Professor Rod MacRae co-authors study that finds organic farms are more energy efficient

Organic farms can be more energy efficient than conventional farms that mass produce crops using unsustainable practices, a surprising result from a study co-authored by a York University professor. Researchers analyzed 130 studies to compare the energy use and global warming potential of organic versus conventional farming. They concluded that organic farms were more energy […]

Professor Jennifer Steeves in Centre for Vision Research finds face blindness sufferers better at recognizing voices

People who can no longer recognize faces compensate with heightened voice recognition abilities, says a York University study, which also finds that our brains may identify people and things on separate neurological planes. The study, recently published in the journal Neuropsychologia looked at a rare disorder called prosopagnosia, in which the ability to visually identify […]

Soraya Mehdizadeh, undergraduate psychology student, finds Facebook fiends tend to be narcissistic and insecure

Narcissists and those with low self-esteem gravitate toward Facebook as a self-promotional tool and tend to be heavier users of the site, according to a study by a York University psychology student. Soraya Mehdizadeh examined the online habits and personalities of 100 Facebook users at York University ranging in age from 18-25 years old. Her […]

York researchers to develop atmospheric modelling instruments for 2016 Mars mission

York University researchers will participate in a mission probing the atmosphere of Mars for sources of methane, part of the ongoing search for evidence of life on the red planet. Researchers from the Faculty of Science & Engineering will be part of a team of Canadian scientists responsible for a device that will measure and […]

University staff win gold award for media releases promoting York research

York University media relations staff Janice Walls and Melissa Hughes, frequent contributors to York Research News, have been recognized by the annual Council for the Advancement & Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence awards. The pair received a top-level gold award in a worldwide competition for a series of five York news releases that […]

Professor Michael Riddell: Type 1 diabetes affects athletic performance, but shouldn’t deter young athletes if they manage condition

Research funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Medtronic Canada and Can-Am Care A new study led by York University researchers finds that young athletes with Type 1 diabetes may experience a marked decrease in performance as a result of their blood sugar levels. The study, published in the International Journal […]

York researchers find anxiety may be at root of religious extremism

Anxiety and uncertainty can cause us to become more idealistic and radical in our religious beliefs, according to new findings by York University researchers published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. In a series of studies, more than 600 participants were placed in anxiety-provoking or neutral situations and then asked […]

Gay men's bilateral brains better at remembering faces: York U study

Gay men can recall familiar faces faster and more accurately than their heterosexual counterparts because, like women, they use both sides of their brains, according to a new study by York University researchers. The study, published in the journal, Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition, examined the influence of gender, sexual orientation and whether […]

Sex, adultery, betrayal, divorce: York prof investigates birds’ clandestine behaviours

Why do birds divorce? What makes them cheat on their spouses? Why might couples favour one offspring over another? A new book by a York University professor delves into these and other aspects of the secret lives of birds. In The Bird Detective, Bridget Stutchbury roams forests and jungles studying the sexual antics and social […]

Think baby knows when you tease? Study from Centre for Infancy Studies says six-month-olds know difference between play and teasing

A study by York University researchers reveals that infants as young as six months old know when we’re “playing” them – and they don’t like it. Researchers in York’s Centre for Infancy Studies examined six- and nine-month-old babies’ reactions to a game in which an experimenter was either unable or unwilling to share a toy. […]