News
-
Just how smart are ‘trash pandas’? Volunteer your backyard to help scientists find out
August 14, 2023
This summer, you can turn your backyard into a raccoon IQ test to help researchers figure out just how brainy your average ‘trash panda’ is. Raccoons have big brains and thrive in complex city environments. But research on their cognitive abilities, or how they learn and act on… read more
-
Star with two faces discovered thousands of light years from Earth
July 19, 2023
It’s not the nicest description for a human, but a two-faced star has been identified by astronomers in a first for its kind. With one side composed fully of hydrogen and the other of helium, the star has been dubbed Janus after the two-faced Roman god of transition, and described in a new… read more
-
Jeffrey Richards appointed head of UBC Zoology
July 5, 2023
Dr. Jeffrey Richards, an expert on how organisms respond to environmental change and former chair of UBC’s Animal Care Committee, has been appointed head of UBC Zoology, effective July 1. He replaces Dr. Vanessa Auld in the role after a five-year term. The Richards lab focuses on… read more
-
Canadian scientists celebrate launch of Euclid satellite
July 1, 2023
Today, the European Space Agency launched its Euclid satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Twelve years in the making, the Euclid mission will construct a 3D map of the Universe by observing billions of galaxies, across more than a third of the sky. The goals: To understand the physical laws of… read more
-
Changes in the tick of ‘cosmic clocks’ reveal gravitational waves
June 28, 2023
Using part of the Milky Way as an antenna, researchers have found evidence for gravitational waves that undulate over periods of years to decades by measuring changes in the tick of ‘cosmic clocks’, according to new research. The observations, published today in a suite of papers in… read more
-
Are viruses keeping sea lice at bay in wild salmon?
June 22, 2023
More than 30 previously unknown RNA viruses in sea lice have been identified by University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers. Sea lice are parasitic copepods (small crustaceans) found in many fresh and saltwater habitats, and have been implicated in the decline of wild salmon populations. The… read more
-
Biodegradable gel shows promise for cartilage regeneration
June 21, 2023
A gel that combines both stiffness and toughness is a step forward in the bid to create biodegradable implants for joint injuries, according to new UBC research. Mimicking articular cartilage, found in our knee and hip joints, is challenging. This cartilage is key to smooth joint movement, and… read more
-
New method dramatically simplifies study of 2D materials
June 6, 2023
A novel technique that produces high-quality and large-area two-dimensional (2D) materials inside a protected environment could open up new avenues for exploiting the materials’ electronic properties. An international team of material scientists, including researchers from the University of… read more
-
UBC Science prof earns West Coast teaching award
June 2, 2023
Dr. Celeste Leander, Professor of Teaching in the Departments of Botany and Zoology, has received a 2023 West Coast Teaching Excellence Award. The honour, awarded to top post secondary teachers in British Columbia and the Yukon by the BC Teaching and Learning Council (BCTLC), recognizes Dr… read more
-
UBC student champions disability justice to win Lieutenant Governor's Medal
May 30, 2023
You might imagine a former pageant queen’s journey to university to be akin to a catwalk. However, UBC biology student and Miss Canada 2021 second-runner up, Rabiah Dhaliwal, found the transition to be less straightforward at times. Despite the hurdles, Dhaliwal didn’t let that stop… read more