AAAS2012

Taking the Earth’s pulse: UBC scientists unveil a new economic and environmental index

A growing world population, mixed with the threat of climate change and mounting financial problems, has prompted University of British Columbia researchers to measure the overall ‘health’ of 150 countries around the world.

Feb 20, 2012

Conservation risk highest off coasts of Canada, Mexico, Peru and New Zealand: UBC research

University of British Columbia researchers have identified conservation “hot spots” around the world where the temptation to profit from overfishing outweighs the appetite for conservation.

Feb 20, 2012

Preparing for the flood: Visualizations help communities plan for sea-level rise

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have produced computer visualizations of rising sea levels in a low-lying coastal municipality, illustrating ways to adapt to climate change impacts such as flooding and storms surges.

Feb 19, 2012

Iconic marine mammals are “swimming in sick seas” of terrestrial pathogens: UBC researchers

Parasites and pathogens infecting humans, pets and farm animals are increasingly being detected in marine mammals such as sea otters, porpoises, harbour seals and killer whales along the Pacific coast of the U.S. and Canada, and better surveillance is required to monitor public health implications, according to a panel of scientific experts from Canada and the United States.

Feb 18, 2012

As climate change increases forest fires, smoke forecasting could help protect public health: UBC research

Satellite images, air quality measurements and smoke forecasting models are useful tools to help individuals and public health professionals prepare for smoke episodes in areas at risk from forest fire smoke, according to University of British Columbia researcher Michael Brauer.

Feb 18, 2012

Window into world’s future oceans unveiled by NF-UBC Nereus team

An international team from the Nippon Foundation-University of British Columbia Nereus program has unveiled the first global model of life in the world’s oceans, allowing scientists and policymakers to predict – and show through 3D visualizations – the state of life in the oceans of the future.

Feb 18, 2012

Ocean acidification turns climate change winners into losers: UBC Research

Adding ocean acidification and deoxygenation into the mix of climate change predictions may turn “winner” regions of fisheries and biodiversity into “losers,” according to research released today by University of British Columbia researchers.

Feb 18, 2012

“Duet of one” possible with hand-controlled voice synthesizer

New technology at the University of British Columbia makes it possible for a person to speak or sing just by using their hands to control a speech synthesizer. UBC researcher […]

Feb 18, 2012

Beyond climate models: Rethinking how to envision the future with climate change

Professor Stephen Sheppard will present at the symposium Beyond Climate Models: Rethinking How to Envision the Future with Climate Change Friday, February 17, 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Vancouver.

Feb 17, 2012

Taking biofuel from forest to highway

The world is moving from a hydrocarbon economy to a carbohydrate economy, according to University of British Columbia biofuel expert Jack Saddler. He is presenting his work at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver on Feb. 17.

Feb 17, 2012

Maternal depression and bilingual households can impact infant language development

While babies are born ready to learn any of the world’s languages, the crucial developmental period when they attune to their native languages can change due to environmental influences such as maternal depression or a bilingual upbringing, according to new University of British Columbia research.

Feb 17, 2012

Mapping proteins key to human health and immune system: UBC research

Proteins, the building block for all living organisms, are the ultimate transformers – able to splice and switch roles and functions within the human body. But when these changes go wrong, diseases such as cancers and arthritis may result, says University of British Columbia researcher Chris Overall.

Feb 17, 2012

Energy poverty creating a respiratory disease 'epidemic' for almost half the world’s population

Limited access to clean sources of energy, known as energy poverty, makes nearly half the world’s population reliant on burning wood, animal waste, coal or charcoal to cook. This leads to severe respiratory diseases that kill roughly two million people worldwide each year, a problem University of British Columbia researchers are trying to solve.

Feb 16, 2012

UBC-AAAS news briefing schedule

UBC researchers will be taking part in a number of news briefing and media availability opportunities throughout the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Feb 15, 2012

More than 40 UBC researchers present leading Canadian research at global science conference

The University of British Columbia community has come out in full force to take part in the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest general scientific gathering in the world.

Feb 13, 2012

AAAS media tour of North America’s greenest building, Canada’s largest blue whale exhibit at UBC

Accredited newsroom registrants of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2012 Annual Meeting are invited to an exclusive media tour of two research facilities and meet scientists at the University of British Columbia on Feb. 15.

Jan 24, 2012