Student Contributors

Liquid Nitrogen Tattoos

Angelina Lapalme — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 18:18:29 +0000

Body modifications have been around for a very long time. Tattoos and piercings were found on a frozen mummy dating back to 3000 B.C.E. In many countries, these modifications have cultural significance, yet they have also been introduced in western culture as a form of self-expression. But sometimes, we can get carried away.

Ultrasound During Pregnancy: Sound Advice or Sound the Alarm?

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Let’s be honest—pregnancy is basically a nine-month exercise in overthinking. Is that sushi safe? Should I be sleeping on my left side? And what, exactly, is in prenatal vitamins anyway? Somewhere on that ever-expanding list sits the ultrasound: a routine, widely used tool that some corners of the internet have started side-eyeing with suspicion.

Shedding a light on shedding: The Science of Telogen Effluvium

Ana Sophia Rashid-Cocker BSc — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It started with a few extra hairs: in my brush, on my bathroom floor, strewn across my pillow. Odd, but nothing too alarming, women shed hair all the time. But then there were more. They were dispersed across my computer at work and would fall into my hands at the slightest tug. I began to spiral: could others see them too? I swore I could feel each strand of hair popping off my scalp and drifting down my back.

Orange You Overdoing It? A Deep Dive into the Science of Zone Training

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Truth About Heart Rate Zones: Beyond the Burn

See the Rainbow - How Skittles Led me to Chromatography

Angelina Lapalme — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:04:30 +0000

As a kid, I always played with my food. After a trip to the grocery store, where my mom allowed me to select one candy to bring home, playing turned into experimentation. The candy I chose? Skittles! I had seen several YouTube videos of people taking these colourful candies and placing them in water, causing the vibrant colours to bleed out. Prompted by these videos, I grabbed a shallow dish, filled it with a bit of water and began placing my Skittles around the perimeter.

Does a Chocolate a Day Keep the Grim Reaper Away?

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Theobromine is a naturally occurring bitter alkaloid most prominently found in cocoa beans. A metabolite of caffeine, theobromine shares some of the common effects of the household stimulant. Compared to caffeine, theobromine has a much gentler stimulating effect. This is because it lingers longer in our bodies before being metabolized.

What If We Were Able To Graze on Grass Like Cows?

Shona Hanaishi — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

On a future field trip to Mount Royal, I imagine opening up my lunch box to find a small forest of fried insects flavoured with MSG and curry powder. On the side are some salmon rice balls. Noting I missed some greenery, I grab some grass and sprinkle it onto my rice balls.

$1,950 Worth of Woo: The Biomat, Unwrapped

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Recently, I was forwarded an email about the Biomat—a $1,950 USD “healing mat” that claims to cure everything short of a broken heart. And boy oh boy, is it ever a hotbed of pseudoscience wrapped in a cozy cotton cover and priced like a small vacation. When I dug into the science behind the Biomat’s claims, I found a textbook case of clever marketing dressed up in scientific jargon, with very little evidence to back it up.

Recycling is Here to Stay: Unpacking Quebec’s Recycling Paradigm Shift

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2025, Quebec not only celebrated the beginning of a new year–– it welcomed a new, bold era of recycling. Quebec’s recycling system is now managed by Éco Entreprises Québec (EEQ), a private non-profit organization that oversees all operations related to selective collection. In Quebec, selective collection refers to the curbside recycling system where household waste is collected separately from your recyclables.

InTOXicating Beauty

Angelina Lapalme — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The inspiration for my articles comes mostly from conversations with those around me. Often my friends, family, teachers or even readers ask me questions for which I do not have an immediate answer. As someone who loves to learn, I then proceed to research the topic until I am able to explain it in my own words which then prompts the writing of an article. I owe this article topic to my mom, who like many others had questions about a widely practiced esthetic procedure that aims to freeze time. She started telling me about injections that can each change someone’s face non-surgically.

Hard Facts: What You Didn't Know About Bone Health (But Should)

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 30 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This past year, I’ve spent an unreasonable amount of time thinking about bones. Talking about bones. Reading about bones. Writing about bones. Basically, becoming the unofficial bone correspondent among my friends and family (whether they liked it or not). Why? Because I was doing my honours research project on the bone health of endurance athletes — and in the process, I fell head first into the endlessly fascinating, criminally underappreciated world of bone science.

Don’t Talk to Me Until I’ve Had My Coffee… and Breakfast!

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 23 May 2025 15:08:30 +0000

A few weeks ago, my roommate and I found ourselves chatting alongside two steaming cups of freshly brewed coffee. A great start to my day, if you ask me.

This morning, my refusal of the milk she added to her coffee sparked a conversation that drifted into old wives’ tales. She mentioned that adding milk to coffee could make the caffeine effect last longer and reduce the inevitable crash.

The Ups and Downs of Choline Supplements

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 16 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Buzz Around Choline

Do you want to optimize your liver function? Improve your memory? Give your metabolism a little pep talk? If you find yourself typing any of these questions into your search engine of choice, chances are you'll find no shortage of glowing endorsements for choline supplements. According to the internet, choline can boost brain power, prevent Alzheimer’s, detox your liver after a night out, and maybe even help you live forever. Or at least long enough to regret that tequila shot from last night.

Is Creatine the Secret to a Longer Life?

Simran Dhir BSc — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:19:32 +0000

When I say creatine, the first image that comes to your mind is probably that of a muscular, young man working out (i.e. a gym bro) but what if I said creatine may be for the grandads? While there is a lot of doubt about the legitimacy of creatine supplementation, here is a look at how it affects different parts of the body and if it can truly counteract detrimental, age-related muscle weakness.

The Uglier You Go to Bed, the Prettier You Wake Up? Unfortunately, Not.

Angelina Lapalme — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:41:41 +0000

Have you ever seen a reptile shed its scaly skin and said “wow, I wish I could do that?” No? Well same here, but now it seems that face shedding has taken over the internet. Luckily, people are not losing their actual skin and leaving behind a shell of themselves. Instead, they are applying copious amounts of beauty products (creams, serums, exfoliants, and more) and sealing it all in with a variety of coverings. Participants will even go as far as wearing a silicone lip mask or even a mouth tape.