News
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Need for speed: How hummingbirds switch mental gears in flight
January 10, 2024
Hummingbirds use two distinct sensory strategies to control their flight, depending on whether they’re hovering or in forward motion, according to new research by University of British Columbia (UBC) zoologists. “When in forward fight, hummingbirds rely on what we call an &lsquo… read more
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Toxic chemicals found in oil spills and wildfire smoke detected in killer whales
December 19, 2023
Toxic chemicals produced from oil emissions and wildfire smoke have been found in muscle and liver samples from Southern Resident killer whales and Bigg’s killer whales. A study published today in Scientific Reports is the first to find polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in orcas off… read more
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Dr. Jeremy Heyl appointed head, Physics and Astronomy
December 14, 2023
Dr. Jeremy Heyl, a leading expert on the dynamics of neutron stars and black holes, has been appointed head of UBC’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. His term begins January 1, 2024. The department is one of the largest and most diverse physics and astronomy units in Canada, teaching… read more
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All-woman crew of marine scientists rowing 5,000 km non-stop for ocean conservation
December 7, 2023
Four marine scientists are rowing 5,000 kilometres across the Atlantic to raise half a million dollars for ocean conservation. The all-woman ‘Salty Science’ crew is taking part in the World’s Toughest Row - Atlantic 2023, where teams row without stopping and without support from… read more
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Can’t be ‘business as usual’ at UN climate conference, say UBC experts
November 28, 2023
UBC climate experts are looking for action on fisheries, finance and renewable energy goals at the United Nations climate change conference, including the 28th Conference of Parties (COP). We spoke to four current and former COP delegates to ask what the world, and Canada, need to see come… read more
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Two Canada Excellence Research Chairs to join UBC Science
November 16, 2023
Two newly appointed, world-leading researchers with UBC Science have been named Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC). Dr. Kayla King has been appointed the CERC in Evolutionary Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions, while Dr. Corey Stephenson, who will join UBC in 2024, will hold the… read more
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11 UBC Science researchers featured on global highly cited list
November 15, 2023
Eleven UBC Science-affiliated researchers have been listed among the most highly cited investigators worldwide in 2023 by Clarivate Analytics on November 15. The researchers have demonstrated significant and broad influence reflected in their publication of multiple highly cited papers over the… read more
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Dive, forage, love? Fitter penguins dive deeper
November 9, 2023
On the remote and rugged Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, birdlife prospers. Native to the islands, hundreds of thousands of gentoo penguins live and hunt, using the islands as a breeding zone for their tiny chicks. The birth dates, and chances for survival, of chicks depend on when their… read more
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Low-income countries could lose 30% of nutrients like protein and omega-3 from seafood due to climate change
October 30, 2023
The nutrients available from seafood could drop by 30 per cent for low-income countries by the end of the century due to climate change, suggests new UBC research. That’s in a high carbon emissions and low mitigation scenario, according to the study published today in Nature Climate Change… read more
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Biological fingerprints in soil show where diamond-containing ore is buried
October 25, 2023
Researchers have identified buried kimberlite, the rocky home of diamonds, by testing the DNA of microbes in the surface soil. These ‘biological fingerprints’ can reveal what minerals are buried tens of metres below the earth’s surface without having to drill. The researchers… read more