Student Contributors

How PCOS Became PMOS

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

When scientists discover they've been wrong about a disease, changing their minds is only half the battle. The other half is updating everything that came from that misunderstanding: the textbooks, the guidelines, the assumptions people carry around, and sometimes even the name of the disease itself.

That's exactly what's happening with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).

AI Scribes in the Clinic: What Patients Should Know

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 22:16:13 +0000

The last time I went to the doctor, I was handed a form to sign. It was a consent form asking for my permission to allow the doctor to use an AI scribe during our appointment. I signed it without much hesitation, partly out of habit, partly out of an assumption that this is simply where healthcare is headed in the age of AI technology. Now, months later, after spending a semester conducting a health technology assessment on AI scribes for one of my courses, I realized that moment deserved more scrutiny.

Protein-Rich Bridges and Edible Houses

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

For most tourists in Prague, visiting the Charles Bridge is pretty much at the top of the sightseeing list. The medieval stone bridge, completed in the 15th century, was a part of the royal route – the path Bohemian kings took to the Prague Castle for their coronations. It also served as a key trade route, and now, is perhaps the most international place in Prague. Alongside its immense historical and cultural significance for the Czech Republic and the Bohemian Kingdom, there is one myth around its construction that may warrant some head scratching.

Talking to Animals… Telepathically? The Science Behind Pet Communication

Cici Chen — Thu, 28 May 2026 23:10:52 +0000

The Claim and How It Gains Credibility

Taylor Swift, Earthquakes, and Land Mines?

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:51:58 +0000

At 12:51pm on February 22, 2011, the world crumbled before the residents of Christchurch, New Zealand. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the city, killing 185 people and injuring thousands more. This earthquake was an aftershock of the more severe but far less deadly 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit the region six months earlier on September 4, 2010.

Red Cabbage Does Not Know the Sex of Your Baby

Angelina Lapalme — Fri, 15 May 2026 19:07:20 +0000

Old wives’ tales were the original social media trends. One person would try something new to fix a problem, convinced themselves that it worked, and pass the tip along to their friends and children until it spread, slowly. Today, these tales still circulate but their reach has exploded thanks to the invention of a story teller’s most powerful tool: the internet. And now, it seems that red cabbage is having its moment.

Why Did LLMs Steal Our Em-Dashes?

Lia Erisson — Fri, 08 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Upon ChatGPT's release in 2022, I realized that I wrote like AI. My sentences were long, my writing patterns were predictable, and my use of em-dashes was frequent. Initially, I was not concerned: if models are being trained to write like me, I must be doing a good job, right?

Why Sunscreen Still Beats Steak

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 01 May 2026 03:39:26 +0000

This story started like many modern tales of data distortion do, where the science isn’t denied outright, but bent just enough to fit a more convenient (and lucrative) narrative. Let me regretfully introduce you to Kashif Khan—a self-proclaimed “Truth Teller and Longevity Innovator”. It should be noted, however, that for a man who has built his career around dispensing health advice, his résumé appears to be entirely free of anything resembling a medical or scientific qualification. No degree, no training, not even a suspiciously vague wellness certification.

“Talk to Me in French, Talk to Me in Spanish”: Exploring the Benefits of Bilingualism

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Despite not being bilingual myself, from growing up in New York City, to my undergraduate days spent in Montreal, to now calling Prague home, I have always been immersed in bi- and multilingual worlds. (Bilingualism being the ability to speak/use two languages, and multilingualism is the ability to speak/use more than two.) I even had the privilege to grow up in a home with a bilingual father yet was never taught his native language, Czech. I always resented this, as I dwelled on the fact that I didn’t have the opportunity to learn Czech the “easy way.”

The Leggings That Promise to Fix Your Knees

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:28:39 +0000

Back when I was a varsity athlete (before I became old and washed up), I spent my final season dealing with a particularly stubborn ankle injury. As it turns out, sprinting down a runway and launching yourself into a sandpit while transferring large amounts of force through a compromised joint is not exactly a recipe for orthopedic success. Who would’ve guessed.

Thermal Clothing: Lessons in Engineering

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

As soon as the temperature dips below 0ºC, you will find me covered head to toe in thermal clothing. I am not picky when it comes to brands, although I do love Uniqlo’s HEATTECH. As long as I am warm, I am game. However, when it comes to shopping for these products, the magic word among the stock seems to be “moisture-wicking.” It turns out the science behind moisture-wicking plays a pretty significant role in why certain fibers and fabrics are off the table when it comes to layering up.

Lessons in Going Slow: Vaccination Schedules, Tuberculosis, and What Happens When Faster Isn’t Always Better

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Earlier this year, the United States dramatically scaled back its universal childhood immunisation schedule recommendations. Under an overhaul spearheaded by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the number of diseases for which vaccines are universally recommended dropped from 17 to 11. Vaccines for polio and measles remain on the list, but others—like hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and Covid-19—are now recommended based on risk or “shared clinical decision-making” between doctors and parents.

Navigating Life Gingerly: Do Red-Haired Individuals Experience Pain Differently?

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Red hair is the rarest natural hair color, expressed in only 1-2 percent of the world’s population. Of course, that number does not include salon-goers who seek to mask their original hair color.

Is Your Sauna Session Sabotaging Your Swimmers?

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:01:58 +0000

Over the past few months, a not insignificant number of my male friends have asked me (unprompted) whether going to the sauna is ruining their sperm. Bold questions. Intimate questions. But fair ones. Sauna culture has exploded in North America, and with it, men now face an understandable worry: is the sauna accidentally slow roasting fertility?

When Your Phone Makes Time Disappear

Lia Erisson — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:41:46 +0000

When I think about the first few hours of my day, I picture myself getting up, making breakfast, picking out my outfit, and tidying my apartment. What I don’t often recall are the 30 or so minutes I spend doomscrolling on Instagram or playing video games as soon as I wake up. To be honest, that time barely registers as having existed at all.

In all likelihood, you have similar experiences in your day-to-day life.