Office for Science and Society - Separating Sense from Nonsense

Grilling the Science Behind the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

A Beginners Guide to Time Travel: Explaining the Time Zones

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

In a way, time travel does exist. Just hop on a plane from Montreal to Vancouver, and you jump back three hours. Or better yet, fly in the other direction to Auckland, and find yourself 18 hours in the future. Of course, we owe these time differences to the Earth’s rotation, but also to the human-decided lines that identify various time zones. (This subject is, in fact, very personal to me because I am currently writing this at 5:30 in the morning due to the infamous jetlag most of us have experienced at some time.)

A Virus Most of Us Have Causes Multiple Sclerosis

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:29:21 +0000

Multiple sclerosis is a big deal in Canada.

If You Play With Fire, You Can Get Burned

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 03:20:30 +0000

Fountain candles are small tubes filled with chemicals that when ignited spew out a plume of glowing sparks into the air. They sure capture attention! The effect can last a few seconds (cake fountain candles), up to a minute (bottle fountain sparklers) or several minutes (special effects for stage shows and concerts). These devices all consist of some combustible materials packed into a cardboard tube with the length of the visual effect being determined by the amount and specific composition of the chemicals packed into the tube.

A Cultural History of Yogurt

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

There are some stories so good to tell that one hesitates to check their accuracy. Like the one about King Francis I of France (1494-1547) being cured of his digestive problems by eating yogurt.

Gua Sha Is Exotic Wellness That Leaves a Mark

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

When sales go stale, embrace the romanticism of exoticism.

That is one of the tricks of the wellness industry: selling gadgets and procedures that come from ancient traditions far, far away. There is, after all, an endless supply of folk remedies that can be repackaged for a modern audience suspicious of medicine but desirous of all-natural lotions and potions.

Taking off the Rose Coloured Glasses: The Pink Himalayan Salt Grift

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Open Instagram and you’ll see it within minutes: a wellness influencer solemnly instructing you to ditch your “toxic” white table salt for pink Himalayan salt, preferably scooped from a minimalist ceramic jar. Even Tom Brady’s TB12 diet insists on the rosy stuff. The implication is clear: this salt is purer, healthier, and possibly spiritually aligned with your chakras.

There’s just one problem. It’s mostly nonsense.

Fishing for the Benefits of Fish Oil Supplements

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:29:29 +0000

It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 different dietary supplements on the market in North America. Some of these, like “detox” supplements are totally useless, others such as immune boosters and megadoses of antioxidants have insignificant evidence while multivitamins mostly amount to an expensive soothing of nutritional anxieties without any evidence of reducing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline or all-cause mortality in the general population. However, there are some supplements that are supported by clinical evidence in some situations.

Bumpy, Not Broken: What Turbulence Really Means

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 02:17:29 +0000

If you’re anything like me, flying doesn’t exactly bring out your most relaxed self. I recently crossed the Atlantic and encountered a stretch of turbulence that had me gripping the armrest with the primal determination of a newborn testing its palmar grasp reflex. This is the article I wish I could’ve read at 35,000 feet, somewhere between bargaining with the universe and believing my snack choice was my “last meal.”

The Crank Magnetism of Chiropractors

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 04:20:01 +0000

Did you know that a chiropractor can help you with menstrual pain and discomfort during pregnancy? I didn’t either, but some chiropractors in the city I live in seem to think they can do just about anything.