Research

Bans on menthol cigarettes across Canada from 2016 to 2017 led to a significant increase in the number of smokers who attempted to quit, smokers who quit successfully, and lower rates of relapse among former smokers, according to a new research study from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (the ITC Project) at the University of Waterloo.

Today, Anetta Ille (BSc ’19) and Alex Ille (BSc ’15) both serve on the board of directors of STEM Biomedical, a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of biomedical research. As children, they faced a life-threatening disease. Read on to see how this experience inspired their careers, and their latest efforts to help today’s childhood cancer patients.  

The recent study used mathematical modelling to examine the economic impact of implementing a compensated program for pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments in the province. 

Minor ailments are considered health conditions that can typically be self-diagnosed by patients—such as urinary tract infections and athlete’s foot—and can be managed with minimal treatment or straightforward self-care strategies.

The black hole at the centre of the M87 galaxy is like a giant fire-breathing dragon that spews enormous jets of energetic particles at near light speeds across some 5,000 light years of space.

A new view of this black hole in polarized light, released today by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, will help astrophysicists understand just how those jets are launched by this monstrous black hole.

Aging is a disease that can be fought with the appropriate combinations of supplements and behaviours, according to new research from the University of Waterloo.

Using a comprehensive mathematical model, the researchers also found that the best time of day for someone to take these supplements depends on their age. Some anti-aging supplements should be taken by young people at night, while older people should take it midday for the greatest effectiveness.

Dr. Kelsey Leonard believes that to protect water for future generations we need to recognize its inherent rights to exist, flourish and naturally evolve. A global movement has emerged in recent years known as Rights of Nature or Earth Law whereby governments are legally recognizing the personhood of natural entities such as rivers and mountains.

What has changed a year after COVID-19 first wreaked havoc on long-term care homes last spring? 

It’s no secret that our dependence on fossil fuels is a major factor in climate change. But less understood is how deeply these fuels — petroleum, natural gas, coal – have defined us and the course of modern history.

Several years after scientists discovered what was considered the oldest crater a meteorite made on the planet, another team found it’s actually the result of normal geological processes. 

During fieldwork at the Archean Maniitsoq structure in Greenland, an international team of scientists led by the University of Waterloo’s Chris Yakymchuk found the features of this region are inconsistent with an impact crater. In 2012, a different team identified it as the remnant of a three-billion-year-old meteorite crater.

Professor Andrew Bauer of the School of Accounting and Finance examines some of the things to consider when filing your taxes this year.

What are some important considerations when filing your 2020 tax returns? 

• For individual tax filing, the deadline is April 30. 

• For self-employed taxpayers, the deadline is June 15.