/oss/taxonomy/term/216/all en /oss/article/medical-history/sordid-medicine-shows-exploited-indigenous-cures <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-sordid-medicine-shows-exploited-indigenous-cures">The Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> Fri, 05 Apr 2024 15:59:50 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9899 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition-environment/sweet-potatoes-and-some-sweet-chemistry <p>In November 2019, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53946-0">a study</a> published in <em>Scientific Reports </em>showed a fascinating defense mechanism possessed by a certain variety of sweet potato named TN 57, which was known to be much more resistant to pests than other strains. Researchers found that when one of the plant’s leaves is attacked by insects, or damaged in any other way, it releases a strong odour that serves to alert the rest of the affected plant’s leaves, as well as those of neighbouring plants, that danger is nearby.</p> Fri, 11 Sep 2020 16:25:30 +0000 Caitlin Bard, OSS Intern 8402 at /oss /oss/article/environment/plant-eats-bugs <p>The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant well known for its ability to lure insects (and arachnids) into its “capture organ.” Once they enter there is no escape. The organ shuts tight and the digestion process begins. <em>Dionaea muscipula, </em>the actual name of the Venus flytrap,<em> </em>is native to small, wetland areas in North and South Carolina, however, people have taken a shine to it as a houseplant so it is now grown in many other locations.</p> Fri, 28 Aug 2020 11:59:20 +0000 Caitlin Bard, OSS Intern 8385 at /oss /oss/article/health-videos/right-chemistry-do-house-plants-clean-air <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-utansvujqja" width="640" height="390" title="Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Do house plants clean the air?" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/UtansvUJQjA?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-utansvujqja&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Do house plants clean the air?" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Do house plants clean the air?</iframe> </div> </p> Thu, 19 Dec 2019 23:01:30 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8055 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition/will-game-changers-change-your-game <p>The documentary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSpglxHTJVM">“The Game Changers”</a> has been picking up steam on Netflix. This is basically a two-hour promo for a vegan lifestyle focusing on a few athletes who attribute their high-level performance to a vegan diet. Before going further, let me say that I favour a diet that has lots of fruits, vegetables and nuts, but I think that some meat, mostly poultry and fish can be accommodated.</p> Wed, 11 Dec 2019 20:59:33 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8048 at /oss /oss/article/health-pseudoscience/do-you-know-whats-inside-your-herbal-medicine <p>Can we find 15,000 taxonomists willing to work around the clock? I write this because there are a lot of species out there that need to be properly identified, but apparently a taxonomist (a person who names and identifies living things)<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691236/"> can only critically identify about 0.01% of all species on this planet</a>. So we would need tens of thousands of them to know exactly what’s what when it comes to living things.</p> Thu, 05 Dec 2019 17:55:52 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8039 at /oss /oss/article/i-am-looking-buying-product-kill-dandelions-wilson-weedout-safe <p><a href="https://www.wilsoncontrol.com/en/products/weed-control/wilson-lawn-weedout-ultra?gclid=CjwKCAjwmZbpBRAGEiwADrmVXiUboTLlyBYQzRH4GfiNq9s15PoZAWj6sUcWVAoTqlhJCll_qLQW2xoCAHQQAvD_BwE">Wilson Weedout</a> contains 4-chloro indole acetic acid as an active ingredient which really is quite effective against broad-leaved weeds. It is a naturally occurring plant hormone that triggers the release of ethylene, a compound involved in plant growth. When applied to a weed it causes it to grow very rapidly.</p> Wed, 10 Jul 2019 20:21:58 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7824 at /oss /oss/article/technology/right-chemistry-evolution-plant-hormones <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-2"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-zicpww4zeci" width="640" height="390" title="Dr. Joe Schwarcz on the evolution of plant hormones" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ziCPWW4zecI?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-zicpww4zeci&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr. Joe Schwarcz on the evolution of plant hormones" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Dr. Joe Schwarcz on the evolution of plant hormones</iframe> </div> </p> Mon, 01 Apr 2019 18:06:38 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7681 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-environment/under-microscope-cannabis <p><img height="2489" width="2399" style="width: 600px; height: 623px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/img_1559.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img height="2657" width="2613" style="width: 600px; height: 610px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/img_0597.jpg" alt="" /></p> Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:34:37 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7632 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-environment/did-you-know-border-wall-between-us-and-mexico-would-cause-mass-ecological-damage <p>President Donald Trump wants to “build a wall” between the U.S. and Mexico that, depending on your political allegiances, will either keep out dangerous undocumented immigrants or will serve little purpose outside of wasting taxpayers’ money.</p> <p>One potential effect not receiving much media attention, however, would be felt by plants and animals local to the areas surrounding the border.</p> Thu, 17 Jan 2019 18:32:40 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7541 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition/spice-life <p>Very few of us would argue against the notion that spices (and to a lesser extent, their leafy cousins, herbs) play an important role in our culinary preferences. These days it would be almost unthinkable to make a dish that is completely devoid of our standard ‘go-tos’ from the aptly named spice cabinet in the kitchen, such as a spaghetti sauce without oregano and thyme or a cauliflower soup without some cumin… or just about any prepared dish for that matter, without the omnipresence of pepper, garlic and onion.</p> Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:01:09 +0000 Adam Oliver Brown PhD 7404 at /oss /oss/article/health-technology-environment/unlocking-molecular-puzzle-cannabis <hr /> <p class="note"><strong>Take-home message:</strong><br /> - There is no evidence for the existence of GMO weed.<br /> - Genetic information shows that labels in cannabis shops (about strain, ancestry, and name) cannot be trusted.</p> <p>Despite what some chronic users may claim, the cannabis plant is not mystical. Like any living species, its cells house genes that encode proteins which, through an impressively choreographed dance influenced by the environment, yield a distinct organism.</p> Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:34:59 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 7391 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/trees-avoid-touching-each-other-due-crown-shyness-results-are-beautiful-webs-leaves <p>Trees might be tall and strong, but they are still a bit sheepish.</p> <p><u><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_shyness">Crown shyness</a></u> describes the phenomenon of a tree’s leaves<a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/313/1159/209"> </a><u><a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/313/1159/209">withdrawing</a></u> from the leaves of other trees. It results in beautiful webs of <i>almost</i> touching canopies, but why do trees do it?</p> Wed, 19 Sep 2018 15:49:05 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7362 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-environment/goats-might-be-secret-tool-weve-been-looking-prevent-wildfires <p><span>Goats are really useful creatures. We use their milk, fur, meat and… firefighting skills?</span></p> Wed, 08 Aug 2018 15:02:08 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7220 at /oss /oss/article/environment/plastics-plants <p style="text-align:justify"></p> Tue, 04 Jun 2013 02:11:25 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1951 at /oss