Science, Health and Technology

Dr. Daniel Pauly

Dr. Daniel Pauly’s extraordinary life and work revealed in new book

Dr. Daniel Pauly is the world’s most-cited fisheries scientist, but life for the UBC professor has been far from easy. Now, readers can learn more in his biography, The Ocean’s Whistleblower, available this week.

Sep 24, 2021

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

Heightened food worries linked to worse mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns may have worsened worries over food insecurity among many Canadians and negatively impacted their mental health, according to a nationwide survey conducted during the first wave.

Sep 23, 2021

Photo by Picsea on Unsplash

Busting myths about COVID-19 vaccines and fertility

UBC’s Dr. Deborah Money, professor in the faculty of medicine’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology, busts some of the many myths circulating about the vaccines’ impact on fertility.

Sep 23, 2021

Photo by Jason Hafso on Unsplash

UBC experts on 2021 Canadian federal election

UBC experts are available to comment on various election issues.

Sep 21, 2021

Credit: Dr. Tyler Eddy

Coral reefs are 50% less able to provide food, jobs, and climate protection than in 1950s, putting millions at risk

The capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services relied on by millions of people worldwide has declined by half since the 1950s, according to a new University of British Columbia-led study.

Sep 17, 2021

Photo by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash

Chemotherapy drug puts young children with cancer at high risk of hearing loss

A chemotherapy drug known to cause hearing loss in children is more likely to do so the earlier in life children receive it, new UBC research has found.

Sep 7, 2021

As Arctic waters heat up, the Arctic cod that survive on algae that grows under the sea ice will move northwards or become less abundant, say researchers.

Food for seals and other Arctic predators is shrinking — literally

Unchecked climate change may leave some Arctic predators surviving off of marine “junk food,” according to a new UBC study.

Sep 3, 2021

Photo: Kelly Sikkema /Unsplash

How to ease back-to-school stress for school-age kids

Heading back to school can be stressful for young people even when there’s no global pandemic to worry about, says Dr. Tyler Black, assistant clinical professor at UBC’s department of psychiatry.

Sep 2, 2021

Photo by Veronica Dudarev on Unsplash

New tool estimates how much affordable housing a city needs

A UBC team led by housing expert Dr. Penny Gurstein developed a new tool to assess people’s housing needs and set realistic targets for housing supply.

Aug 31, 2021

Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

Do you hate seeing people fidget? New UBC research says you’re not alone

According to new UBC research, approximately one-third of the population suffer from misokinesia, a psychological phenomenon defined by a strong negative emotional response to the sight of someone else’s small and repetitive movements.

Aug 31, 2021

Photo: Jamie Street /Unsplash

Companion animals in the climate crisis: How pet owners can reduce their environmental impacts

Pet ownership doesn’t have to be so tough on the planet, according to new UBC research. In this Q&A, Dr. Alexandra Protopopova shares why it’s important to make pet ownership sustainable, reduce waste, and more.

Aug 19, 2021

An aerial photo of narwhals swimming in Archer Fjord in Canada's Arctic. Credit: Katie Florko and Cody Carlyle

How to spot the elusive narwhal

UBC researchers were surprised when the infrared video camera they brought aboard their plane captured narwhals swimming off the coast of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut.

Aug 12, 2021

PhD candidate Sara Cannon conducting surveys in Abaiang. Photo: Dr. Simon Donner

‘Sticky questions’ raised by study on coral reefs

A new UBC study on the impact of climate change on coral reefs is raising sticky questions about conservation. It found coral in more polluted and high traffic water handled extreme heat events better than a more remote, untouched reef.

Aug 11, 2021

Flower of Triantha occidentalis in a bog at Cypress Provincial Park, British Columbia. Photo: Danilo Lima.

Insects beware! This west coast plant wants to eat you

Triantha occidentalis – a species of false asphodel – is the first new carnivorous plant to be identified by botanists in 20 years. It is notable for the unusual way it traps prey with sticky hairs on its flowering stem.

Aug 9, 2021

Photo: National Cancer Institute /Unsplash

Innovative coating for blood vessels reduces rejection of transplanted organs

Researchers have found a way to reduce organ rejection following a transplant by using a special polymer to coat blood vessels on the organ to be transplanted.

Aug 9, 2021

Photo: Mark Mallory

Surprising insights into the migration pattern of world’s farthest-migrating species

The Arctic tern—which has the world record for the longest annual migration—uses just a few select routes, a key finding that could help efforts to conserve the species, according to a new University of British Columbia study. 

Aug 5, 2021

Up to 64 per cent of streams are now off-limits to salmon due to in-stream barriers like dams, floodgates and road culverts. Photo: April Bencze/Raincoast Conservation Foundation

Up to 85 per cent of historical salmon habitat lost in Lower Fraser region

For perhaps the first time ever, researchers have mapped out the true extent of habitat loss for salmon in the Lower Fraser River, one of the most important spawning and rearing grounds for Pacific salmon in B.C.

Aug 5, 2021

Photo: Jonathan Borba / Unsplash

When maternity care providers don’t take ‘no’ for an answer

People who decline maternity care services such as prenatal testing or epidurals often face pressure or scolding from their care providers, according to new UBC-led research.

Aug 5, 2021

Dr. Anna Blakney, assistant professor at UBC’s Michael Smith Laboratories and school of biomedical engineering. Photo: UBC

Beyond COVID-19: How mRNA technology could transform how we treat disease

Dr. Anna Blakney, assistant professor at UBC’s Michael Smith Laboratories and school of biomedical engineering, describes how mRNA technology could transform how we treat disease.

Aug 4, 2021

Dr. Kira Hoffman at work in Helliwell Park on Hornby Island where she and her colleagues were doing a fire history reconstruction of the site. Photo by Dr. Kira Hoffman

‘Cultural burning’ important for biodiversity: UBC expert

As wildfires blaze around the province, a UBC researcher reminds us that some types of fire can be life-giving and help protect the planet.

Aug 3, 2021