We often think of humans as the most intelligent organisms on the planet. Evolution, we think, has equipped us to make good decisions even in difficult or challenging conditions. At the same time, we lament our species’ tendency to over-exploit our environment to the point of self-destruction. Join Andre Costopoulos as he discusses his team’s latest results, which suggest that humans may in fact have evolved to have a very limited capacity to decide what is good for them.
Mar 23, 2011•1 hr 29 min
McGill Psychology prof John Lydon delivers a Freaky Friday lecture on the science of close relationships: what are the physiological and psychological mechanisms that keep us in “love” ?
Feb 16, 2011•48 min
Not only do some birds sing but they sing cleverly. Female birds prefer males that sing ‘prettier songs’, but sometimes they have a strange definition of ‘pretty’. Neeltje Boogert discusses some amazing facts about animal communication.
Feb 16, 2011•52 min
How and why has science found its special place in popular films? What is the scientific significance of films like Avatar, Gattaca, and Tron?
Feb 10, 2011•56 min
Genetic engineering is the direct human manipulation of an organism’s genetic material in a way that does not occur under natural conditions. It involves the use of recombinant DNA techniques, but does not include traditional animal and plant breeding or mutagenesis. Learn about the genetic modification in experimental mice being used for research purposes.
Feb 10, 2011•38 min
Dave Williams graduated from McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and embarked on a fulfilling career as a physician… then he applied to be an astronaut. Hear about his first trip into space and life lessons learned along the way.
Feb 02, 2011•16 min
More than 1 billion people suffer from Neglected Tropical Diseases, which cause disfigurement, disability and even death in the developing world. McGill’s Timothy Geary has received a $1-million grant for landmark research to tackle these diseases — with medicines derived from African biodiversity.
Jan 26, 2011•6 min
Find out about the evolution of this baby black hole, and learn why, contrary to popular myth, a black hole is not a cosmic vacuum cleaner. What does it mean to be “sucked” into a black hole? Does the CERN reactor have anything to do with it?
Dec 13, 2010•1 min
Find out the origins of the planet’s oldest rocks and how they are linked to meteorites and the start of life on earth.
Nov 19, 2010•42 min
This lecture considers the public and scientific reaction to the UFO phenomenon from the perspectives of personality, psychology and the philosophy of science.
Nov 19, 2010•1 hr 6 min
Is there life on Mars? Microbiology Prof. Lyle Whyte and his team of students head up to the McGill Arctic Research Station in search of microbes surviving in the permafrost.
Oct 06, 2010•8 min
There is growing public alarm about the possible harmful health effects caused by cell phones, microwaves, WiFi, etc. This concern has been fed by a wide array of misleading information on the Internet as well as various reports in the media. What does the real scientific evidence show?
Sep 24, 2010•57 min
The basis of homeopathy is that substances, diluted to such an extent that there is essentially nothing left in solution, can be used to treat a variety of medical problems. This lecture critically examines the principles, the history, and the reasons for the enduring popularity of homeopathy.
Sep 24, 2010•57 min
Vaccines are among the crowning achievements of medical science yet many are convinced that vaccination can cause autism and autoimmune diseases — even death. The most virulent opponents believe that vaccines are the sharp end of a global conspiracy. How did we get to this polarized state?
Sep 24, 2010•57 min
While the scientific understanding of climate change is firm, public opinion concerning the impact of human activities on the observed changes is much less certain. This lecture focuses on the necessity of curbing the damage of climate change, as opposed to simply exposing the facts and letting people form their own conclusions.
Sep 24, 2010•57 min
History is peppered with accounts of psychics predicting the future, mediums conversing with the dead, and aliens abducting earthlings. Today, “psychic surgeons” claim to remove tumours without making incisions and “paranormalists” bend spoons with the power of their minds. What does science say about these claims?
Sep 22, 2010•57 min
What do butterfly wings, Venus flower baskets and healthy doses of elements from the Periodic Table have to do with conveying digital data, music, voice and video by light? They can all be designed to make “light work”.
Sep 22, 2010•57 min
In the history of the universe, there is a period which is extremely difficult for us to see because there were no sources of light. These cosmic “dark ages” ended when the first stars turned on, providing the first view of the somewhat evolved universe.
Sep 22, 2010•57 min
Some scientists argue mitigation alone can no longer prevent dangerous levels of atmospheric CO2 and propose directly intervening in the climate system to counter the effects of greenhouse gas induced warming. Can we successfully manipulate the climate system to avoid dangerous climate change? Do we understand the global climate system well enough to determine the feasibility and risks involved? In this year’s Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium, climate scientists and a historian of science...
Mar 30, 2010•57 min
Some scientists argue mitigation alone can no longer prevent dangerous levels of atmospheric CO2 and propose directly intervening in the climate system to counter the effects of greenhouse gas induced warming. Can we successfully manipulate the climate system to avoid dangerous climate change? Do we understand the global climate system well enough to determine the feasibility and risks involved? In this year’s Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium, climate scientists and a historian of science...
Mar 30, 2010•57 min
McGill celebrates Darwin Day and Valentine’s Day with this special presentation by Dr. David Green, the director of Redpath Museum, on courtship and sexual selection in a range of species.
Feb 16, 2010•1 hr 6 min
This lecture reviews the evidence about “Close Encounters,” the most controversial aspect of the UFO phenomenon, in which humans allegedly encounter and interact with extra-terrestrial beings. Donderi will review several well-documented close encounter cases and describe his own involvement in interviewing witnesses. He will illustrate a psychological science approach to these observations by describing two of his own research studies with groups of people who reported UFO close encounters....
Feb 16, 2010•51 min
Expert mycologist Suha Jabaji speaks about the world of fungi and their integral relationship with the health of the planet in this Freaky Friday presentation.
Feb 12, 2010•1 hr 7 min
If we could functionally erase a memory to make someone’s life better would that be acceptable? What if the memory was of a trauma that has incapacitated someone for decades? Why do we need memories if they keep us down? In a very playful manner, Dr. Karim Nader addresses some of the science that is at the heart of memory research today. The science suggests that memories can be functionally erased, a concept which was taken and expanded to the point of fiction in the film Eternal Sunshine of th...
Feb 11, 2010•26 min
The connection between textiles and mathematics is intimate but not often explored, possibly because textiles and fiber arts have traditionally been the domain of women while mathematics was viewed as a male endeavour. How times have changed! Today, textiles and mathematics, like art and science, are recognized for their interwoven, complimentary attributes. In this presentation, Dr. Gerda de Vries examines the connection between textiles and mathematics, in the context of both traditional and c...
Feb 11, 2010•1 hr 18 min
Dr. Angelika Meschede speaks about the amazing world and diversity of bats, how vampire bats really feed, and how they may one day help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Feb 11, 2010•1 hr 6 min
In this Freaky Friday presentation, McGill psychology professor Don Donderi explains how and why he came to study the UFO phenomenon, and describes the chronology of the popular, official, and scientific viewpoint on the matter. He also reviews two UFO cases he has personally investigated.
Feb 05, 2010•1 hr 1 min
In his second lecture on UFOs, Donderi reviews the UFO evidence in detail and outlines the relationship between the evidence and the psychology of perception, motivation and belief. He also covers the interactions between skeptics like Carl Sagan and non-skeptical scientists and scholars like James E. McDonald and C.G. Jung. Finally, in keeping with the Freaky Fridays theme, he reviews the position of the UFO and close encounter phenomena in popular culture.
Feb 05, 2010•1 hr 23 min
Green Chemistry is a relatively new field of research, with McGill playing a leading role worldwide. Find out how our researchers are developing processes and products to reduce or eliminate hazardous substances and manufacturing waste.
Feb 01, 2010•13 min
Broadband research is a McGill area of expertise. Meet researchers such as David Plant, Tho Le-Ngoc, and Mark Coates who are on the cutting edge of machine to machine communication, high-speed internet technologies, and wireless communications.
Feb 01, 2010•12 min
