Leif Larsen

What’s in a name?

On the periodic table of elements there sat a placeholder in position 112, ununbium, an indication that something should go there. What that something should…


Science briefs

Residents of PEI might call it “mini me” Researchers from the Australia Antarctic Division (AAD) noticed something missing from Antarctica this February, namely a 2,500-square…


Pirate Do-dooders

The Internet has a problem: it’s an amazing way to share your creations with the world, but its also a damned difficult place to make…


Voter turnout drops

In the 2010 University of Manitoba Student’s Union (UMSU) general election, 2,374 students chose to vote in this uncontested race — more than 10 per…



That’s too big!

Arabic numerals, which are what we here in Canada and the scientific community at large use to represent numbers, were a huge advancement over the…


Sudoku: behind the scenes

Upon meeting Will Gibson (Doctor Octagon) the creator of the Manitoban’s sudoku puzzles, two things are abundantly clear: this man knows his computers and he…


Browsing for web browsers

Back when I was a kid, there were only two kinds of peanut butter on the shelf — chunky and smooth — a handful of…


Sudoku: Behind the scenes

Upon meeting Will Gibson (Doctor Octagon) the creator of the Manitoban’s sudoku puzzles, two things are abundantly clear: this man knows his computers and he…


Don’t have friends . . .

According to primate research, the number of meaningful social relationships you can maintain at any one time is directly linked to the volume of your…