Ara Norenzayan, a social psychologist, studies what causes people to commit good or evil in the name of God – photo by Martin Dee
UBC Reports | Vol. 53 | No. 1 |
Jan. 4, 2007
The Next Big Thing
For the second year, UBC Reports has asked experts in a variety of fields to identify the next major
advance that will influence our world. From personally customized drugs, to creating a new biofuel from wood, to the ability to assess animal emotions and more, their predictions capture our imagination about
the possibility of discovery through research.
A New Science of Faith; Busting the Secularization Myth
Belief in God has often been blamed for much of the violence in the world, and many see secularization as a safeguard against religious intolerance and violence.
more…
Disease Diagnosis and Therapy Customized to Each Person’s Genetic Make-up
Personalized medicine based on the individuality of the human genome will allow physicians and pharmacists to accurately characterize disease.
more…
A Scientific System that Shuts Down New Diseases Fast
Predicting the next big outbreak of an infectious disease is nearly impossible. For example, SARS came out of nowhere.
more…
Alternative Existence in Parallel Worlds
Right now on the web the most rapid growth, the most innovation, and the most buzz concerns the emergence of three-dimensional immersive environments for online activity.
more…
Finding the Treatment, and Possibly Cure, for Diabetes in the Human Gut
Diabetes threatens to become a global health crisis unless we begin altering the behaviours that put our young people at risk of developing the disease.
more…
Back to the Future: Substituting Wood for Oil with the “Forest Biorefinery”
Currently, 97 per cent of the North American transport sector runs on petroleum, with ethanol derived from corn and wheat accounting for the majority of the remaining two to three per cent.
more…
Viral Videos, or Global Mobilization?
Growing up, my vision of future communications owed much to Star Trek, with its efficient communicators and cross-galaxy telescreens.
more…
Assessing Animal Emotions
Concerns about the welfare of animals are nothing new, but the best way to care for animals is not always clear.
more…
Segways for Disabled People
Two physical therapists came to me two years ago wondering how they could study whether the Segway Human Transporter could be used by people with mobility impairments.
more…
Grappling with the Moral Dimensions of Advances in Assisted Reproduction
Almost two years have passed since a single Romanian woman in her mid-60s gave birth to a daughter conceived through the use of donated eggs and sperm and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
more…
A Boom in Aging Research
"The boomers are coming! The boomers are coming!" It’s an alert call that Canadian researchers in health and aging hear loud and clear.
more…
New Land Use Restrictions to Protect Water Security
Municipalities and developers in Ontario are in for some big surprises over the next few years as that province’s new water legislation is phased in.
more…
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