Research & Ideas

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?

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