Research & Ideas

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?

Illustration of a piggy bank through an x-ray

Cheaper Digital X-Rays

Physicist John Rowlands has invented a way to deliver high-quality X-rays at a fraction of the regular cost

Addicted to Love

The American Psychiatric Association is considering whether "hypersexual disorder" should be included in its next guide to mental illness

The Polite Party

Psychology research finds that conservatives are more concerned with order, liberals are more compassionate

Water Pressure

Canadians feel no urgency to conserve water, but they should, says architecture prof

Smashing!

Now that the Large Hadron Collider is working, U of T physicists are preparing to sift through mountains of data in search of the elusive Higgs boson

Microscopic illustration of stem cells

The Big Promise of a Tiny Cell

Stem cell medicine may soon generate new treatments for any condition where cells have been damaged, such as heart disease, diabetes – even blindness

Neena Kanwar

Risky Business

U of T science students are learning how to turn their high-tech ideas into products the world wants

Illustration of a pixelated city block - cross section of a building with people inside of it.

Second Opinion

The real world offers many sources of medical advice. Soon virtual worlds may, too

Illustration of a stork hitting a bullseye

Birthright Lottery

Why should the accidental circumstances of birth confer almost unlimited opportunity to some and condemn others to a life of struggle?

Photo of the sun

The Vitamin D Crisis

Dark-skinned Canadians may face higher risk of disease due to vitamin D deficiency, doctor warns

Image of a snowed-in cabin

Smarter Buildings

A U of T computer scientist is developing a program to help predict – and ultimately reduce – buildings’ energy use

The researchers hope to show that where you live is just as important as how you live.

Is Your City Happy?

People living on the east side of Toronto are more neurotic than those in the west, study of cities’ “personalities” finds

Photo of an hourglass

The True Nature of Time

A century after Einstein proposed his theory of relativity, scientists are still debating how time works

In the Mood for Love

Women more likely than men to experience physical arousal without thinking that they're aroused, study finds

Cool Computing

A new kind of optical switch could allow computers to run 100 times faster - without overheating

The Price of Happiness

Workers paid hourly are generally happier, dollar for dollar, than those on salary, study finds

Diabetes and Driving

U of T study finds that diabetics who keep strict control of their blood sugar are more likely to be involved in a car accident, not less

Is Life Getting Better?

A new measure of national wealth would include health, education and other things Canadians consider important

Rock Springs, New Mexico - The home of Navajo elder Berta Tom in Rock Springs

Look Closely!

Award-winning photojournalist Rita Leistner shines a light on North American native communities

Wilfrid Laurier.

Lives Lived

A project 50 years in the making tells Canada's story through its people

Tomatoes

VB6

Converts say that VB6 can do wonders for you

Elections Canada

Genes and Politics

Do our genes influence whom we vote for or whether we vote? They can, says politics prof Peter Loewen

Watertable, an installation under the Gardiner

Road Thrill

Art profs create a sparkling underside to the Gardiner Expressway

We Are Star Stuff

A large asteroid could destroy all life on earth. But a "rain" of extraterrestrial debris long ago may have led to the conditions that started it, says a U of T geologist

The World’s Largest Telescope

As scientists prepare the next-generation space telescope, University of Toronto astronomers are pushing for an even larger ground-based scope

Tainted Air

We pull bad food from the shelves as soon as possible, so why aren't we more concerned about poor air quality?

The Paperwork Burden

Helping high schoolers fill out financial aid forms could boost post-secondary enrolment

Professor Ron Deibert (centre) is speaking with a colleague, who is sitting in front of a laptop in the Citizen Lab. Another colleague is looking at notes on the wall behind him.

The New Freedom Fighters

Will the Internet help bring democracy to Iran? Professor Ron Deibert and the Citizen Lab champion free speech and human rights online

Denise Chong has written what she calls “the biography of a gesture” to explore just what drove Lu Decheng to jeopardize his life for a cause he believes in.

Act of Defiance

In her new book, Denise Chong profiles one of the men who, 20 years ago, dared to lob eggs at a portrait of Mao. As Western businesses vie for access to Chinese markets, do such political gestures still matter?

Photo of arabic script on an antique document

Revelations from Qumran

Ancient peoples may have viewed the Dead Sea scrolls much as we see the web – fluid, social and open to change