Category Archives: Science in the News

Getting a Grip on Hydrogen Fuel: Metal-Organic Frameworks

Posted on November 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Hydrogen is  considered as one of the most volatile elements known to man. Yet, if this explosive hydrogen gas can be safely stored it can instead be used as a new fuel source, which would benefit the world at large. Recent advances in chemical engineering have produced a family of materials,  with the ability to efficiently adsorb (store) hydrogen gas. These materials, known as Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are a molecular structure that allows us the opportunity to take advantage of hydrogen as a fuel source. There are several benefits to using hydrogen as an energy source, one being that it can be readily produced for domestic use. For example, hydrogen can be generated from natural gas and biogas sources, as well as through the electrolysis (splitting) of water. This is favourable because the sources required to produce hydrogen are renewable, thus there is no need to worry about production shortages. Another advantage is that hydrogen is eco-friendly, in that using it in a fuel cell does not produce any greenhouse gases or air pollutants, and is not contributing to the effects of global warming.

In the following video, the basis of metal-organic frameworks in hydrogen gas storage is discussed, along with the associate research published by UBC graduate student Angela Crane:

YouTube Preview Image

 

With so many potential benefits, you may wonder why MOF technology is not currently being utilized in hydrogen-fueled vehicles, to provide a viable green alternative. The problem lies with the MOF’s mechanism of hydrogen adsorption and desorption (release), where the flow of hydrogen in and out of the structure is, for the most part, only through methods involving extreme cooling and heating. This system of temperature-regulated gas delivery enables precise control over hydrogen flow and greater storage capacities, however it is an impractical system to adopt in vehicles.

Triptycene
Source: Animated

To remove the need of temperature for driving gas regulation and improving overall storage in the MOF structure, scientists are actively searching to optimize the material. They do this by increasing the available hydrogen binding sites and encouraging optimal pore-size, meaning hydrogen is better able to enter and remain in the MOF. In her research, Angela Crane investigats triptycene and pentiptycene, two large organic linkers with the potential for optimal pore size and orientation, thus being favourable in adsorbing hydrogen. When the MOF’s were tested for gas adsorption, however, she discovered that the complexity of the structure led to blockage of the pore-openings. This finding illustrates how the mechanics behind metal-organic frameworks are more complex than what one would expect from its relatively simple molecular structure.

Source Wikipedia: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IRMOF-1_wiki.png

Hydrogen fuel cells have the potential to revolutionize how we power the world. These devices lack all the liabilities associated with more conventional fossil fuels; most importantly pollution, and even other, less recognized concerns such as global conflict and of the depletion natural resources.  The current state of hydrogen fuel cell research has some significant drawbacks that will have to be addressed in order for this technology to become a viable alternative energy source. Currently, conventional methods for producing hydrogen gas relies on the use of methane, a fossil fuel, making this process inherently unsustainable. There is hope, however, in the way of MOFs, which may one day provide an effective storage medium for hydrogen gas, if a sustainable method of hydrogen synthesis can be found.

Information on the drawbacks of hydrogen fuel is available below:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

While the focus of metal-organic frameworks has been primarily based on hydrogen storage,  MOFs have shown potential in various other applications as well. MOFs are currently being implemented for a variety of uses; acting as filtration systems, drug delivery components, fluorescent-imaging vectors and catalytic systems, to name a few. Due to the relatively simple production process, MOFs have now become commercially mass-produced. With their basic structure and efficient manufacture, the future for metal-organic frameworks is not limited to hydrogen gas storage, and its broad spectrum of use gives these frameworks unprecedented potential.

-Natasha Smyrnis, Sungbin Choi, Gurneet Kalra

Group2

References:

The New Chemistry of MOFs, Metal Organic Frameworks

Leave a comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Outreach Project, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged , ,

More Than Meets the Eye

Posted on November 27, 2013 by | Leave a comment

      Everyday we are constantly surrounded by different types of screens. For example: our computer screens, our TV screens, and our cell phone screens. However, the images we see are not comparable to what we see in reality. Being aware of such a difference can be dissatisfying, especially when we look at pictures of: the sunset, the mountains, and the beach. Jakob Emmel, a Ph.D Candidate from the Physics Department at the University of British Columbia, was not an exception.

Jakob Emmel. Image source: still shot of raw footage

      The first time he saw high dynamic range (HDR) displays that can show huge contrast, he described it as an “eye-opening experience.” HDR refers to the ratio of the maximum darkness to the maximum brightness that a screen can show. The higher the ratio, the better we can distinguish the “black” parts of the screen compared to the “white” parts. For comparison, a common non-HDR display may show a contrast ratio of 1000:1 while average human eyes can see a contrast of 100,000:1. HDR displays can show a contrast in the range of the human eyes or even higher.

      Nonetheless, there are still drawbacks with these awesome displays. In the video below, Jakob describes how current displays can be improved in projecting more uniform brightness across the screen as well as the contrast:

YouTube Preview Image

      Although Jakob’s research was successful, the first prototype he made was not as effective. To control the light coming from each light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for better contrast and uniformity, he had used black filters on top of each LEDs. However, due to the nature of these filters, they absorbed some of the light rather than allowing the light to brighten the screen.

First Prototype with Black Filters. Image source: still shot of raw footage

      In his second prototype, Jakob made white filters with special reflective coatings. This allowed the spreading light from each LEDs to be reflected back to its source rather than be absorbed, preserving the light more efficiently. This way, dark areas can be dark and bright areas can be bright in the displays.

Second Prototype with White Filters. Image source: still shot of raw footage

      This technology can be applied in many areas. The most prominent source for its effective use is in medicine. With a better display, doctors can see images more clearly and be able to differentiate them more effectively since even the smallest irregularity can be a sign of a deadly tumor.

      Specified in the podcast is the technology’s application in movie post editing. As doctors could examine x-ray or MRI images better, movie editors can take advantage of this as well for spotting inequalities in the raw footage.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

      It is adequate to say that Jakob Emmel’s technological innovation is a step forward in grasping reality into the pocket screens of our phones and more. Contribution in the fields of medicine and movie production may only be the tip of an iceberg of vast technological advances to be uncovered.

Group 1
Jina Choi, Matthew Hong, and Angelica Reyes

Leave a comment

Posted in Issues in Science, Outreach Project, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged , , ,

Deadly virus potentially carried by camels?

Posted on November 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Camel Source:Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel

The fact that animals possess the ability to spread and give diseases to humans is universally known; a general example being the transmission of HIV from non-human primates to humans, a virus which has now infected millions worldwide. In the past year it is believed that the outbreak of the recently discovered MERS disease, too has an, albeit unusual, animal origin. MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) was first detected in September of 2012, yet only in the past months have researchers been able to suggest that the source of this new virus is in fact camels.

Despite its recent appearance, MERS has quickly become a global concern as the disease is seen to have a high mortality rate, where nearly 50% of all 150 infected individuals have died. MERS patients generally display symptoms of fever, coughing and shortness of breath, which eventually can progress to pneumonia and/or renal (kidney) failure. MERS is caused by a species of virus known as the coronavirus, a type of virus that was also responsible for the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak nearly ten years ago, a disease which displays similar symptoms to the of MERS.

Coronavirus Source:Wikipedia http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus

Researchers have been working tirelessly to gather more information on the source and viral characteristics of this potentially devastating disease, and their efforts have not been in vain.  As August of this year, scientist were able to locate and isolate antibodies (proteins selectively produced by the body to remove the virus) in numerous camels within Oman region of Saudi Arabia. Despite this not being a definitive proof of that camels are the true source of the virus, it does strongly suggest the possibility that the virus was first infecting camels and then was passed to human in close proximity. Scientists have also been able to determine that the disease itself is relatively difficult to catch. The virus has very poor person-to-person transmission, which means as of present, we have little to fear of this disease becoming an epidemic. Still, health and government organizations should not dismiss the potential threat of MERS, as viruses such as these can mutate and gain the ability to spread easily throughout a population, much like the SARS outbreak seen 10 years earlier.

YouTube Preview Image

Natasha Smyrnis

References

Camel tests positive for Mers virus, Coronavirus

Leave a comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

Tagged , ,

Cellphone Radiation: Harmful?

Posted on November 2, 2013 by | 1 comment

image source: flickr

In modern times, especially in developed countries, it’s safe to say that the majority of people own a cellular device. In fact, Statistics Canada declared that in 2010, a whopping 78% of Canadian households owned a cellphone. According to the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), cellphones emit radio waves, which tissues closest to the source can absorb. As part of our daily lives in this booming technology-dependent world, it’s worth noting any possible harm caused by cellular phones.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is a measure of how much radio energy is absorbed by the body. In Canada, the limit is a maximum of 1.6 watts per kilogram and a cellular company must meet this requirement to get certified. The cellphone you currently have should have a lower SAR value than this; however, if you’re curious, a list of SAR values is available online. Furthermore, the SAR value can change depending on the distance of the phone from the closest contact. CNET’s Kent German explained that cellphone manuals of brands, like the iPhone and Blackberry, advise the users to keep the phone a certain distance from the ear. These are the same manuals disregarded by the users. Lastly, he added, “What’s more, though science hasn’t proven that cell phones can cause brain cancer or other ailments, it hasn’t proven definitively that they aren’t harmful, either”

image source: wikipedia commons

More studies conclude that cellphone use doesn’t have an adverse effect on our health and safety; however, there are reviews reporting that some studies found an increased cancer risk affiliated with cellphone  use. “A number of prominent, peer reviewed studies indicating that cell phone radiation can cause genetic damage, brain and blood cell dysfunction and a host of health problems including cancer“,  Dr. George Carlo said.

 There is a lot of uncertainty involved with the research regarding the negative impacts of radiation emitted by cellphones. Moreover, there are no absolute repercussions in using a cellphone nor a statement that says it’s completely harmless.

In the following video, Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks about the possible effects of exposure to radiation, adult and children’s susceptibility, and safety guidelines.

YouTube Preview Image

In addition to Dr. Gupta’s safety advice, the Natural Health News has provided 10 ways to minimize our exposure to the harmful radiation of cellphones.

The Environmental Working Group announced that the World Health Organization made associations between cellphone use and brain cancer, sperm damage, and behavioural changes. Despite all of these possible harmful effects, why are we not conducting more research that can lead us to a more definite answer? A recent Vancouver Sun article states that Health Canada is allegedly manipulating reports on cellphone radiation. Why is this happening? What impedes further study regarding the topic?

-Ziharrphil Magnaye

References:

MobileSyrup, National Cancer Institute, cnet, SAR Values, cnet, Taylor and Francis Online, Mobile Phones and Cancer, NaturalNews.com, Environmental Working Group, Vancouver Sun

 

 

 

1 Comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science in the News

Tagged , ,

Burning Fats In The Winter With Chili Peppers

Posted on October 28, 2013 by | 3 comments

When you wake up in the dark at 7:00 am in the morning, you know that winter is here. For me, this is the time of the year when I crave for hot spicy stews every meal. But like most girls, I am afraid of gaining weight from eating so much and constantly find myself on the dilemma of whether to dig in or not. If you find yourself in the same situation as me, here is the good news! Research has found that low temperatures and chili peppers could help burn our body fat!

Chili peppers help to fight fats in body. Credit: iStock

Researchers from the Hokkaido University of Japan recently found that spending time in cold weather and consuming chili peppers allow a person to burn more energy because low temperature and the chemicals in chili peppers seem to stimulate and increase the activity of brown fat cells.

Brown and White Fat Cells. Credit: Susan Ardizzoni.

There are two types of fat in our body, namely the brown adipose tissue and the white adipose tissue. While brown fat cells burn off energy, white fat cells store energy and are responsible for making some people fat. Brown fat cells appear red-brown because they contain many mitochondria, which produce a large amount of energy in the form of ATP. And white fat cells appear white, or pale, under the microscope. Below is a clip which I found very clear on explaining the differences between the two different fats.
YouTube Preview Image

In the Japanese study, eight subjects with little brown fat tissue were recruited and exposed to a low temperature of 17 °C for two hours daily for six weeks. Comparing with the control participants who went about their normal lives during the experiment, the study found that the eight subjects who were exposed to low temperature had an average of 5% less body fat and less white fat cells. They also burned on average more energy than those in the control group.

In addition, the researchers studied people who ate chili peppers, which contain capsinoids, or substances that give chili peppers the hot taste. It was also found the participants burned more energy than the control group when exposed to cold. This result was consistent with a previous study which found that Ingesting capsinoids increased the levels of fat breakdown in our body, showing that capsinoid plays a pivotal role in fat reduction in mildly obese individuals.

Even though the reduction of white adipose tissue from cold exposure was somewhat expected, it was not expected that capsinoid in chili pepper would have an impact on energy and fat metabolism. The researchers concluded the study by stating that “capsinoids appear to [simulate] brown fat in the same way as cold, by ‘capturing’ the same cellular system that the body’s nervous system uses to increase heat production.”

While chemicals like capsinoids, which stimulate brown fat cells, demonstrate potential application in obesity treatments in the future, it is comforting to know that eating a bit more hot spicy stew than normal will not have a significant impact weight for now!

– By Connie (Kangchi) Lee

References:

Cold temperatures and chili peppers could help burn fat

Capsinoids and related food ingredients activating brown fat thermogenesis and reducing body fat in humans

3 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged , , , ,

“Junk DNA” has a use after all!

Posted on October 28, 2013 by | 2 comments

Unique face. Image taken from India Times.

Every human has a unique face and our genetics play a major role in determining the shape of our face. But we all have the same genes that control the development of our heads.  How do these genes get turned on and off? However, until now scientists have not known exactly how DNA achieves this task.

A new study has found that “junk DNA” may be responsible for unique appearances. Junk DNA or non-coding DNA is the part of the genome that does not encode for proteins. The work was published on October 25, 2013 on Science.

Axel Visel and Catia Attanasio have found around 4,000 enhancers in the human genome. Picture taken from Huff Post Science.

The researchers have found over 4,000 enhancers in the mouse genome that influence the way facial features develop. According to Axel Visel, a geneticist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “Enhancers are part of the 98 per cent of the human genome that is non-coding DNA – long thought of as junk DNA”.  He also added, ” The expressions of these genes makes all the difference and all the countless variation all around us.”

Growth of experiment mice. Image retrieved from Live Science

How did they test whether enhancers were responsible for shaping our face? Visel’s team deleted three of the enhancers in mice and compared them with an unmodified mice at 8 weeks of age. The results of this experiment showed that the deletion of each enhancer caused subtle changes in the shape of the face.

Earlier, enhancers had no directly visible role of shaping an organism, but now we know that these genetic sequence can add a layer of complexity.

This research could help us understand how things can go wrong as embryos develop in the womb. However, Professor Visel said it was very unlikely in the near future that DNA could be used to predict someone’s exact appearance.

References:
‘Junk’ DNA could determine face shape, scientists say, New Research Finds How Genes Shape Faces, Fine Tuning of Craniofacial Morphology by Distant-Acting Enhancers

– Amna Awan

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Outreach Project, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged , , , ,

Video

I Can Control You: A Misconception of Hypnosis

 


Hypnosis has always been misled by society norms. However, the social norms are still there with incorrect ideas about hypnosis.

“What the mind expects to happen, tends to be realized.” – Gerald F. Kein

In order to relieve some of the misconceptions, let’s talk about some of the most common ones.

Hypnotists do not necessarily use a hypnotic circle during their induction. Hypnotists may use it to satisfy the client’s expectation of the social norm.

Although one looks like he or she is sleeping when under trance, hypnosis is not the same as sleeping. Technically, the word “sleep” should not be part of the hypnosis vocabulary but the social norm creates the necessity to use the word “sleep”. In fact, a research article on brainwave activity showed that the wavelength when under hypnosis was almost similar or even better than when one was awake, compared to when one was simply asleep. Nevertheless, the term “hypnosis” itself is coined after the Greek god “Hypnos” since in the past, no one could have confounded the alertness of the mind when the person looks asleep.

The research article accounts the brainwaves to be of the beta band rather than the delta band while under hypnosis.

Secondly, with in reason with the first argument, a person cannot be manipulated in a way that goes against one’s beliefs or values. A person is not only fully alert under trance but is also in control of oneself. This is because heightened suggestibility due to hypnosis is cannot override the one’s values. Thus, the person under hypnosis is able to make decisions on whether to follow the suggestion given, and if it is not to one’s liking, you can simply reject the suggestion.

Thirdly but neither the last or the least, is the misconception of amnesia: You will be able to remember everything while under hypnosis. Again, as stated in the first argument, you are fully alert under hypnosis. Therefore, the person can make the decision of whether to follow a suggestion or not, and thus is consciously aware of the choices they make under hypnosis. However, this loss of memory does occur frequently and this is due to social norm. As mentioned above, “what the mind expects to happen, tends to be realized.” People have the social norm that they will not be able to remember what happens under hypnosis, and this belief causes them to indeed forget. With this in mind, it is also true that the things that one wants to remember is what is remembered.

Here is a video by Morpheus Hypnosis on these misconceptions, as well as two additional misunderstandings.

YouTube Preview Image

It is still a progressive goal for hypnosis to become accustomed by the society, since the misconceptions will remain misconceptions as long as it is not frequently discussed. However with increasing interest in hypnosis, it may be possible to break these misconceptions and make hypnosis become more approachable.

Some religions even believe that hypnotists are necromancers. For you information, a necromancer is “one who practices divination by conjuring up the dead.” They may (or may not) be referring to past life regressions

References:

Vaughan Bell: hypnosis is no laughing matter, Dance of the Soul Hypnotherapy, Studies reveal the effectiveness of medical hypnosis, Putting Yourself First, Free Online Hypnosis Community

Baghdadi, G., Motie, A. N. (2009). An Investigation of Changes in Brain Wave Energy during Hypnosis with Respect to Normal EEG. Sleep and Hypnosis, 11: 40-45.

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted on October 14, 2013 by in Science in the News

Tagged , , ,