New blood

University of British Columbia researchers have developed a process that could make blood types obsolete. Photo: iStock/Ca-ssisUniversity of British Columbia researchers have developed a process that could make blood types obsolete.By Geoff GilliardDr. Stephen Withers has learned a lot about the economics of blood over the past few years.Blood donations dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic. In...

Continue reading


20/20: How drones could ‘see’ the world more accurately

In order to ‘see’ better, drones need help from scientists such as UBC’s Dr. Kwang Moo Yi. Photo: istock.Computer vision and visual geometry are key to improving autonomous vehiclesBy Silvia Moreno-GarciaUBC computer scientist Dr. Kwang Moo Yi studies computer vision and visual geometry — hoping to enable computer systems to better understand their environment, which could lead to truly autonomous drones, vehicles and robots.Can you tell us about your research?Autonomous drones, vehicles and robots need to know where they…

Continue reading


Bird’s-eye view

American goldfinch with Canada thistle and other plants, designed to bird-proof windows at UBC. Illustration: Derek Tan.How UBC community members are flocking together to bird-proof campus buildingsBy Silvia Moreno-GarciaVancouver’s shiny, tall, mirror-like buildings are an attractive and much-photographed sight. So too is the local wildlife, with Vancouver boasting one of the highest densities of wintering birds of any Canadian city.Unfortunately, the combination can turn those beautiful reflective glass windows into bird killers.A study conducted by four UBC alumni…

Continue reading


It’s not too late to save the night sky

Megaconstellations threaten to affect the quality of stargazing. Photo: iStockBut governments need to get serious about protecting itBy Dr. Aaron Boley, University of British Columbia, and Dr. Samantha Lawler, University of ReginaIn early 2021, just after the Perseverance Rover landed on Mars, a purported image of the Martian night sky went viral. In that image, above the sleek metal of a Mars rover, the clearly defined Milky Way cuts from horizon to horizon, crossing a sky filled…

Continue reading


Bee-ting the heat

Close-up of a dead drone. Photo: Emily Huxter.Could insulated hives protect bees from next summer’s heat waves?By Silvia Moreno-GarciaIt was a macabre sight. Dozens of dead drone bees spread over the ground, looking as if they had literally exploded from the inside out.“When drones die from shock, they spontaneously ejaculate,” explains Dr. Alison McAfee, a postdoctoral fellow at UBC’s Michael Smith Laboratories who has long studied bee health. “They have this elaborate endophallus that comes out and is…

Continue reading


Summer science for the whole family

Photo: Beaty Biodiversity Museum.Looking for STEM activities for your family this summer? The University of British Columbia has online resources for you to explore, or check out some of our in-person programming 🎟️.UBC partnersThe Beaty Biodiversity Museum offers downloadable activities, online exhibitions and videos. Or visit the museum in person using an online timed-entry ticketing system 🎟️.Explore the UBC Botanical Garden online or in person. Book your tickets 🎟️ ahead of time.The Pacific Museum of the Earth…

Continue reading


Celebrate Earth Day 2021 with UBC Science

We celebrate Earth Day this April 22. Photo: istock.We should care about our environment all year long, but Earth Day is a good reminder to pause and consider the myriad issues affecting our planet and envision how we can create a cleaner, fairer, more sustainable world for all.This Earth Day, we look at some of the resources around UBC that explore the many ways humanity and our planet are interconnected.Earth 2020Last year, UBC oceanographer Dr. Philippe Tortell…

Continue reading