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Pearl Eliadis on State Neutrality and Religious Freedom

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:17:53 +0000

December 22, 2025 | Pearl Eliadis spoke to Le Monde on the recently introduced Bill 9, which proposes a ban on prayer in public spaces, including at universities. Eliadis argues that the government misunderstands the nature of state neutrality regarding religious freedom: instead of safeguarding individual freedom to practice any faith, the government is moving toward eliminating religious expression from public life.

Pearl Eliadis on Democracy in the Aftermath of the Taliban

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:01:19 +0000

December 22, 2025 | Pearl Eliadis contributed to the newly released two-volume publication Unpacking Participatory Democracy (2025 Orient Blackswan) in an article entitled “Democracy Upended: Lessons from Afghanistan”, co-authored with Lucille Martin. The article examines international and community-based efforts to introduce dovelopment based on fundamental rights before and during COVID and in the aftermath of the Taliban regime.

Mosquitoes’ feeding tubes make ultrafine 3D-printing nozzles

kay.pettigrew@mcgill.ca — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:34:24 +0000

Researchers in McGill’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and at Drexel University have developed an innovative manufacturing technique that makes female mosquito proboscides, or feeding tubes, into high-resolution 3D-printing nozzles. With its unique geometry, structure and mechanics, the proboscis enables printed line widths as fine as 20 microns, or a little smaller than a white blood cell. This is roughly twice as fine as what commercially available print

Experts: Methane pollution

kay.pettigrew@mcgill.ca — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:45:19 +0000

The Canadian federal government has announced new measures to reduce methane pollution.

The greenhouse gas, which is primarily emitted through fossil fuel extraction and by landfills, has 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

51�Թ��experts are available to comment on this topic:

Preparing Academic Investigators for Clinical Trial Readiness in Neurology

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:48:16 +0000

The team from the Platform for Advanced Clinical Therapies (PACT) and Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT) at The Neuro’s Clinical Research Unit will help academic researchers better understand the regulatory, ethical and legal requirements to tran

New evidence challenges understanding of Parkinson’s disease

keila.depape@mcgill.ca — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:49:51 +0000

A McGill-led study is challenging a popular theory about how dopamine drives movement, a discovery that could shift how scientists think about Parkinson’s disease treatments.

Published in Nature Neuroscience, the research found dopamine does not set the speed or force of each movement, as had been thought. Instead, it appears to act as the underlying support system that makes movement possible.

Vincent Rigby on What Trump's National Security Strategy Means for Canada | CDA Institute

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:52:50 +0000

December 15, 2025 | Vincent Rigby participated in a panel discussion with the CDA Institute on the 2025 US National Security Strategy, alongside speakers Kerry Buck and Dr. Christopher Sands. He highlights the potential implications of its hemispheric framing on Canada.

Chris Ragan on Canada's emission targets (Alberta-Ottawa memorandum) | The Hub

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:04:12 +0000

December 9, 2025 | Christopher Ragan, examines how well the Alberta-Ottawa memorandum of understanding balances pipeline development with environmental protection. He analyzes whether the deal, featuring carbon capture investment, enhanced industrial carbon pricing, and a new pipeline to Asian markets will help or hinder Canada's emission targets.

Read the interview summary here.

Scientists decode the full range of oat genomes, opening the door to more nutritious, climate-smart crops

claire.loewen@mcgill.ca — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:39:10 +0000

Researchers have cracked one of agriculture’s most complicated genomes, revealing long-hidden DNA rearrangements that could help scientists breed oats that are more resilient, nutritious and sustainable.

The study, by an international consortium that included researchers from 51�Թ�� and published in Nature, presents the first-ever “pangenome” and “pantranscriptome” of oats. These map all known oat genes and track how they behave across 33 varieties that grow around the world.

Fine particles in pollution are associated with early signs of autoimmune disease

keila.depape@mcgill.ca — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:58:38 +0000

A new study has linked air pollution exposure and immune-system changes that often precede the onset of autoimmune diseases.

51�Թ�� researchers analyzing Ontario data found that fine particles in air pollution are associated with higher levels of a biomarker linked with autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus.

Microencapsulated B-vitamins help dairy cows produce more milk with fewer emissions

kay.pettigrew@mcgill.ca — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:41:04 +0000

A new international study led by 51�Թ�� in collaboration with Jefo Nutrition shows that supplementing dairy cow diets with microencapsulated B-vitamins can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while increasing milk yield and quality. The use of the feed additive cut global warming potential, an internationally standardized measure of climate impact, by up to 18 per cent across seven countries.

Gisèle Yasmeen on Rising Food Insecurity in Saskatchewan | Radio-Canada

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 21:24:28 +0000

December 11, 2025 | Gisèle Yasmeen recently joined Radio-Canada to discuss new data showing a sharp rise in food insecurity in Saskatchewan. She noted that rising housing costs and limited social supports are forcing families to make difficult trade-offs, leaving many without consistent access to nutritious food. Yasmeen also argued that the strain is particularly evident among Indigenous households and is increasingly felt across the broader population.

Vincent Rigby on Canada’s Mobilization Plans | CBC

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:29:09 +0000

December 10, 2025 | Vincent Rigby spoke to CBC News about new internal Defence documents that outline an ambitious plan to dramatically expand Canada’s reserve forces, including a primary reserve of 100,000 members and a supplementary reserve of 300,000 citizens. The documents indicate that the military is already struggling with supply chain issues, equipment shortages, and limited training capacity while planning for such a large mobilization.

Experts: The new U.S. National Security Strategy

katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:13:46 +0000

These experts can comment on this subject:

Maria Popova, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Jean Monnet Chair, can speak about how the future of NATO will be affected, whether this shift may lead to an increase in conscription in European countries and the potential rise of far-right leaders in Europe.

Experts: Australia bans social media use for under-16s

katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:28:39 +0000

Starting Dec. 10, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban the use of social media platforms by those who are under 16. The goal is to protect the young from cyber-bullying, grooming and exposure to harmful content. The onus will be on the social media companies to enforce the ban.

These 51�Թ��experts are available to comment: