Research & Ideas

Photo of Arab Spring

Arab Spring

Will the uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East usher in lasting change?

What Is Sacred?

Two U of T thinkers debate whether we can ever know what is truly "right" or "wrong"

Photo by Chris Granger

Bar Brawls

It seems young men fight primarily to gain the approval of … other men

Illustration of a person on a maple-leaf shaped block of ice, separated from a group of people on an icy shore.

True North

What does Canada stand for now? Have we lost our international reputation as a nature-loving, peacekeeping haven for newcomers?

Tom Rachman

The Debut

How do you write a bestselling first novel? If you're Tom Rachman, you start by majoring in film

Illustration of a figure of a child with square shapes around them.

Understanding Autism

Scientist Stephen Scherer aims to uncover the genetic causes of an incurable neural disorder

The ABCs of Autism

Contrary to stereotypes, most autistic children don’t bang their heads, and fewer than one per cent are brilliant savants

Photo of a person swimming.

Don’t Overdo It!

Women who exercise strenuously may be at greater risk of developing dementia later in life, study finds

Image of Bible in Arabic

Islam and the Bible

What do Arabic translations of Christianity’s holy book reveal about three of the world’s great religions?

Illustration of a figure using a laptop computer.

Funemployment

Sometimes, being unemployed can be positive - it depends on who you ask

Photo of laptops

The End of Moore’s Law?

For almost half a century, computer chips have doubled in power every 18 months. But this may not hold true for much longer, says Eugene Fiume

Aerial image of forested area in a city.

The Urban Forest

"Neighbourwoods" uses Google Earth to share info about the health of city trees

The Pointers by Tom Thomson

Body Double

A U of T team finally settles the question of where Tom Thomson was buried

Photo by 416style at Flickr.com

The Living City

Engineers are using the idea of "urban metabolism" to design more sustainable neighbourhoods

Tough Love

Dating at university is supposed to be easy. But many of today’s U of T students find campus romance elusive. Enter Love@UofT, a new online matchmaker

Folic’s Effects

The synthetic version of a micronutrient found in broccoli may have role in breast cancer, study finds

Illustration of great inventions and inventors in a tree.

The Next Big Idea

Ten concepts that could shape the future: from digital credentials to safer drugs to DNA-tailored diets and more

Chris Spence, the director of education for the Toronto District School Board, believes in providing parents and students with choices in public education. Under his leadership, alternative schools have flourished.

Different but Equal

Toronto parents can choose to send their children to a variety of specialized schools. But is it possible to have too much choice in alternative education?

Photo of the ornithopter.

Like a Bird

A U of T engineering student has become the first ever to fly a human-powered “ornithopter”

Photo of Mars

Life on Mars?

Scientists are trying to determine if methane in the Martian atmosphere came from living organisms

Photo of Sao Paolo skyline.

How Cities Compare

Urban centres have a huge impact on their residents’ well-being. So how can we make them better?

Portraits of fallen soldiers.

The Fallen

Joanne Tod is painting portraits of every Canadian soldier who has died in Afghanistan

Iciclology 101

Most icicles have the same carrot shape. But differences in temperature, wind conditions and water composition affect their final form

Photo by Tim Lawrence, http://www.flickr.com/photos/20842847@N00/

Easing Depression

Studies find that electrical stimulation to one side of the brain helps improve depression

Illustration of Toronto City Hall

What Toronto Needs

A real transit strategy, a solution to its financial troubles, better urban design – and mayoral candidates willing to discuss these things

Photo of pics grazing at what appears to be a farm.

The Lives of Animals

Most animals raised for food in Canada live on industrial sites where they never go outdoors. Under our laws, this is perfectly legal, but is it ethical?

A child walking past a mural in Mumbai

A Year in Mumbai

Normand Labrie coped with sweltering heat and noisy classrooms to bring Canadian teaching techniques to India's largest city

Illustration of a doctor using a laptop while covering a patient's face with her hand.

One Patient, One Record

There are plenty of compelling reasons for health records to go digital. So why are some doctors resisting?

Photo of a man covering his face and holding up one finger into a mirror.

All Clear

Surveillance and surgery could both get a boost from a new kind of video camera that can focus on near and distant objects at the same time

Photo of a pollution/oil covered bird in the water.

Averting Disaster

BP oil spill could have been avoided if the company had used the "precautionary principle," says prof

Architectural rendering of an arctic bridge structure.: the Bering Strait Ice Link.

Polar Express

Architecture prof's Arctic designs include proposed Russia-Alaska rail link

Photo of a man's face

The Age of a Face

The culture and language you are raised with can affect your ability to judge the age of people's faces

Planetary Mysteries

Discoveries of new planets outside our solar system are forcing astronomers to rethink theories of how planets form

Illustration of adults (parents) wearing labcoats and holding infants.

Parents – At Last!

Reproductive science has made huge strides over the past 30 years, bringing hope to millions of infertile couples. But some formidable barriers remain

The Age Barrier

Even with the best medical technology, most women over 40 have little chance of getting pregnant

Izzeldin Abuelaish

Waging Peace

Three of his daughters were killed by Israeli fire. In Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish’s new book, he calls for an end to the violence

Illustration of a map shaped like a brain.

Mapping the Mind

Ambitious 10-year project will create a detailed electronic atlas of the brain

Photo of a Caravaggio painting

The Dark Master

Caravaggio rebelled against dogma and received wisdom. Is that why we like him so much?

Illustration of a man in a coma; a ghost above holds a sign that says

Ending It All

We run our lives as we wish. Why can’t we have a say in our own death?

Image of a film reel

Mumblecore

What kind of films are part of the "mumblecore" movement?