Science, Health and Technology

UBC experts available to comment on poor air quality, wildfires

UBC experts are available to discuss the wildfires in B.C., poor air quality and associated health risks.

Aug 13, 2018

Students show off Star Wars-style rescue robots in competition at UBC

In a scene reminiscent of Star Wars, 16 student-designed robots will attempt to rescue the good guys—Ewoks and Chewbacca, represented by plush dolls—from the evil Empire stronghold.

Aug 8, 2018

UBC researchers analysed data from 1,226 voluntary cleanups organized by the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup (GCSC). Photo: Monica Phung.

Cigarettes account for half of waste recovered on Vancouver and Victoria shorelines

Plastic waste—particularly from smoking– still dominates litter collected from B.C. coastlines, a recent study from the University of British Columbia has found.

Aug 2, 2018

Fishing fleets travelling further to catch fewer fish

Industrial fishing fleets have doubled the distance they travel to fishing grounds since 1950 but catch only a third of what they did 65 years ago per kilometre travelled, a new study has found.

Aug 1, 2018

Breaking up ‘fatbergs’: UBC engineers develop technique to break down fats, oil and grease

Cooking oil and similar waste can clog pipes, harm fish and even grow into solid deposits like the “fatbergs” that recently blocked London’s sewage system. But UBC researchers may have found a way to treat these fats, oils and grease—collectively called FOG—and turn them into energy.

Aug 1, 2018

Researchers observed that a third of pedestrians were distracted by their cellphones, texting and reading or talking and listening.

Distracted pedestrians walk slower and are less steady on their feet: UBC study

Distracted drivers are responsible for more collisions in Canada than impaired drivers, but with smartphones becoming ubiquitous, distracted walking is also on the rise. Now, University of British Columbia engineers have analyzed just how mobile device use affects pedestrians, and their findings could help develop safer roads and autonomous cars in the future.

Jul 31, 2018

Breakthrough discovery will change treatment for COPD patients

Permanent lung damage caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) starts much earlier than previously thought, even before patients are showing symptoms.

Jul 10, 2018

Urban greenways can reduce neighbourhood carbon emissions

A new UBC study has found that greenways significantly reduce carbon emissions, with 300 metres being the optimal distance for maximum environmental benefits.

Jul 5, 2018

Bacteria-powered solar cell converts light to energy, even under overcast skies

UBC researchers have found a cheap, sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria that convert light to energy.

Jul 5, 2018

Simulated image of star system studied by researchers.

Theory of general relativity proven yet again in new research

In a novel test of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, an international group of astronomers has demonstrated that the theory holds up, even for a massive three-star system.

Jul 4, 2018

Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) waddling along on a white sand beach.

As penguins dive, their location data takes flight

Data sent from penguins to space and back to UBC could help researchers determine why the species’ breeding population fluctuates so dramatically.

Jun 27, 2018

Researchers found that feelings of powerlessness, a mismatch between reality and expectations of motherhood, and unmet expectations of support contributed to anger in the context of postpartum depression.

Anger overlooked as feature of postnatal mood disorders: UBC study

Women in the postpartum period should be screened for anger in addition to depression and anxiety, new research from the University of British Columbia suggests.

Jun 26, 2018

Some seniors entering long-term care homes too soon: UBC expert

With seniors now outnumbering children in Canada, an increasing number of families are caring for aging loved ones.

Jun 26, 2018

The results are particularly important for patients with cystic fibrosis who often deal with dense, chronic infections in the lungs.

UBC researchers create matchmaking service to combat antibiotic resistant infections

UBC researchers have matched small proteins, called peptides, with antibiotics so they can work together to combat hard-to-treat infections that don’t respond well to drugs on their own.

Jun 21, 2018

The study showed that asking men to describe their experiences of grief and loss through photographs and storytelling could be therapeutic.

Self-care and social ties can help men recover from the suicide of a loved one

Recovering from the suicide of a friend, partner or family member can be emotionally challenging for men, largely due to masculine ideals that dictate men should remain stoic and keep their feelings bottled up.

Jun 20, 2018

UBC experts on recreational cannabis legalization

The Senate voted Tuesday to pass Bill C-45—the government’s legislation to legalize cannabis—meaning that recreational cannabis will soon be legal across Canada.

Jun 20, 2018

The device uses medical-grade stainless steel and looks similar to most commercial stents.

‘Smart stent‘ detects narrowing of arteries

For every three individuals who have had a stent implanted to keep clogged arteries open and prevent a heart attack, at least one will experience restenosis—the renewed narrowing of the artery due to plaque buildup or scarring—which can lead to additional complications.

Jun 19, 2018

Restaurants had the highest rate of mislabelling, at 29 per cent, followed by grocery stores (24 per cent) and sushi bars (22 per cent). Credit: Kyle/Flickr

Twenty-five per cent of seafood sold in Metro Vancouver is mislabelled

A quarter of the seafood tested from Metro Vancouver grocery stores, restaurants and sushi bars is not what you think it is. A new UBC study used DNA barcoding to determine that 70 of 281 seafood samples collected in Metro Vancouver between September 2017 and February 2018 were mislabelled.