On the SCIdelines

Big Oil generally isn’t a group of corporations you’d associate with environmentalism, unless you’re talking about their fundamental opposition to it. Last week, however, one of the biggest oil companies in the world, ExxonMobil, committed to seemingly impressive greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets. So, why the shift in attitude, and is this something we can trust? All this and more, in today’s discussion On the Scidelines.

Male vs. female might not be as big of a divide as we once thought! Although there are many differences between the male and female sexes, you may be surprised to learn that many of those differences aren't as clear-cut as they once seemed, and provide a scientific basis for a spectrum of sexes.

Usually, we imagine physicists as people messing with lasers, thermodynamics, or nuclear energy, among other stereotypes. This year, however, the Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to three individuals for helping shape our understanding of climate change, something many people wouldn't usually associate with the field. Take a step back and join us On the Scidelines as we unravel the link between physics and a changing climate.

There's a growing interest, especially among young people, to get involved with science and science communication. Join Thanesh and Randy On the Scidelines and dive deep into what that actually looks like (it's more than just people in lab coats) and how you can get involved!

The latest variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2 has been identified by the WHO and is starting to spread globally, despite government responses and restrictions. There's lots that we still don't know about the Omicron variant, but today we're going to focus on what we do know and what it may mean for you. 

MSG is a popular ingredient used in many Asian countries and Asian foods. However, since the late 60s, it’s gotten a lot of bad PR in Western countries. Join the conversation this week as we unravel MSG, its history, and its implications for us as consumers.

Most of our vaccinations are shots that we receive before we’re even old enough to understand what they are. All we might remember is being afraid of a needle. The COVID-19 vaccines probably broke a trend for many of us, adding a second and third vaccination appointment to our schedule this year on top of the annual flu shot. Which begs the question, why is the flu shot something we need every year? Join us On the Scidelines this week as we break it down and talk about the potential of a one-shot flu shot.

Flu Shot Clinics

Shoppers Drug Mart - https://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/health-and-pharmacy/pharmacy-services/flu-shot

Rexall - https://www.rexall.ca/appointment

Costco Pharmacy - https://www.costcopharmacy.ca/appointment

PC Supermarkets - https://vaccinations.pchealth.ca/en

Have you ever wondered why we humans only have two sets of teeth in our lifetimes? Evidently, the answer is yes. This week's episode is brought to you by a question from our audience: why can't we regrow teeth like sharks? 

We brought in Lauren Vamos, a master's candidate in anthropology who studies teeth, to find out that and a little bit more about what teeth can tell us. 

Lots of kids spend time thinking about how cool it would be if we could have superpowers like invisibility, super strength, or even mind control. As far as we know, such abilities only exist in the pages of comics and science fiction movies. But, what if someone was to take this concept and run wild with some questionable science? Enter the CIA’s MK-Ultra program and the terrifying search for mind control.