A number of issues ago, I described the primal effects of the colour red, on men. To reiterate, seeing a rouge-clad female makes men more amorous towards them. Considering the impending lovers' holiday, I thought I would revisit the topic of physical attraction - from a scientific perspective, of course. Attraction has frequently been characterized…

As our civilization progresses, the breadth of our scientific knowledge continues to expand. And while there will always be those who study tangible subjects such as medicine, economics, and language, there exists a minority who push the limits of our understanding of more abstract and theoretical concepts, like parallel universes, special relativity, and quantum mechanics.…

Introducing Elysia chlorotica, a pilfering sea slug identified as the first animal to make chlorophyll. That’s right, the green pigment found in plants and algae and vital for photosynthesis (the process by which carbon dioxide is converted to oxygen and glucose, using energy from sunlight). Ironically shaped like a leaf itself, this particular slug slits…

Over the past number of years, U of T has increased progress towards the long-term goal of institutional sustainability. With the introduction of the Sustainability Board in 2007, and Sustainability Offices at the St. George and UTSC campuses overseeing sustainability initiatives at all campuses, the foundation has been laid for the improved co-ordination and execution…

Refrigerators and freezers are not at all that exciting. How about 732 of them? That’s how many units are housed in the Medical Sciences Building (MSB) at U of T, according to Tim Lang and Adebukola Olatunde. As a prominent research facility, MSB is home to eight scientific departments, with 241 labs/offices, and a medical…

As we have come to realize that fossil fuels are both a finite resource, as well as one that is contributing to the almighty challenge represented by climate change, new sustainable energy alternatives are being sought out. The conversion of biomass into heat and power is gaining momentum as a viable industry that can help…

Walking along the stretch of College St., from University Ave. to St. George St., you will find that it’s like walking through a scene from Twister. Especially during these frigid months, the opposing buildings generate a wind tunnel that routinely has me doing my best George Costanza impression. But while simpletons, like me, simply curse…

In an effort to move ideas in sustainable development from academia into the real world, the Department of Geography and Planning is hosting a series of professional development programs this year entitled “Leading Change in Cities: Skills for Planners.” The series, which will be held at Sid Smith, is offered in conjunction with the Ontario…

U of T St. George recently got a ‘B’ on the 2010 College Sustainability Report Card, the largest survey of environmental commitment amongst North American educational institutions. The annual Report Card is published by the Sustainability Endowments Institute, a Massachusetts-based NGO and research group affiliated with the Rockefeller Foundation. Using both student input and data…

The need for landfill diversion is becoming increasingly apparent in an era of rampant consumerism and waste creation. Vermiculture is one method of on-site composting embraced by the Victoria College residence to reduce overall waste through food waste processing. Vermiculture uses different species of earthworms, including white worms and red wigglers, to break down food…

A radical new approach towards energy conservation has recently been changing the face of environmentalism on the St. George campus. Rewire, a student initiative coordinated by the U of T Sustainability Office, is a project which gives the university community first-hand experience of the importance of energy-conservation. Rather than trusting abstruse, bureaucratic policies, Rewire takes…

This past Tuesday at U of T’s Athletic Centre, 100 new solar collector panels became functional and began supplying energy to run the facilities within the building. In peak sunshine months, the panels will generate enough energy to contribute approximately 25% of the heat used by the shower and laundry services, significantly reducing overall consumption…