Research & Ideas | U of T Magazine

Models of tiny people around a giant beige toque, with evergreen trees and mountains in the background

Big Country, Big Ideas

Unapologetically bold solutions for a better Canada Read More

Digital illustration of people operating a machine. A person is pushing a garbage bag through one end, and a dollar sign is coming out the other end.

Turn Waste into Wealth

Recycling rare-earth elements and critical minerals could make Canada a global leader in sustainable tech Read More

Models of tiny people, trees and benches in a park setting, with a giant, copper,

Build Homes for Everyone

Canada’s housing crisis is squeezing families at every income level, but U of T experts say solutions are within reach Read More

Illustration depicting an AI prompt field, a student raising their hand, a close-up of an eye, grey rings of circles and three books on philosophy

Teaching in the Age of AI

As machine learning reshapes higher education, U of T is preparing students to become ‘super humans’ Read More

Digital illustration of tiny people looking at a maple leaf with white light shining out of the top. Three tiny people are tipping a giant red maple leaf to cover the top.

Invest in Innovation

U of T experts argue that the country’s economic future depends on turning ideas and resources into high-value industries Read More

Models of tiny people standing and sitting on the tube of a giant stethoscope that is hovering over a field of wheat

Update the Canada Health Act

After four decades, the landmark law still protects universal care – but U of T experts argue it must evolve to face modern pressures Read More

Indigenous singers seated around a drum, singing and drumming

Advance Justice for Indigenous Peoples

A decade after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, U of T experts weigh the gains, the gaps and the next steps Read More

Digital illustration of an interracial couple standing on a wooden bridge suspended between two cliffs made of different rock types

The Science of ‘Us’

A strong sense of togetherness helps mixed-race couples handle unique social stresses, U of T Mississauga scholars find Read More

A red compass pointing north resting on snow in an Arctic setting, with snow-covered mountains in the background

Lead the Way in the Warming North

As melting ice reshapes the Arctic, U of T experts say Canada must act quickly to safeguard sovereignty and seize new opportunities Read More

A two-storey building with light-coloured panelled walls, black-framed windows and a recessed entrance painted in yellow

Designing for the Arctic

In Canada’s northern communities, U of T architect Mason White works with Indigenous partners to create buildings that are resilient, sustainable – and distinctly local Read More

Vandana Maharaj onstage in costume, wearing a white frilly dress and a headpiece that looks like a sandpiper's head

A Winged Revival

U of T Mississauga drama students take on central roles in their final-year performance Read More

Coloured graphite illustration of two people sitting around a table having a discussion, with one person taking notes

The Art of the Ask

Think requesting what you want will ruin the deal? Think again. Read More

Digital illustration of a mobile phone screen showing a selfie image of a woman yawning

Can I Have Your Attention, Please?

A U of T Scarborough psychology professor explores why we’re more distracted than ever Read More

Isaiah Grewal, wearing headphones and typing on a laptop, with Morgan Barense seated next to him, both smiling

When Words Won’t Cooperate

Psychology professor Morgan Barense aims to crack the mystery of non-speaking autism Read More

Illustration of speech bubbles above several people, a few blank, a few with different colour gradients, and a few in the shape of landscapes, such as trees and water

The Hidden Power of Words

How verb tenses, word sounds – even abbreviations – shape perceptions, behaviour and trust in a digital world Read More

A collage of two toddlers playing with building blocks and figurines, and a rectangle filled with words in different languages behind them

The Science of Baby Talk

A U of T Mississauga lab finds that children pick up on a lot more than just words as they learn how to speak Read More

Digital illustration of a speech bubble with red maple leaves and question marks inside. Three people are looking at the speech bubble, with two thinking of answers and one appearing to have the answers.

From ‘Rink Rats’ to ‘Bunny Hugs’

How well do you know Canadian words? Read More

Illustration depicting the flow of water: rain is funnelled to a reservoir, to grow food and to sustain people's brains and hearts, and also to research and to buildings

A Blueprint for Global Prosperity

Researchers across U of T are banding together to help the United Nations meet its 17 sustainable development goals Read More

Illustration of a train coming out of a tunnel and people waiting on the far side of the track. A bus and a golf cart are on a road running parallel to the train tracks.

Can We Learn from Other Cities How to Build Transit Better?

U of T students in a new course team up with community partners in Pune, India, to solve real-world urban problems Read More

Allen Toulouse, wearing rubber boots, stands on the rocky shore of a still lake

In Ontario’s North, An Indigenous Community Digs Into Its History

U of T archaeologists are working with Sagamok Anishnawbek to learn more about thousands of ancient objects discovered along the shore of Lake Huron Read More

Mathew Okwoli in a blue, pin-striped suit, sitting on a wooden block on the left. Mahlodi Letsie in a green strapless gown standing on the right.

Where the World Meets

As much of the globe turns inward, U of T is doubling down on the value of international education Read More

A researcher is pulling a ground-penetrating radar across a cemetery along a marked line. Another researcher is carrying a backpack and operating a monitor.

How Modern Technology Is Helping to Locate Long-Forgotten Graves

U of T Scarborough students are using ground-penetrating radar and lidar to search for unmarked burial sites Read More

A woman has one arm stretched in front of her as she tries out an augmented reality simulation. She is wearing a headset and holding hand devices.

Humans Are Wired to Learn Through Gaming

Educators are using everything from Minecraft to Dungeons and Dragons to enhance education for students of all types Read More

Outdoor photo of Mathew Okwoli in a blue, pin-striped, double-breasted suit

Startups Could Help Solve Some of Africa’s Biggest Health Challenges

African entrepreneurs are working with U of T to build their businesses and – they hope – save lives Read More

John English in a wide-brimmed hat, operating an aerial drone over an open field bordered by trees

Which Plants Work Best to Keep Cities Cool?

U of T Scarborough researchers are using thermal cameras, drones and AI to learn more about how urban parks affect the climate Read More

Illustration of a voting ballot, a pencil and an

Will the U.S. Resist a Slide into Authoritarianism?

Political polarization and a shift in the Republican Party have troubling implications for America – and Canada Read More

Digital illustration of a taxi at an intersection, driving along an empty road, marked fare 4 ahead and 3 behind. The taxi is driving on a ribbon of a GPS map over bumper-to-bumper traffic on the other road, marked 2 on one side and 1 on the other.

People Worry That AI Will Replace Workers. But It Could Make Some More Productive

These scholars say artificial intelligence could help reduce income inequality Read More

Digital illustration of planet Earth surrounded by tiny white dots interconnected by dotted lines. Several red-coloured dots are connected by solid lines to areas on a world map underneath made of pixels of black land masses and white ocean.

A Sentinel for Global Health

AI is promising a better – and faster – way to monitor the world for emerging medical threats Read More

A digital illustration of two small-sized people standing on a square platform, looking at an oversized image of the back of a person. There is a crack in the middle of the image and an eye peering through the crack.

The Age of Deception

AI is generating a disinformation arms race. The window to stop it may be closing Read More

Digital illustration of lockbox containing a blue face and a yellow key made up of pixels. There is a small opening on the left side of the box, with a trail of blue pixels outside the opening.

Safety First

AI has developed faster than anyone thought. Will it serve humanity’s best interests? Read More

Digital illustration of a Go board game with black and white round pieces in play on a table with an empty chair. A row of black game boards arrayed vertically from the original board display different red lines representing different moves of the black pieces.

AI Learns Everything It Knows from Humans. Will Humans also Learn from AI?

The short answer: it depends Read More

Healing Power

Why AI could be good news for both patients and our health-care system Read More

Digital illustration of a pregnant woman in a wheel chair, with her hands grasping the rocky surfaces of cliffs on either side of her.

Expecting the Best, Receiving Less

More people with disabilities are having children. Our health-care system is unprepared, says researcher Hilary Brown Read More

Colour graphite illustration of a woman looking at her phone with a confused expression, while holding a credit card in the other hand

Think Twice Before Tapping

How to spot and avoid online scams Read More

Digitally illustrated collage of musical instruments, mobile phone screens and miniature sized musicians playing guitars. A hand is reaching through a mobile phone screen to press a key on the keyboard.

Tuning into Tomorrow

AI can help musicians compose and create new sounds. Is it just another music-making tool – or something else? Read More

AI Everywhere

Before we know it, artificial intelligence will be all around us. Are we ready? Read More

Artist rendering of a building constructed with mass timber and columns of well-spaced out windows.

For Greener Buildings, We Need to Rethink How We Construct Them

To meet its pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050, Canada needs to cut emissions from the construction industry. Here’s how Read More

In the foreground, a man with tattooed arms and red and white striped swim trunks and a boy with long hair are splashing water as they walk into the surf. In the middle ground and background, people are standing or walking in the water. In the distance are the white foam of incoming waves.

Are Cold Plunges Good for You?

Research suggests they are, in three ways Read More

A collage of three black and white photos. The top left photo shows a Black woman with large hoop earrings giving a presentation. An illustration of a yellow speech bubble is placed close to her mouth, overlapping the photo on the right, while three yellow star illustrations overlap the left side of the photo. The centre-bottom photo shows the back of a man in a suit and briefcase as he is walking across a road painted with blue and white stripes. On the top right, three concrete business buildings with floor to ceiling windows are unevenly stacked next to each other. A fourth photo on the bottom right shows a group of office workers standing around a table, with everything coloured in red tones, except for the man in the centre, who is in black and white and appears to be gesturing at the documents laid out on the table. On the bottom left, there is an illustration of a line chart.

Work Has Changed. So Have the Qualities of Good Leadership

Rapid shifts in everything from technology to employee expectations are pressuring leaders to constantly adapt Read More

Phil Heron in a black sweater, sitting with a presentation poster and a white board with notes out of focus in the background behind him

The Science of Second Chances

A U of T Scarborough professor’s educational outreach program is giving people in prison new hope Read More

A young woman is looking at her cellphone in the dark, while lying on her front in bed

Why Can’t We Put Down Our Phones?

A U of T Mississauga study finds that problematic smartphone use is increasing worldwide – especially among younger women Read More

Digital illustration of a Black man lying, with his eyes closed, on a therapist's couch made up of speech bubbles. There is a cigarette box lying on the floor next to him.

Could AI Help You Quit an Addiction?

U of T researchers are developing a chatbot to help people stop smoking. One day, it might offer therapy, too Read More

Collage of small-sized people of diverse ethnic backgrounds sitting on, lying on, hanging from or holding up giant fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish and other foods

You’ve Decided You Want to Eat Better. Now What?

There are countless diets to choose from, but one rises above the rest, say U of T experts Read More

Digital illustration, primarily in blue tones, depicting street lights on either side, shining down on fragmented pieces of a person

New Paths to Recovery

Every year, thousands of Canadians seek help for addiction. Which treatments work best? Read More

The back half of an electric car, with its charging cable plugged into a large inflated Earth globe

Can Electric Vehicles Save the Planet?

Eliminating gas-powered cars and trucks may help avert a climate catastrophe. But they are only part of the solution Read More

David Rokeby in glasses and a black T-shirt, standing in front of a screen, with multiple colours in various patterns projected on the screen

The Theatre of Tomorrow

A U of T lab is working with actors, writers and directors on how they could harness AI and other emerging technologies to generate new ideas and – just maybe – reinvent theatre Read More

Chelsea, wearing a white tank top and red cardigan, with the top half of her face out of frame and both hands clasping a small orange dress cutout

Missing or Murdered – and Dismissed

U of T Mississauga researchers examine the barriers family and friends face – often from police – when searching for Indigenous women and girls Read More

Coloured graphite drawing of a woman asleep in bed under a green and yellow leaf-patterned blanket, next to a blue alarm clock and a blue-shaded lamp.

Improving Your Shuteye

Anthropologist and sleep expert David Samson offers five useful ideas for getting a better night’s rest Read More

A researcher wearing a white lab coat, blue disposable gloves and protective eyewear, working with a machine in a lab at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research and holding a pipette

Rogers Foundation Gives $90 Million to Usher in New Era in Cardiac Care

Gift will enable the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research to expand its research into heart failure – and save lives Read More

Cross section of a tree trunk with variously coloured tree rings, some lighter brown and some darker brown to black

Solving a Climate Puzzle, One Tree Ring at a Time

A natural archive reveals how Canada’s arctic climate has changed over the past 1,000 years Read More

Illustration of the upper portion of a flower stalk ending in an open flower head with a child sitting in the centre. An electrocardiogram line runs horizontally behind the flower.

Tremors of the Heart

How AI could help doctors predict cardiac problems in critically ill children Read More

Suman Roy, wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the words

Hunger Pains

Food bank use in Toronto is soaring. Can a U of T Scarborough lab help? Read More

Illustration of a gamer's desk, depicting a video game console, monitor, two controllers, an open notebook, and a video game character wielding a sword coming out of the console, next to a stoppered potion bottle with red liquid

Game Time

Most of today’s students play video games. Why not study them, too? Read More

A grassy field full of white clovers in a Toronto park, surrounded by trees and condo buildings in the distance

Cities Are Driving Evolution

Globally crowdsourced study shows that white clovers are biologically adapting to city life, demonstrating the profound impact of urbanization Read More

A researcher observes data on a laptop, while an athlete wearing an oxygen mask pedals a machine with a hand-operated wheel.

From Strength to Strength

U of T’s new Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport will help athletes at all levels perform better Read More

Two students are taking measurements from plants on a rooftop. One is standing with a laptop and the other is crouched over a box of plants.

What Is the Future of Urban Farming?

Researchers at U of T Scarborough are testing which crops fare best on city roofs Read More

Coloured pencil drawing of imperfectly shaped vegetables in a metal shopping basket

How to Eat Sustainably on a Budget

Four tips for being kind to the planet – and your wallet – when you buy groceries Read More

Friendly looking robot drawing a picture at a drafting table

Can an AI Design a Magazine Cover?

The short answer is “yes,” but it’s not easy – at least it wasn’t for us Read More

Friendly robot sitting at a desk and typing on a laptop

We Tested an AI While Creating This Issue

We used an artificial intelligence to write headlines, add text to a story and summarize a longer article. It was often eerily good Read More