/oss/taxonomy/term/991/all en /oss/article/covid-19-environment/decline-rush-hour-traffic-boon-health <hr /> <p>This article was originally published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-decline-in-rush-hour-traffic-a-boon-for-health">the Montreal Gazette</a></p> <hr /> <p>Soon everyone, or almost everyone, will be vaccinated and many people who have been working from home will have to figure out when they will be returning to the office. The decision is a complicated one.</p> <p>Many people enjoy working from home when possible and were probably surprised to realize that it can be quite feasible. Of course, it was not everyone’s cup of tea.</p> Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:40:44 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 8782 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/should-there-be-any-concern-about-working-environment-continuous-exposure-new-tire-smell <p>The short answer is that if you note a scent, some of the chemicals responsible for the aroma are finding their way into your body. Whether or not these are harmful depends on which specific compounds are absorbed, and to what extent. As always, toxicity is a question of dose. There is no doubt, however, that tires do contain some potentially nasty compounds.</p> Thu, 22 Feb 2018 17:20:02 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6929 at /oss /oss/article/general-science-history/why-black-hair-dye-became-popular-1930s-detroit <p>Well, because Henry Ford decided that younger men could work more productively on his automobile assembly line and so began to fire older workers and higher younger ones. This prompted some of the veteran workers to try to disguise their age with what else, but black hair dye. While Ford does deserve credit for laying the foundations to the modern automobile industry, particularly by introducing the concept of the assembly line, he also can be roundly criticized for his labour practices and ideological views.</p> Mon, 06 May 2013 21:30:22 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1929 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/benzene-your-car-and-its-not-gas-tank <p>Everyone knows that driving car is a risky business but what about just getting into one? Especially on a hot day! And we’re not talking about burning your rear by depositing it on the plastic seat. It is in a more insidious way that the plastic seat, along with numerous other plastic components in the car, are claimed to present a risk in a widely circulating email.</p> Sat, 25 Feb 2012 17:21:23 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1665 at /oss /oss/article/history-you-asked/who-invented-scotch-tape <p>The Scots did not invent Scotch tape. But their reputation for thriftiness did inspire the name of this amazing product. Two-tone cars were the in thing way back in the 1920s and car manufacturers were faced with the problem of how to cut clean, crisp lines between the colours. Before spraying on the paint, they would mask one side of the line with newspaper to create a sharp, straight edge.</p> Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:08:32 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1685 at /oss