Science, Health and Technology

Birth control options out of reach for many low-income women

Young, low-income women in Canada are less likely to use more effective methods of birth control like the pill, and more likely to use no contraception or condoms only, according to new UBC research.

Nov 5, 2019

Aerial drones offer new perspective on resident killer whale behaviour

Scientists at the University of British Columbia are getting a rare glimpse into the underwater behaviour of northern and southern resident killer whales off the B.C. coast, with the help of aerial drones.

Nov 4, 2019

UBC experts on Daylight Saving Time changes and California wildfires

The British Columbia government is expected to introduce legislation Thursday to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

Oct 31, 2019

Patients with mood, anxiety disorders share abnormalities in brain’s control circuit

New research published today in JAMA Psychiatry shows for the first time that patients with mood and anxiety disorders share the same abnormalities in regions of the brain involved in emotional and cognitive control.

Oct 30, 2019

UBC students stitch up for slow fashion

Stitch Up, organized by the UBC Sustainability Initiative, is a clothing swap, repair and alteration workshop that will provide participants with sewing machines, tools and expert tips to convert pre-owned threads into unique new garments.

Oct 29, 2019

Multiphoton microscopy image of stalked glandular trichome. Credit: Samuels Lab/UBC

The frostier the flower, the more potent the cannabis

Cannabis flowers with the most mushroom-shaped hairs pack the biggest cannabinoid and fragrance punch, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

Oct 28, 2019

Anubhav Singh with student Xinyu Li who was doing her undergraduate thesis. They are in the food process engineering lab. Credit: UBC Land and Food Systems

B.C. government provides $2.58M to support food-processing innovation at UBC

New funding from the provincial government will allow UBC’s faculty of land and food systems to drive scientific innovation for B.C.’s food and beverage industry.

Oct 25, 2019

Spread wings from (top to bottom) a gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolis), American kestrel (Falco sparverius), belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), red-crested turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus), and bar-headed goose (Anser indicus). Specimens from the University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Credit: Vikram Baliga/University of British Columbia

Why are bald eagles such great gliders? It’s all in the wrist

Birds come in an astounding array of shapes and colours. But it’s their physical prowess—like a bald eagle’s incredible ability to soar—that captivates human imagination.

Oct 23, 2019

Vaginal tearing: why are episiotomies down despite some benefits?

In Canada, the rate of episiotomy during childbirth has declined in recent years, but when it comes to births assisted by forceps or vacuum, this downward trend warrants a closer look, suggests new UBC research.

Oct 21, 2019

Atmospheric pressure impacts greenhouse gas emissions from leaky oil and gas wells: UBC study

Fluctuations in atmospheric pressure can heavily influence how much natural gas leaks from wells below the ground surface at oil and gas sites, according to new University of British Columbia research.

Oct 18, 2019

UBC experts on disaster preparedness, Great BC Shakeout

On Thursday, Oct. 17, British Columbia will hold the Great BC Shakeout as part of efforts to prepare communities in the event of a big earthquake in the region.

Oct 16, 2019

Dr. Kristin Campbell (left), associate professor at UBC’s department of physical therapy, with former BC Cancer patient Scenery Slater. Credit: Martin Dee/University of British Columbia

New international exercise guidelines for cancer survivors

For the rising number of cancer survivors worldwide, there’s growing evidence that exercise is an important part of recovery. But how much, and what type of exercise, is needed?

Oct 16, 2019

UBC lab spins nanofibre ‘gold’ from waste fabrics

Fast fashion generates huge amounts of textile waste, but researchers have developed a way to recycle some of that fabric into useful products In the materials engineering labs at UBC, […]

Oct 15, 2019

UBC student becomes inventor to help brother with muscular dystrophy

Watching his older brother Daniel struggle with Duchenne muscular dystrophy—a disease that progressively weakens the muscles and eventually leaves the individual unable to walk—is one of the hardest things UBC student Michael Ko has ever had to do in his life.

Oct 11, 2019

Tuna for sale at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

How sustainable is tuna? New global catch database exposes dangerous fishing trends

Appearing in everything from sushi rolls to sandwiches, tuna are among the world’s favourite fish. But are our current tuna fishing habits sustainable?

Oct 1, 2019

UBC study highlights need to improve health care access in Vancouver, Portland and Seattle

UBC researchers have developed a data science method that analyzes how easily citizens can access hospitals and walk-in health clinics – and it’s a tool that could eventually help city planners and policymakers build smarter, more equitable cities.

Sep 30, 2019

UBC experts on impeachment, climate report

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the start of a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Sep 25, 2019

Rapidly changing Arctic fisheries potential requires comprehensive management

The migration of fish due to unmitigated climate change could net fisheries in the Canadian Arctic 37 times more fish than current annual catch amounts by the end of the century, a new study from the University of British Columbia has found.