Science, Health and Technology

UBC experts share views on global action on climate change

Youth climate activists around the world are planning a Global Climate Strike during the week of Sept. 20-27 to demand action on the climate crisis. Ahead of the strike date, we asked several UBC experts who work in climate-related fields for their views on climate change action.

Sep 18, 2019

Researchers found that hands-on learning in kindergarten helped improve academic outcomes.

Emphasizing social play in kindergarten improves academics, reduces teacher burnout

Emphasizing more play, hands-on learning, and students helping one another in kindergarten improves academic outcomes, self-control and attention regulation, finds new UBC research.

Sep 17, 2019

Researchers from the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia analyzed more than 50 studies related to the increase in vessels’ catching power.

New technology allows fleets to double fishing capacity — and deplete fish stocks faster

Technological advances are allowing commercial fishing fleets to double their fishing power every 35 years and put even more pressure on dwindling fish stocks, new research has found.

Sep 16, 2019

Toyota Mirai. © M 93 / Wikimedia Commons

UBC researchers design roadmap for hydrogen supply network across B.C.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a hydrogen supply chain model that can enable the adoption of zero-emission, hydrogen-powered cars—transforming them from a novelty into everyday transportation in just 30 years.

Sep 12, 2019

UBC experts on vaping concerns

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified more than 450 possible cases of lung disease associated with vaping, spanning 33 states.

Sep 11, 2019

Mahyar Etminan, lead author and associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences in the faculty of medicine at UBC.

Commonly used antibiotics may lead to heart problems

Scientists have shown for the first time a link between two types of heart problems and one of the most commonly prescribed classes of antibiotics.

Sep 9, 2019

UBC experts on B.C. PharmaCare announcement

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix will be making an announcement on B.C.’s PharmaCare program this afternoon.

Sep 5, 2019

Chinook salmon found dead at British Columbia spawning grounds. Credit: Kristi Miller-Saunders, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

New viruses discovered in endangered wild Pacific salmon populations

Three new viruses—including one from a group of viruses never before shown to infect fish—have been discovered in endangered Chinook and sockeye salmon populations.

Sep 4, 2019

Jessica Meir training a bar-headed goose to fly alongside her on a motor scooter. Credit: Milsom Lab/UBC

Slowed metabolism helps geese fly high

A few years before NASA astronaut Jessica Meir began learning to fly a spacecraft for her upcoming trip to the International Space Station, she was in flight-training of a different kind: teaching bar-headed geese how to fly in a wind tunnel at the University of British Columbia.

Sep 3, 2019

Teen birth control use linked to depression risk in adulthood

Women who used oral contraceptives during adolescence are more likely to develop depression as adults, suggests new research from the University of British Columbia.

Aug 28, 2019

UBC experts on opioid crisis lawsuits

A court in Oklahoma has found Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries helped fuel the U.S. state’s opioid crisis and has ordered the company to pay $572 million. UBC experts are available to comment.

Aug 27, 2019

Science says when kids participate in team-based extracurricular activities, they have better mental health

Extracurricular activities that nurture a sense of belonging with peers appear to bolster preteen’s mental health, new research from the University of British Columbia suggests.

Aug 26, 2019

UBC experts on Amazon rainforest fires

A record number of fires are burning in the Amazon rainforest. UBC experts are available to comment.

Aug 21, 2019

UBC experts on vaping

The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a possible link between e-cigarette use, also called vaping, and “severe” lung disease after dozens of young adults and teens reported breathing illnesses, with some ending up in hospital.

Aug 20, 2019

UBC experts on back-to-school season

UBC experts are available to comment on various school- and education-related topics as children and families begin another school year.

Aug 20, 2019

Study finds lack of racial diversity in cancer drug clinical trials

New research published this week in JAMA Oncology has found a lack of racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials for cancer drugs.

Aug 16, 2019

UBC experts on federal government announcement on drug pricing changes

The federal government has announced changes to drug prices in a step towards national Pharmacare.

Aug 9, 2019

UBC students race against time to save the Avengers

Eight pairs will face off on the competition course, racing against time—and their opponent—to collect as many Infinity Stones and Avengers as they can. The team that collects the highest points will be judged the winner.

Aug 7, 2019

High insulin production may contribute to pancreatic cancer

UBC scientists have demonstrated for the first time a causal link between high insulin levels and pancreatic cancer.

Aug 1, 2019

The ringed plover and red salamander are two species that have more than 50 per cent of their distribution in Canada fall within Indigenous-managed lands.

Biodiversity highest on Indigenous-managed lands

More than one million plant and animal species worldwide are facing extinction, according to a recent United Nations report. Now, a new UBC-led study suggests that Indigenous-managed lands may play a critical role in helping species survive.

Jul 31, 2019