51�Թ�� News - News releases

Posting digitally enhanced photos of yourself could have a social cost, researchers find

webfull — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:15:45 +0000

The use of disclaimer labels on digitally enhanced portraits could have unintended social consequences for their subjects, according to a study by a team of 51�Թ��researchers.

Researchers at the Laboratory for Attention and Social Cognition used beauty filters on a common social media application to gradually edit a total of 300 images of 60 women (from 0 to 100 per cent, 25 per cent at a time). They randomly labelled half of the images as “edited” and the other half as “unedited,” regardless of their level of editing.

Published: 5 August 2025

Analysis of more than a century’s worth of political speeches challenges theory about how linguistic usage evolves

webfull — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:16:19 +0000

A study led by 51�Թ�� researchers challenges the theory that language change over time requires new generations to replace older generations of speakers. Rather, when words change meaning, speakers of all ages participate; while older speakers might take two or three years longer than their younger colleagues to adopt new word usage, in some cases they lead the way in introducing new word meanings into the common vocabulary, the researchers found.

Published: 4 August 2025

New tool helps seniors reduce unnecessary medications

webfull — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:09:12 +0000

51�Թ�� researchers have developed and are licensing a digital tool to help safely reduce patients’ use of medications that may be unnecessary or even harmful to them.

When clinicians review a patient’s file, MedSafer flags potentially inappropriate medications. In a new clinical trial, the software helped deprescribe such medications in 36 per cent of long-term care residents, nearly triple as many as when reviews were done without the tool.

Published: 4 August 2025

51�Թ��scientists turn marine waste into a sustainable solution for wound care, wearable devices and more

webfull — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 12:59:20 +0000

An interdisciplinary team of 51�Թ��researchers has developed an ultra-strong, environmentally friendly medical glue, or bioadhesive, made from marine waste. The discovery has promising applications for wound care, surgeries, improved drug delivery, wearable devices and medical implants.

“Being able to produce glues that can close wounds  or make something strongly adhere to the skin is critical for many medical interventions,” said Audrey Moores, Professor in the Department of Chemistry.

Published: 31 July 2025

Climate change driving major algae surge in Canada’s lakes, study finds

webfull — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 12:57:54 +0000

Algal growth is accelerating in lakes across Canada, including those far from human development, and a new study shows that climate change is the primary driver.

Published: 31 July 2025

Montreal researchers use AI and wearable sensors to detect inflammation before symptoms appear

webfull — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:47:07 +0000

Modern medicine is largely reactive—treating illness only after symptoms emerge. But a new study from the Research Institute of the 51�Թ�� Health Centre (The Institute) and 51�Թ�� points to a more proactive future: one where silent signs of infection are detected before we even feel sick.

Published: 30 July 2025

Researchers’ novel lab technique reveals how ice crystals form in clouds

webfull — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:10:34 +0000

Researchers have developed a novel method to detect and study how ice forms in mixed-phase clouds, significantly boosting scientists’ ability to forecast weather and model climate change.

Published: 23 July 2025

Youth at risk of suicide show early warning signs that adults often miss

webfull — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:22:33 +0000

Drawing on a landmark 25-year study that followed Quebec children into adulthood, 51�Թ�� researchers have identified two distinct patterns in how suicidal thoughts emerge and the early signs that are often missed.

Suicidal thoughts are increasingly common among youth, but how they begin and what mental health symptoms often precede them are poorly understood, the researchers said.

Published: 23 July 2025

Racial-minority business owners can benefit from ‘white guilt,’ marketing study finds

webfull — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:17:56 +0000

Researchers who explored how consumers’ ethical values can shape their shopping habits suggest that business owners from marginalized racial groups can appeal to socially conscious consumers by highlighting their identity, helping promote racial equity through values-driven purchasing.

Published: 22 July 2025

Ancient viruses in our DNA may hold clues to what makes us human

webfull — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:41:55 +0000

Fragments of ancient viral DNA once dismissed as “junk” may play a role in controlling our genes, according to a new international study.

Using a novel method to trace the evolutionary history of viral DNA, researchers from 51�Թ�� and Kyoto University uncovered sequences that had been overlooked in earlier genome annotations.

Published: 21 July 2025

51�Թ��� News - News releases