coffee.. the dangers linked with inhaling smoke fumes. Sensory systems have evolved to provide us with immediate, finely tuned information about the world around us, whether they are color processed through our visual system or certain pitches interpreted through our hearing.

Campus - 26.01.2022

Blockchain as proof of identity
Community Land Trust Brussels wins World Habitat Award VUB experts study and guide global development of community land trusts for affordable housing Wednesday, January 26, 2022 VUB in the media A se

Campus - 19.01.2022

More time for research - teachers say it’s about time
The Monash Q Project surveyed 1725 Australian educators, who confirmed that although our teachers highly value research, they don't have adequate time available to engage with research that could lead to better classroom outcomes. The findings have been released in a new report, 'What, why, when and how - Australian educators' use of research in schools'.

Campus - 17.01.2022

University of Glasgow research brings us closer to Robert Burns the man than ever before
His words and poetry are known around the world. Yet more than 250 years after his death, Robert Burns, the man, continues to remain a bit of an enigma to the public. Now academics at the University of Glasgow's Centre for Robert Burns Studies are revealing new insights into the man behind some of the world's greatest known poems and songs.

Life Sciences - Campus - 11.01.2022

Scientists Expand CRISPR-Cas9 Genetic Inheritance Control in Mammals
Biologists achieve gene conversion in male mice, broadening potential for human disease research and environmental applications Nearly three years ago University of California San Diego researchers announced the world's first CRISPR-Cas9 genetic editing-based approach to controlling inheritance in mammals.

Astronomy / Space Science - Campus - 11.01.2022

Researchers study Milky Way’s ’feeding habits’ in search of clues about its origins
Astronomers are one step closer to revealing the properties of dark matter enveloping our Milky Way galaxy thanks to a new map of 12 streams of stars orbiting within our galactic halo. Understanding these star streams is very important for astronomers. As well as revealing the dark matter that holds the stars in their orbits, they also tell us about the formation history of the Milky Way, revealing that the galaxy has steadily grown over billions of years by shredding and consuming smaller stellar systems.

Astronomy / Space Science - Campus - 10.01.2022

Black Hole Devours a Star Decades Ago, Goes Unnoticed Until Now
Every galaxy, including our own Milky Way, has at its center a massive black hole whose gravity influences the stars around it. Generally, the stars orbit around the black hole without incident, but sometimes a star will wander a little too close, and the black hole will "make a meal" of the star in a process astrophysicists have termed spaghettification.

Computer Science - Campus - 05.01.2022

System recognizes hand gestures to expand computer input on a keyboard
Preparing for an online start to the winter term: for more information. New program recognizes users' hands beside or near the keyboard and prompts operations based on different hand positions Researchers are developing a new technology that uses hand gestures to carry out commands on computers. The prototype, called "Typealike," works through a regular laptop webcam with a simple affixed mirror.

Life Sciences - Campus - 22.12.2021

Academic Education Can Positively Affect Aging of the Brain
The benefits of good education and lifelong learning extend into old age. The initial findings of a long-term study show that certain degenerative processes are reduced in the brains of academics. Their brains are better able to compensate age-related cognitive and neural limitations. A good education is an excellent way to embark on a successful career and develop your personality.

Life Sciences - Campus - 17.12.2021

Our brains update memories when recollections are proven wrong
Researchers from the University of Toronto have confirmed the critical role played by the brain's hippocampus in updating our memories when those recollections are shown to be inaccurate. The hippocampus is part of the brain's limbic system - the amalgam of neurological components that, among other functions, creates and retrieves our memories.

Campus - 16.12.2021

The real struggles for ’first-in-family’ university students
Female students who are the first in the family to attend university are much more likely to suffer mental health issues compared to their male counterparts, research has revealed. A study from The University of Queensland and University of South Australia that worked with "first-in-family" students has shown 40.9 per cent of females experienced mental health impacts, compared to only 3.8 per cent of men.

Campus - Computer Science - 14.12.2021

How Do You Study Facial Bias Without Bias?
When we encounter an unfamiliar face, we tend to make snap judgments. Does the person look smart, attractive, or young? Are they trustworthy or corrupt? Neuroscientists and psychologists study how our brains form these facial biases, and how the judgments ultimately influence the way people behave. "We tend to be quite confident in the judgments we make based on people's faces, but we're often wrong," says Ralph Adolphs (PhD '93), Bren Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Biology and an affiliated faculty member of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience.

Environment - Campus - 02.12.2021

First report published on UCL and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
UCL has published its first report setting out how the university is addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Developed by the UCL Sustainable Development Goals Initiative (SDGI), the report showcases a selection of the hundreds of ways UCL's staff and student communities are supporting the SDGs across their research, teaching and extra-curricular activities, as well as how the university operates.

Health - Campus - 15.11.2021

Studies on risks versus benefits of antidepressant use during pregnancy should be clearer, University of Toronto researchers say
Those planning pregnancy are struggling to weigh the risks and benefits of antidepressant medication based on how research is currently presented, say researchers at the University of Toronto and Women's College Hospital.