Science, Health and Technology

UBC researchers bat for gold with new cricket bat design

Young kids dreaming of becoming the next Steve Smith, Eoin Morgan or Virat Kohli rarely have access to cricket bats used by the stars of the game. Now a new bat designed at the University of British Columbia could put a high-performing bat into their hands and ultimately bring even more people into the sport.

Jul 11, 2019

Coralline algae on rocks. Credit: Jenn Burt

DNA analysis reveals cryptic underwater ecosystem engineers

They look like smears of pink bubblegum on the rocks off British Columbia’s coast, indistinguishable from one another.

Jul 11, 2019

Credit: TJ Watt

UBC scientists find high mutation rates generating genetic diversity within huge, old-growth trees

The towering, hundred-year-old Sitka spruce trees growing in the heart of Vancouver Island’s Carmanah Valley appear placid and unchanging.

Jul 8, 2019

Ballsy enough to get treatment for scrotal pain?

Ballsy enough to get treatment for scrotal pain?

A mention of scrotal pain may give some grownups the giggles, but for the men who experience it, it’s no laughing matter.

Jul 8, 2019

UBC scientists capture images of gene-editing enzymes in action

UBC scientists capture images of gene-editing enzymes in action

For the first time, scientists have captured high-resolution, three-dimensional images of an enzyme in the process of precisely cutting DNA strands.

Jul 8, 2019

Asthma is a long-term condition that inflames and narrows the airways in the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. Credit: Ted Barrera/Flickr

Uncontrolled asthma could cost U.S. economy more than $963 billion in the next 20 years

The medical costs of uncontrolled asthma, combined with productivity losses due to sick days, could cost the U.S. economy more than $963 billion over the next 20 years, finds a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia.

Jun 28, 2019

The findings show that at an early age, infants are attending to and learning from their environment. Credit: Sav Nijeboer/Infant Studies Centre

Babies can learn link between language and ethnicity, study suggests

Eleven-month-old infants can learn to associate the language they hear with ethnicity, recent research from the University of British Columbia suggests.

Jun 25, 2019

The study is the first to explore the link between age and smartphone use. Credit: Paul H. Joseph/UBC

How you lock your smartphone can reveal your age: UBC study

Older smartphone users tend to rely more on their phones’ auto lock feature compared to younger users, a new UBC study has found. They also prefer using PINs over fingerprints to unlock their phones.

Jun 20, 2019

UBC experts on Trans Mountain pipeline expansion

UBC experts on Trans Mountain pipeline expansion

The federal cabinet’s decision on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is expected today.

Jun 18, 2019

UBC study holds promise for novel and safe treatment for Type 2 diabetes

UBC study holds promise for novel and safe treatment for Type 2 diabetes

Reducing a specific protein in the fat cells of mice not only prevents onset of Type 2 diabetes but also appears to reverse the disease in the animals, researchers at the University of British Columbia and Sweden’s Karolinska Institute have found.

Jun 17, 2019

Low THC levels not linked to increased risk of car crashes

Low THC levels not linked to increased risk of car crashes

New research led by the University of British Columbia suggests that THC levels less than five nanograms/ml of blood do not lead to an increased risk of causing car crashes in most drivers.

Jun 13, 2019

Blockchain at UBC

UBC launches Canada’s first graduate blockchain training path

The University of British Columbia is launching Canada’s first blockchain and distributed ledger technology training path for graduate students.

Jun 11, 2019

Credit: UNICEF/Flickr

Mothers of colour experience high rates of mistreatment by providers during childbirth in the U.S.

Mothers of colour experience less respect and autonomy and more mistreatment than white women during childbirth, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

Jun 11, 2019

First trans solidarity rally and march, Washington, D.C. Credit: Ted Eytan/Flickr

Supportive families and schools help prevent substance use among transgender youth: UBC study

Strong family and school connections are helping prevent transgender youth from smoking cigarettes and using marijuana, even among those targeted by violence.

Jun 10, 2019

Ocean Wise wild salmon with local herbs and berries from Scholar's Catering.

UBC goes all in for sustainable seafood

UBC has announced it will purchase and offer only 100 per cent Ocean Wise recommended sustainable seafood beginning July 1, 2019.

Jun 7, 2019

Scientists edge closer to root causes of multiple sclerosis

Scientists edge closer to root causes of multiple sclerosis

An international team of researchers led by the University of British Columbia has made a scientific advance they hope will lead to the development of preventative treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Jun 6, 2019

Smart meters are critical components of the smart grid, sometimes called the Internet of Things, with more than 588 million units projected to be installed worldwide by 2022.

UBC researchers find ways to hackproof smart meters

Smart electricity meters are useful because they allow utility companies to efficiently track energy use and allocate energy production. But because they’re connected to a grid, they can also serve as back doors for malicious hackers.

Jun 6, 2019

UBC experts on World Environment Day

UBC experts on World Environment Day

World Environment Day takes place on Wednesday, June 5, with this year’s theme focused on air pollution. UBC experts are available to comment.

Jun 4, 2019

Home exercise program reduces rate of falling in at-risk seniors

Home exercise program reduces rate of falling in at-risk seniors

An in-home exercise program reduced subsequent falls in high-risk seniors by 36 per cent, according the results of a 12-month clinical trial published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Jun 4, 2019

Credit: John-Mark Smith/Pexels

Quality—not quantity—of sleep linked to better health in teens

With summer break and longer days ahead, parents of young teens may be wondering whether to let good sleep habits slide over the next couple of months. New research by UBC’s Annalijn Conklin suggests there are more benefits to a good night’s sleep than simply feeling refreshed.

Jun 3, 2019