Your Science Must-Reads of 2025

From breakthroughs in organ transplantation to alerting us to the risks of space junk, UBC Science research made headlines in 2025. We’ve rounded up a selection of essential holiday browsing — our most-read stories, key partnerships advancing knowledge, heart-felt tales of campus wildlife, and real-world solutions.

What a cherished coyote’s death tells us about his life
In his short life, Kip the coyote with one bad leg became an unofficial mascot on UBC’s Vancouver campus.

World’s first mushroom-powered, waterless toilet makes a splash
MycoToilet uses mycelium to break down solid waste into compost, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional sanitation. 

Best measurements of galaxy temperatures, star formation ever
“The Universe will just get colder and deader from now on,” noted Dr. Douglas Scott, a cosmologist at UBC and author on the preprint outlining the new findings.

Mind the InfoGap: Uncovering cultural bias in Wikipedia
Computer scientists and linguists at UBC are using AI to identify disparities across translations of biographies of LGBT-identifying public figures.

Will B.C. get a charge from lithium?
The discovery of the first major lithium-bearing pegmatite in B.C. — and the geochemistry behind it — could help make Canada more self-sufficient in critical minerals resources.

One in four chance per year that rocket junk will enter busy airspace
Calculations revealed a 26 per cent yearly chance that uncontrolled rocket debris crosses busy airspace, prompting calls for stronger global policies as launches rise. 

Enzyme technology clears first human test toward universal donor organs
Using enzyme clipping technology from UBC, a kidney was successfully converted from blood type A to universal type O, a breakthrough for organ transplantation. 

Mapping where B.C.’s food comes from
A new web tool shows that most fruits and many vegetables are imported—mainly from the U.S. and Mexico—revealing Canada’s trade dependencies and climate vulnerability.