UBC News
@news.ubc.ca
Official channel of UBC News, run by UBC Media Relations staff. Follow us for research news, announcements, expert advisories and story ideas.
“There is a huge body of research, thousands of studies deep, delineating the benefits of nature for your health."
UBC's Dr. Melissa Lem discusses 'grounding', noting scientific evidence on the practice is still emerging via @cnn.com
UBC's Dr. Melissa Lem discusses 'grounding', noting scientific evidence on the practice is still emerging via @cnn.com
I took my shoes off and went for a barefoot hike. I couldn’t believe what happened next | CNN
A CNN journalist take his appreciation of nature’s restorative benefits a step further and tries out grounding, or walking barefoot to connect directly with Earth.
www.cnn.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:00 PM
“There is a huge body of research, thousands of studies deep, delineating the benefits of nature for your health."
UBC's Dr. Melissa Lem discusses 'grounding', noting scientific evidence on the practice is still emerging via @cnn.com
UBC's Dr. Melissa Lem discusses 'grounding', noting scientific evidence on the practice is still emerging via @cnn.com
Alberta and the federal government have signed a memorandum of understanding that carves out special exemptions from federal environmental rules for the province and signals Ottawa’s political backing for a new oil pipeline to the B.C. coast.
UBC experts are available to comment.
buff.ly/P139yjD
UBC experts are available to comment.
buff.ly/P139yjD
UBC experts on Alberta’s pipeline deal with federal government – UBC News
UBC experts are available to comment on the memorandum of understanding between Alberta and the federal government.
news.ubc.ca
November 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Alberta and the federal government have signed a memorandum of understanding that carves out special exemptions from federal environmental rules for the province and signals Ottawa’s political backing for a new oil pipeline to the B.C. coast.
UBC experts are available to comment.
buff.ly/P139yjD
UBC experts are available to comment.
buff.ly/P139yjD
In the #BlackFriday madness, which deals are legit?
@cs.ubc.ca prof Robert Xiao advises online shoppers to check the URL of any website they use to shop and watch out for deals that are too good to be true.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
@cs.ubc.ca prof Robert Xiao advises online shoppers to check the URL of any website they use to shop and watch out for deals that are too good to be true.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
November 28, 2025 at 7:59 PM
In the #BlackFriday madness, which deals are legit?
@cs.ubc.ca prof Robert Xiao advises online shoppers to check the URL of any website they use to shop and watch out for deals that are too good to be true.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
@cs.ubc.ca prof Robert Xiao advises online shoppers to check the URL of any website they use to shop and watch out for deals that are too good to be true.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
Reposted by UBC News
Dr. @lisabrunner.bsky.social, CMS Research Associate, comments on how past government policies encouraged international students to come to Canada to settle permanently, and how recent policy changes have disrupted their expectations and pathways to permanent residency.
November 28, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Dr. @lisabrunner.bsky.social, CMS Research Associate, comments on how past government policies encouraged international students to come to Canada to settle permanently, and how recent policy changes have disrupted their expectations and pathways to permanent residency.
Dr. Duncan Shields spoke to @globalnews.ca about the importance of men's mental health support.
Wellness Wednesday: Men’s mental health support | Watch News Videos Online
Watch Wellness Wednesday: Men’s mental health support Video Online, on GlobalNews.ca
globalnews.ca
November 27, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Dr. Duncan Shields spoke to @globalnews.ca about the importance of men's mental health support.
"They don't have any notion of the truth … it just generates the statistically most likely next word."
@veredshwartz.bsky.social discusses #LLM hallucinations after #Grok claimed Mark Carney has never been Prime Minister via @cdnpress.bsky.social
buff.ly/SHtisJ9
@cs.ubc.ca
@veredshwartz.bsky.social discusses #LLM hallucinations after #Grok claimed Mark Carney has never been Prime Minister via @cdnpress.bsky.social
buff.ly/SHtisJ9
@cs.ubc.ca
Fact File: X's AI chatbot claims Carney isn't PM, Russian video set in Toronto
The artificial intelligence chatbot Grok made several errors over the past few weeks when asked to verify information on the X platform. In one instance, it miscaptioned video of a
buff.ly
November 27, 2025 at 9:01 PM
"They don't have any notion of the truth … it just generates the statistically most likely next word."
@veredshwartz.bsky.social discusses #LLM hallucinations after #Grok claimed Mark Carney has never been Prime Minister via @cdnpress.bsky.social
buff.ly/SHtisJ9
@cs.ubc.ca
@veredshwartz.bsky.social discusses #LLM hallucinations after #Grok claimed Mark Carney has never been Prime Minister via @cdnpress.bsky.social
buff.ly/SHtisJ9
@cs.ubc.ca
UBC experts are available to comment on the memorandum of understanding between Alberta and the federal government. ⤵️
news.ubc.ca/advisory/ubc...
news.ubc.ca/advisory/ubc...
UBC experts on Alberta's pipeline deal with federal government
UBC experts are available to comment on the memorandum of understanding between Alberta and the federal government.
news.ubc.ca
November 27, 2025 at 7:13 PM
UBC experts are available to comment on the memorandum of understanding between Alberta and the federal government. ⤵️
news.ubc.ca/advisory/ubc...
news.ubc.ca/advisory/ubc...
Warming winters and extreme weather are reshaping B.C.’s Christmas tree farms. Forest geneticist Dr. Sally Aitken explains what species might thrive—and what holiday shoppers should know.
Read more ⤵️
Read more ⤵️
How warming winters could reshape B.C.’s Christmas tree choices
Forest geneticist Dr. Sally Aitken explains how warming winters, droughts and pests could change which species thrive—and what that means for holiday shoppers.
news.ubc.ca
November 27, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Warming winters and extreme weather are reshaping B.C.’s Christmas tree farms. Forest geneticist Dr. Sally Aitken explains what species might thrive—and what holiday shoppers should know.
Read more ⤵️
Read more ⤵️
Canada can’t afford to lose expert voices at a moment when the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases is rising.
But @ubcdemocracy.bsky.social work suggests online harassment is a growing deterrent that is driving researchers and scientists out of the convos needed at this time.
But @ubcdemocracy.bsky.social work suggests online harassment is a growing deterrent that is driving researchers and scientists out of the convos needed at this time.
Online harassment is silencing Canada’s health experts — institutions need to do more to protect them
If Canada wants to get ahead of the next health crisis, it needs to shield its scientists and researchers from online abuse.
theconversation.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Canada can’t afford to lose expert voices at a moment when the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases is rising.
But @ubcdemocracy.bsky.social work suggests online harassment is a growing deterrent that is driving researchers and scientists out of the convos needed at this time.
But @ubcdemocracy.bsky.social work suggests online harassment is a growing deterrent that is driving researchers and scientists out of the convos needed at this time.
Starting to feel that overconsumption stress already this holiday season?🎄 🎁 🥵
Sauder prof Dr. Katherine White discusses what drives holiday excess and how we can shift to more mindful celebrations.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
Sauder prof Dr. Katherine White discusses what drives holiday excess and how we can shift to more mindful celebrations.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
November 26, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Starting to feel that overconsumption stress already this holiday season?🎄 🎁 🥵
Sauder prof Dr. Katherine White discusses what drives holiday excess and how we can shift to more mindful celebrations.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
Sauder prof Dr. Katherine White discusses what drives holiday excess and how we can shift to more mindful celebrations.
www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
What if a robot could show us how the brain keeps us balanced?
UBC scientists built one – and their discovery could help shape new ways to reduce fall risk for millions of people.
news.ubc.ca/2025/11/ubc-...
UBC scientists built one – and their discovery could help shape new ways to reduce fall risk for millions of people.
news.ubc.ca/2025/11/ubc-...
UBC ‘body-swap’ robot helps reveal how the brain keeps us upright - UBC News
UBC scientists' discovery could help shape new ways to reduce fall risk for millions of people.
news.ubc.ca
November 26, 2025 at 9:00 PM
What if a robot could show us how the brain keeps us balanced?
UBC scientists built one – and their discovery could help shape new ways to reduce fall risk for millions of people.
news.ubc.ca/2025/11/ubc-...
UBC scientists built one – and their discovery could help shape new ways to reduce fall risk for millions of people.
news.ubc.ca/2025/11/ubc-...
Statins save lives—but can harm muscles. UBC researchers uncovered why and how to fix it. Learn how this breakthrough could lead to safer cholesterol drugs.
Read more ⤵️
Read more ⤵️
UBC researchers uncover how statins harm muscles—and how to stop it
Study reveals how cholesterol-lowering drugs can trigger muscle damage—and point to a way to make them safer.
news.ubc.ca
November 26, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Statins save lives—but can harm muscles. UBC researchers uncovered why and how to fix it. Learn how this breakthrough could lead to safer cholesterol drugs.
Read more ⤵️
Read more ⤵️
A brief etymological break from our standard programming!
‘Tulip’ comes from the Turkish word ‘tülbent’ which means "turban."
The flower got its name from the resemblance of its overlapping petals to the folds of fabric in a turban.
The flower got its name from the resemblance of its overlapping petals to the folds of fabric in a turban.
November 26, 2025 at 6:33 PM
A brief etymological break from our standard programming!
UBC research reveals record-high developmental vulnerability among B.C. kindergarteners post-pandemic. What does this mean for their future?
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Read more ⤵️
New research reveals decline in B.C. kindergarteners developmental health after pandemic
Data shows record-high vulnerability rates among young learners, raising concerns about long-term impacts
news.ubc.ca
November 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
UBC research reveals record-high developmental vulnerability among B.C. kindergarteners post-pandemic. What does this mean for their future?
Read more ⤵️
Read more ⤵️
Support to help overcome barriers to exercise is key to any prescriptive recreation program, says doctoral student Victoria Whiteford.
buff.ly/DXeo8TP
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November 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Support to help overcome barriers to exercise is key to any prescriptive recreation program, says doctoral student Victoria Whiteford.
buff.ly/DXeo8TP
buff.ly/DXeo8TP
UBC’s ‘body-swap’ robot rewrites the rules of balance—and media can try it!
Join the demo on Nov. 26 and see how researchers uncover the brain’s tricks to keep us upright. RSVP ⤵️
news.ubc.ca/advisory/eve...
Join the demo on Nov. 26 and see how researchers uncover the brain’s tricks to keep us upright. RSVP ⤵️
news.ubc.ca/advisory/eve...
Event: UBC ‘body swap’ robot reveals tricks the brain uses to keeps us upright
Media are invited to meet UBC’s “body-swap” robot—a one-of-a-kind machine that lets researchers rewrite the rules of standing upright.
news.ubc.ca
November 25, 2025 at 10:15 PM
UBC’s ‘body-swap’ robot rewrites the rules of balance—and media can try it!
Join the demo on Nov. 26 and see how researchers uncover the brain’s tricks to keep us upright. RSVP ⤵️
news.ubc.ca/advisory/eve...
Join the demo on Nov. 26 and see how researchers uncover the brain’s tricks to keep us upright. RSVP ⤵️
news.ubc.ca/advisory/eve...
“Things are getting worse faster than we anticipated.
"It appears we’re already close to the edge of some tipping points and we just haven’t found them yet.”
@ubcoceans.bsky.social Dr. Chris Harley commented on B.C. ocean acidification via @viawesome.bsky.social
buff.ly/JXS7fRx
"It appears we’re already close to the edge of some tipping points and we just haven’t found them yet.”
@ubcoceans.bsky.social Dr. Chris Harley commented on B.C. ocean acidification via @viawesome.bsky.social
buff.ly/JXS7fRx
B.C.'s oceans are turning acidic faster than once thought, finds study
Coral records reveal B.C. ocean acidity amplified 50 per cent more than previously thought, threatening a $452-million shellfish fishery
www.biv.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
“Things are getting worse faster than we anticipated.
"It appears we’re already close to the edge of some tipping points and we just haven’t found them yet.”
@ubcoceans.bsky.social Dr. Chris Harley commented on B.C. ocean acidification via @viawesome.bsky.social
buff.ly/JXS7fRx
"It appears we’re already close to the edge of some tipping points and we just haven’t found them yet.”
@ubcoceans.bsky.social Dr. Chris Harley commented on B.C. ocean acidification via @viawesome.bsky.social
buff.ly/JXS7fRx
Want a new drama to follow? Try the lives of 🍯 🐝s:
"The worse a queen’s infection was, the more likely her workers were to begin rearing a replacement....If the upcoming replacement 👸 reaches adulthood, she will normally duel any other 👸 to the death..." writes Dr. Alison McAfee
"The worse a queen’s infection was, the more likely her workers were to begin rearing a replacement....If the upcoming replacement 👸 reaches adulthood, she will normally duel any other 👸 to the death..." writes Dr. Alison McAfee
Worker honey bees can sense infections in their queen, leading to revolt
New research shows that virus infections change the queen’s pheromone, which may lead to a grim demise.
theconversation.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Want a new drama to follow? Try the lives of 🍯 🐝s:
"The worse a queen’s infection was, the more likely her workers were to begin rearing a replacement....If the upcoming replacement 👸 reaches adulthood, she will normally duel any other 👸 to the death..." writes Dr. Alison McAfee
"The worse a queen’s infection was, the more likely her workers were to begin rearing a replacement....If the upcoming replacement 👸 reaches adulthood, she will normally duel any other 👸 to the death..." writes Dr. Alison McAfee
Should police be doing immigration enforcement?
@migration.ubc.ca prof Dr. Irene Bloemraad discusses via @thetyee.ca
@migration.ubc.ca prof Dr. Irene Bloemraad discusses via @thetyee.ca
Is Canada Adopting ICE Anti-Migrant Tactics? | The Tyee
A raid on a major Calgary construction site has raised serious questions about the government’s approach.
thetyee.ca
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Should police be doing immigration enforcement?
@migration.ubc.ca prof Dr. Irene Bloemraad discusses via @thetyee.ca
@migration.ubc.ca prof Dr. Irene Bloemraad discusses via @thetyee.ca
"In December 2023, we had over 100 fires that were still burning, and in the spring of 2024, they continued to burn."
@loridanielsubc.bsky.social discusses zombie fires via @theguardian.com
@loridanielsubc.bsky.social discusses zombie fires via @theguardian.com
Zombie fires: how Arctic wildfires that come back to life are ravaging forests
Blazes that smoulder in the permafrost, only to reignite, are extending fire season though winter, leaving vegetation struggling to recover
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
"In December 2023, we had over 100 fires that were still burning, and in the spring of 2024, they continued to burn."
@loridanielsubc.bsky.social discusses zombie fires via @theguardian.com
@loridanielsubc.bsky.social discusses zombie fires via @theguardian.com
“Having the nasal naloxone universally available to young people...would be a really critical life-saving step forward in this province."
Dr. Danya Fast discusses free nasal naloxone buff.ly/KMKjEIj
Dr. Danya Fast discusses free nasal naloxone buff.ly/KMKjEIj
November 24, 2025 at 9:00 PM
“Having the nasal naloxone universally available to young people...would be a really critical life-saving step forward in this province."
Dr. Danya Fast discusses free nasal naloxone buff.ly/KMKjEIj
Dr. Danya Fast discusses free nasal naloxone buff.ly/KMKjEIj
"Wherever there are guardrails, there are ways around them."
@zajko.bsky.social discusses existing safeguards for generative AI tools like Sora 2 via @cdnpress.bsky.social
@zajko.bsky.social discusses existing safeguards for generative AI tools like Sora 2 via @cdnpress.bsky.social
Fact File: How Sora's AI videos made going viral easy, and tips on how to spot them
Entertainment, emotion, surprise — these are some of the ingredients that make videos go viral. But seeing is no longer believing, and many of the gripping videos now filling social
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca
November 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
"Wherever there are guardrails, there are ways around them."
@zajko.bsky.social discusses existing safeguards for generative AI tools like Sora 2 via @cdnpress.bsky.social
@zajko.bsky.social discusses existing safeguards for generative AI tools like Sora 2 via @cdnpress.bsky.social
From foster care to UBC grad: Jonathan Alvaji’s inspiring journey shows the power of resilience and mentorship. Read how he turned hardship into hope and found his calling as a teacher.
Learn more ⤵️
Learn more ⤵️
How a former youth in care found his way from chaos to teaching as a UBC Education grad
From foster care to the graduation stage, Jonathan Alvaji’s journey is a story of resilience, mentorship and second chances.
news.ubc.ca
November 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
From foster care to UBC grad: Jonathan Alvaji’s inspiring journey shows the power of resilience and mentorship. Read how he turned hardship into hope and found his calling as a teacher.
Learn more ⤵️
Learn more ⤵️
@ubcokanagan.bsky.social researchers are exploring an air-cleaning device that can remove airborne pathogens, offering a powerful new tool for reducing the spread of respiratory diseases in enclosed spaces.
UBCO engineers create new device to improve indoor air quality - UBC's Okanagan News
Innovative airflow system outperforms conventional ventilation, reduces infection risk
news.ok.ubc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 9:00 PM
@ubcokanagan.bsky.social researchers are exploring an air-cleaning device that can remove airborne pathogens, offering a powerful new tool for reducing the spread of respiratory diseases in enclosed spaces.
@allard.ubc.ca prof Margot Young spoke to CBC about the Alberta government seeking to invoke the notwithstanding clause to shield three bills affecting transgender people from legal challenges
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
Ottawa
CBC Listen Media Player
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 6:52 PM
@allard.ubc.ca prof Margot Young spoke to CBC about the Alberta government seeking to invoke the notwithstanding clause to shield three bills affecting transgender people from legal challenges
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...