News
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UBC launches 10-month, interdisciplinary data science program
November 29, 2016
A new 10-month master’s program in data science launched this fall at UBC is designed to give students the skills they need to turn messy data into insights in health care, industry, research and beyond. But the program isn’t all about tech skills. “We’re focused on… read more
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Researchers capture first glimpse of important, abundant ocean microbe
November 22, 2016
A rare microbe that was once thought to be insignificant has turned out to be one of the most abundant single-celled hunters in the ocean, and a team of researchers led by UBC have captured the first glimpse of these elusive predators. Diplonemids are tiny cells that have more or less been… read more
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Ocean acidification study offers warnings for marine life, habitats
November 21, 2016
Acidification of the world’s oceans could drive a cascading loss of biodiversity in some marine habitats, according to research published today in Nature Climate Change. The work by biodiversity researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and colleagues in the U.S., Europe,… read more
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Open textbooks save Math students up to $1 million this year
November 17, 2016
In an effort to customize materials for their courses and save students money on rising textbook fees, instructors in the Math department at UBC have adopted open or freely accessible textbooks in all first-year courses and most second-year courses. 7,000 students are enrolled in these courses so… read more
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UBC, BCCA researchers publish first epigenetic profiles of normal breast tissue cells
November 17, 2016
As part of a global effort to map the human epigenome, UBC and BC Cancer Agency researchers have published the first epigenetic profiles of normal cell types in breast tissue. The research is part of a major, co-ordinated analysis of the epigenomes of healthy and abormal cells by the… read more
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Climate change may prevent volcanoes from cooling the planet
November 16, 2016
New UBC research shows that climate change may impede the cooling effect of volcanic eruptions. When an eruption is powerful enough, volcanoes spew sulfur gasses high into the atmosphere, reaching a layer called the stratosphere, about 10 to 15 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. Here,… read more
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Making sure Siri ages gracefully
November 7, 2016
Computer scientist Joanna McGrenere—co-founder of HCI@UBC—discusses how human-computer interaction research has evolved as new devices are adopted by a wider-range of users. The challenge: Making sure tech works for everyone. How has the field of human-computer interaction changed… read more
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Elephant poaching costs African economies US $25 million per year in lost tourism revenue
November 1, 2016
The first continent-wide assessment of the economic losses caused by elephant poaching in Africa shows the practice costs countries around US $25 million annually in lost tourism revenue. “While there have always been strong moral and ethical reasons for conserving elephants, not everyone… read more
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How sharks recycle toxic ammonia to keep their skin moist
October 27, 2016
The Pacific spiny dogfish shark is a master at recycling the ocean’s toxic ammonia and converting it into useful urea, according to new research from University of British Columbia (UBC) zoologists. Animals typically eat protein in order to grow, but sharks also require protein to… read more
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Aerial drone offers insights into bowhead whale behaviour
October 20, 2016
The bowhead whale is the longest-living marine mammal in the world, yet many answers remain about the biology and feeding behaviour of this elusive animal. Recently, a research team undertook what is believed to be the first intensive effort to study bowhead whales with the use of an aerial drone… read more