News
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Why whales don’t get brain damage when they swim
September 22, 2022
Special blood vessels in whale brains may protect them from pulses, caused by swimming, in their blood that would damage the brain, new UBC research has suggested. There are many theories as to the exact use of these networks of blood vessels cradling a whale’s brain and spine, known as … read more
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Math, Stats researchers join Royal Society of Canada
September 6, 2022
Four UBC Science researchers have been elected to join the Royal Society of Canada, highlighting the Faculty’s strength in the computation sciences, sustainability, and quantum materials. Professors Jiahua Chen, Villy Christensen, Marcel Franz and Christopher Ortner join more than 50 UBC… read more
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We're heading to the moon and maybe Mars. So who owns them?
September 1, 2022
Humanity is set to make a return to the Moon with the Artemis program, in what NASA says is a first step to Mars. So, who gets first dibs? Dr. Aaron Boley, a professor in UBC’s department of physics and astronomy, discusses the mission’s plans and why we need to sort out access and… read more
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New courses at UBC tackle real world problems
August 30, 2022
New classes and labs rolling out this year will give UBC Science students the opportunity to tackle climate change with community partners, transition into first-year as part of a data science cohort program, explore non-animal testing methods, and more. New lab tackles climate emergency In 2019… read more
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How to avoid becoming a mosquito’s dinner
August 15, 2022
Summer is almost over, but that doesn’t mean mosquitoes aren’t still searching for their next meal—and you might be next. A new study co-authored by UBC’s Dr. Ben Matthews suggests humans may just be the most sought-after delicacy for the pesky insects. A common type of… read more
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Time machines and black holes on the agenda at quantum gravity meeting
August 12, 2022
A theory of everything, that works at a cosmic and quantum level, has eluded researchers for years. Next week is the Quantum Gravity Conference, with physicists from around the world gathering in Vancouver for the launch of the Quantum Gravity Institute, as well as trying to solve one of… read more
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Researchers ID the high-efficiency hacks cannabis cells use to make cannabinoids
August 2, 2022
For the first time, plant biologists have defined the high-efficiency “hacks” that cannabis cells use to make cannabinoids (THC/CBD). Although many biotechnology companies are currently trying to engineer THC/CBD outside the plant in yeast or cell cultures, it is largely unknown how… read more
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Ancient trilobites grew like shrimp: slowly
July 25, 2022
Researchers have shown that trilobites, which roamed the world’s oceans 450 million years ago, may have grown to a similar size and age as current crustaceans. Trilobites are marine arthropods that existed from about 520 million years ago until they went extinct 250 million years ago,… read more
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New state of matter could make quantum computers less error-prone
July 20, 2022
A new phase of matter that could be protective against a range of errors in quantum computation has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), quantum computing company Quantinuum, and New York’s Flatiron Institute. The research, published today in Nature,… read more
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Space rocket junk could have deadly consequences unless governments act
July 12, 2022
The re-entry of abandoned stages of rockets left in orbit from space launches have a six to 10 per cent chance of severely injuring or killing a human being in the next decade, according to a new UBC study. While the risk to any single individual is very low, the researchers say governments need… read more