Category Archives: Science communication

Just Another Seal? A look at the Northern Fur Seal

Posted on April 9, 2014 by icarion | Leave a comment

Climate change is a looming reality that we are all faced with. We are all aware that the earth is warming, but what you may not have considered, is how animals and their habitats will be affected. In this article we will look at how the results of climate change may influence Northern Fur Seals and their conservation.

So what is a Northern Fur Seal?

Northern Fur Seal

Northern Fur Seals are marine mammals who differ from other seals in that they have a thick fur coat. They eat mostly squid and fish such as pollock, herring, and anchovies. Their habitat ranges in the North Pacific from the coast of California, up to the Bering Sea and over to Russia and Japan. They spend their winter at sea, while during the summer they migrate to islands such as the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea to breed.

In the past the population of Northern Fur Seals has faced many challenges. They were commercially hunted for their fur which resulted in almost wiping out the species. Here an audio clip of our podcast which explains the how Northern Fur Seals were affected by the Fur Trade.

Seal FM Radio Podcast

As you have heard in the podcast, despite the fact that Northern Fur Seals are no longer hunted, their population is still declining. It has been estimated that since 1998 there was has been an annual decrease in their population by about 6%. One possible factor which may greatly affect their ability to survive is climate change. Northern Fur Seals are only able to live in a specific temperature zone, without expending energy. This ability to convert stored energy into a warming or cooling mechanism is called thermoregulation. We interviewed Dr. Rosen, a researcher at the UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit to learn a bit more about how thermoregulation works:

As you have learned from our video, thermoregulation is a factor essential to the survival of Northern Fur Seals. However, in view of the changing climate they may be forced from their natural habitat. This would additionally affect the distribution of their prey, potentially making it much harder for them to obtain food. Can you imagine how difficult it would be if your grocery store kept moving to a new location without you knowing?

Julia, Vishav, David and Rubeen

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Outreach project, Science communication, Science in the news

Tagged climate change, fur trade, Northern Fur Seal, thermoregulation

Southern Elephant Seals: Catching Climate Change in the Act

Posted on April 9, 2014 by nakisa kiai | Leave a comment

Southern Elephant Seal Image Courtesy of: Christophe Guinet

Many people have yet to wonder how seals can make an impact in local marine environments. Naturally, the cute appearance of a marine animal comes to mind from our exposure to pictures or visits to aquariums. However, few of us know about the behaviour of seals, that in the way they catch their prey can actually provide valuable insight into the process of global warming. The research underway by Dr. Christophe Guinet and his team of researchers may be the missing link.

Tracking the fine movements of the elephant seals with data loggers allow researchers to measure the behaviour of the seal while underwater. It also gives us evidence on how climate change is directly affecting this important marine predator.

With advancements in technology, electronic devices have opened the doors to many new possibilities to research on foraging behaviour. This allows for the collection of data on these marine predators in their natural environment. Through an in-depth analysis on how these data loggers work, measurements on behavioural (location, diving depth, prey capture) and environmental (temperature, light) parameters gives us a chance to reference these results to the possible aspects of how seal foraging relates to global warming.

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Southern elephant seals are important top predators to tag with data loggers because despite spending most of their time underwater and out of sight, they can dive depths ranging 1,000 – 2,000 feet and can even go as deep as 5,000 feet! Because they can spend up to 10 months at sea, they are able to collect a lot of data about the ocean and bring it back for the researchers to analyze.

Southern Elephant Seal tagged with Data-logger Image Courtesy of: Christophe Guinet

Though we are making advances, humans are still limited by technology. This means that sometimes the equipment we have does not allow us to reach certain parts of the ocean. Southern elephant seals are helping us overcome this problem. Not only can they dive to depths that we have been unable to sample, but the seals also return to the same beach every year to molt and breed, which makes it easy for the scientists to come back each year to re-examine the data without having to capture the seals out at sea. Some researchers have organized the temperature data collected by the elephant seals into a format that other oceanographers can use and even uploaded it on the the World Ocean Database. Millions of new data points are made available to scientists worldwide thanks to the southern elephant seals.

Climate change will have an effect on all of us in our lifetime. Knowing what the ocean can tell us and who the key players in helping collect this data are will be instrumental to fixing this global challenge. Understanding southern elephant seals may be a major step in understanding our changing environment.

Posted by: Nakisa Kiai, Alice Koh, Gurdas Panesar, Jean Wang

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Posted in Biological sciences, Outreach project, Public engagement, Science communication

Tagged climate change, elephant seals, oceanography, researchers, seals, technology

The Sharp Truth of the Hook

Posted on April 9, 2014 by monicaleslie | Leave a comment

An alien planet lives closer than we ever would’ve expected. Not far beneath the surface of the water lies a mostly undiscovered world, complete with its own set of aliens.

Leafy Dragon (Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons)

Coral reefs may look like they don’t belong on our own planet, but this world is not as isolated as we may think. In fact, our actions, above and below water, can have drastic consequences on their world.

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The Giant Clam is only one of many species being affected by human activity. Coral reefs and their marine inhabitants around the world are in serious danger of being lost forever. Unfortunately, it has already begun to happen. Reefs face

Giant Clam (Photo Courtesy of: Monica Leslie)

many challenges today, including increasing sea temperatures due to climate change as well as increasing ocean acidity. In addition, pollution and larger sediment loads on the reefs are also causing stress to the ecosystem. However, according to Krista Greer, it is overfishing of these reef ecosystems that often push them over the edge. Greer, a researcher for The Sea Around Us Project says:

“There are all sort of outside stresses, [and] maybe the reef can handle one or two of them, but when you also add overfishing, there’s a breaking point.”

We often think of commercial and industrial fishing as being the major cause of overfishing, but even smaller scale fishing practices can impact the ecosystem. Due to this manner of thinking, many places around the world are unaware that they’re fishing to a point beyond what is sustainable for the reef. This is the case with many island communities, such as Cocos (Keeling) Island.

Although not every species is affected by human fishing activity, the loss of even a single species can lead to an overall decline of ecosystem health. Overfishing is the final straw that can cause the delicately balanced ecosystem of coral reefs around the world to collapse.

Cocos (Keeling) Island Locals (Photo Courtesy of: Saripedia)

The first step in remedying this situation is implementing appropriate management of fisheries throughout the world. However, it is not enough to simply create laws and policies regarding fishing. Education is crucial, especially in small island communities as the local people need to understand the consequences of their actions. Krista Greer says,

“In order for it to actually work … they need the local population to be on board. They’re not going to be there to watch and regulate and enforce, so they need … the local population to do that.”

A global effort is needed if we are ever to start on the road to recovery. If our current actions don’t change, we risk losing this mysterious and enchanting world forever, before we have a chance to fully discover it. Can we really live with the sharp consequences that our hooks cause?

-Monica Leslie, Richelle Eger, Justin Sidhu

Audio Credits:
Sound Effects/Music Courtesy of: iMovie, Garage Band Narrated By: Richelle Eger

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Outreach project, Science communication

Tagged Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Island, Coral Reefs, Fishing, Giant Clam, Overfishing, Reef Species

Beard Implants: A Growing Trend?

Posted on March 24, 2014 by monicaleslie | Leave a comment

Hipsters are known for their trends. From thick-rimmed glasses to flannel plaid, they always strive to be unique. However, none of these trends are as elusive as the full, thick beard so many hipsters strive for.

Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

Although hair transplantation surgeries have been available for years, beard transplants are becoming increasingly popular due to the latest male fashions. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, facial transplant surgeries have increased 14.2% from 2008 to 2010 and it continues to be on the rise.

A beard transplant is historically done by a series of micrografts and minigrafts; harvesting the hair follicles from the back of the scalp and inserting them into incisions made on the face with a 0.8mm scalpel. However, these techniques are very meticulous, time consuming and require quite a long healing period. In addition, these old techniques limit the surgeons to only harvesting 500-700 hair follicles in one surgery. Most patients require the harvesting of between 500 and 1000 follicles to complete their beard transplant, so this number is less than satisfactory.

The latest technique is called a NeoGraft Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant. This technique still collects the hairs from the back of the scalp and implants them in the necessary regions on the face. However the Neograft device improves the accuracy and speed of a FUE hair transplant while being less invasive, and requiring significantly less healing time. Using Neograft, a surgeon is able to harvest and transplant over 1500 hair follicles in one surgery making it more desirable for those individuals who require more hairs to be transplanted.

After the surgery one can expect the hairs that have been transplanted to grow as any normal hair would. A man will have to shave this hair like they would a normal beard. Dr. Bauman, the first plastic surgeon to routinely use the Neograft device says,

“It takes about a week to heal from the procedure. It takes 6 to 12 weeks for hair to start to grow. Half of the transplanted follicles have visible growth after 6 months. The rest fill in after a year.”

Although the latest techniques make a beard transplant surgery a more minor procedure it is not without its costs. A typical beard transplant surgery costs $10 per follicle. This equates to a cost of anywhere between $5000 and $10000. In addition, it should be noted that the hairs that are removed from the back of scalp never grow back.

FUE hair transplant, similar to FUE beard transplant. Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

With less invasive procedures becoming available and the trend of a thick, full beard being more prominent than ever, it’s no wonder that beard transplants are becoming more popular. So, to all hipsters out there, you are not alone if you choose to embrace this growing trend.

Monica Leslie

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Posted in Biological sciences, Science communication, Science in the news

Tagged Beard transplant, Beards, Follicular Unit Extraction, Hair follicles, Hair transplant, Hipsters, medicine, Neograft, Plastic surgery

The Dark Side of Electric Vehicles

Posted on March 21, 2014 by tonycaputo | 3 comments

When we think of electric vehicles we think of positives. We think about helping the environment, reducing emissions, better fuel economy, and making a difference. However, just like Newton quoted almost 400 years ago, “for every action there is also an equal and opposite reaction”.

Let us look at the darker side of electric vehicles, the side we often overlook.

Tesla’s electric car
Image courtesy: Wikipedia commons

Although it is true that electric vehicles have better fuel economy than conventional vehicles, as well as zero tailpipe emissions, there are also many downsides to electric vehicles, both environmentally and economically.

Environmental downsides

Use of electric cars may be environmentally friendly, however the production of electric car batteries is far from clean. With almost 110 pounds of graphite needed per electric car battery, graphite pollution has raised health concerns, as well as polluted both rain and local crops. In response to the pollution associated with graphite production, major processing plants have closed to reduce emissions. China, one of the largest exporters of graphite, has recently been under “unbearable smog” as a result of graphite processing. A push for reducing graphite production has seen the cost of graphite increase over 30% just this year.

Current smog over China
Image Courtesy: Wikipedia commons

Economic downsides

If the environmental disadvantages associated with electric vehicles were not enough, electric cars also pose a large economic risk. Although it may be hard to see at first, many states are already imagining a world run solely on electric vehicles, and have reacted accordingly. Recently New Jersey has banned Tesla’s electric vehicles state-wide, something other states have already begun to do as well.

But why?

Without an internal combustion system like conventional cars, electric vehicles are basically just large batteries. No spark plugs, fuel pumps, air filters, timing belts. No need to change the oil either (because it doesn’t have any). Essentially Tesla has created an “app on four wheels“, and this is something that both car dealers and repair shops fear. A future full of electric cars means a future without automotive repair. Despite the benefits of not needing to worry about servicing your vehicle, automotive repair plays a significant role in providing jobs, something that is currently in high demand.

So next time you or someone you know is looking at purchasing an electric vehicle, know that to everything good there is also a downside. If you want to hear more about the economic impacts of electric vehicles, Elon Musk describes just how it all works at the Tesla 2013 shareholder meeting.

Tony Caputo

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Posted in Issues in science, Public engagement, Science communication, Science in the news, Uncategorized

Tagged combustion, electric batteries, electric cars, Green, motors, Tesla

Does frequently cut hair grow faster?

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Leticia | Leave a comment

Let’s say there were some light marks of facial hair on your chin. Would shaving this hair (or trimming any other hair) make it grow back quicker and thicker? Although this is a common belief, cutting your hair every week would not make hair grow back any quicker than cutting your hair every month. In the case of the hair on your head, while removing your split ends does promote healthier hair, it does not increase hair growth, which is predetermined genetically.

The myth might have originated from the observation of shaving facial hair during puberty. As many people start shaving at an early age, their hair is still lightly coloured or not growing at the rate it will eventually reach. Since hair is actually darker and rougher at its roots, removing the tips may give the look of coarser hair. As a result, this creates the illusion of faster growth and increased thickness.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr commons by Illusive Photography

If this myth were to be true, then getting regular trims, as suggested by your stylist, would be a sufficient method to ensure speedy hair growth. Paradi Mirmirani, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of California contradicts this and says:

“Cutting the ends of your hair doesn’t affect the follicles in your scalp, which determine how fast and how much your hair grows. Hair grows an average of a quarter-inch every month—whether or not you cut it.

While choosing to shave or get that haircut more frequently might not affect hair growth rates, there are other factors that do have an effect. Elizabeth Cunnane Philips, a trichologist at the Philip Kingsley Clinic, supports this by saying,

“The rate of growth can be influenced by any number of variables, including general health, dietary habits, and endocrine function including thyroid, low iron or anemia. All of these have the capacity to influence hair growth and loss cycles.”

However, it does not mean one should not get a regular trim. On the contrary, such trims get rid of split ends, which reduces bre akage and prevents hair from becoming frayed. This is important because getting rid of breakage makes hair to appear thicker and longer.

In short, cutting hair on any part of your body only makes it shorter, does not affect the future growth rate or even change its texture. So for you guys out there, shaving your facial hair won’t help you grow out your beard. For the ladies, cutting your hair regularly won’t help your hair get any longer faster either.

For a short clip that has Philip Kingsley himself summarizing everything:

Leticia Munoz

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Posted in Issues in science, Public engagement, Science communication, Science in the news, Uncategorized

Tagged hair growth science myth Philip Kingsley Shaving, health

Sounds Good!

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Raymond Quan | 3 comments

Usually I associate good pictures with good food. When I walk into a Mcdonald’s restaurant, the poster of the new McRib with sizziling meat and fresh vegetables gets my mouth salivating. And usually the positive expectations of my food makes it taste better. At least that’s the only thing I notice that has an effect on the taste of my food.

The McRib burger. Source: Wikimedia commons

It has never crossed my mind that sound can have an impact on taste. Well now there is a new study showing that high frequency sounds can lead us to believe that food tastes better. A blogger from the website theguardian.com explains that when we hear high frequency sounds while we’re eating, we associate that with sweetness. In contrast, when we hear low frequency sounds, our food tastes worse because we associate it with bitterness.

How did they figure this out?

In the study, subjects were asked to rate the taste of a food from sweet to bitter where one half was exposed to high frequency sounds and the other to low frequency sounds. The group exposed to low frequency sounds rated their food as more bitter. Surprisingly, this test has worked on various food items from toffee to coffee.

Frequency of Sound

Humans hear sound in the range of 20 to 20000Hz. Low frequencies range from 30 to 500Hz and high frequencies tend to be greater than 500Hz. Here’s a video illustrating the frequency spectrum.

Video Courtesy of the user: adminofthissite

These results are remarkable and can have a large impact on restaurants. If sound has a such a large impact on how we perceive the taste of food, then store owners should place a stronger emphasis on the kinds of music they play. Since high frequency sounds affect how sweet our food tastes, then perhaps we won’t need put as much sugar in our food. Sounds good to me!

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Posted in Public engagement, Science communication

Tagged Food, High frequency, Sound, Taste

The Age Old Question: “Why is yawning contagious?”

Posted on March 16, 2014 by vishavg | 4 comments

I am sure at one point or another all of us have yawned while watching someone else yawn. I can guarantee that by the time you finish reading this article you will have yawned at least once. So why is it that every time we see, read or hear someone yawning we are inclined to do so as well? In order to answer this question we have to first learn the science behind yawning.

Source: Google Images
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/192/492459548_8773a9d3b3_z.jpg

Yawning is an involuntary reflex that is commonly associated with relaxation and fatigue. Physiologically, as our jaw drops there is increased blood flow to our neck, face and brain. The air that is inhaled during the yawn cools the blood, which is then cycled back to the brain. Why does cool air to the brain matter? Well studies have shown that a cooler brain may increase alertness and the ability to process information more efficiently.

Aside from the physiological aspect, yawning has a lot to do with the social environment surrounding us. Studies have shown that yawning is linked to empathy, which is the ability to understand what someone else is feeling and share in their emotion. This is the reason why we are happier when surrounded by people who are happy and why we are sad when surrounded by people who are sad. In the same way scientists have found that by the time we are four or five years old, we begin to recognize contagious yawning and partake in it as an emotional response. Additionally, studies also show that we are more likely to catch a yawn from people that we share a strong bond with, like family and friends, versus strangers. Interestingly enough this same behaviour has also been observed in chimpanzees and dogs. In following video, Michael from Vsauce gives a more in depth explanation on both the physiological and social aspects of yawning, as well as why it may be contagious.

You may wonder why is research on yawning important? The answer to this question lies in the research being done to improve the behaviour of patients diagnosed with autism. Studies have shown that kids with autism are half as likely to yawn and kids with severe cases may not yawn at all. This is because they cannot form the empathetic link that individuals without autism can. This relationship between autism and yawning can be crucial in understanding and diagnosing a cure for autism.

After doing all the research, it was interesting to find that there are many theories about why yawning is contagious. I found that the wide belief is in consensus with Dr. Adrian Guggisberg’s hypothesis. His hypothesis states that empathy is the main cause of contagious yawning and that physiological effects can be deemed negligible since they are far too subtle to be conserved throughout evolution. So the next you see someone yawn, know that it is only human nature to do so yourself.

Vishav Gill

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Posted in Issues in science, Science communication

Tagged autism, cool brain, empathy, relaxation, yawning

Science Communication in the Spotlight

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Sydney Honsberger-Grant | 2 comments

If you’ve ever wondered exactly how you could use the information learned in Science 300, it might be a good idea to set your sights on the future of science communications – which happens to include some scientific stardom.

FameLab Logo. Courtesy of British Council.

Described as American Idol meets TEDx, FameLab is an energetic, informative competition with a clear purpose that students of SCIE 300 have heard before: to encourage effective communication of scientific knowledge for both public and academic benefit. This competition features early-career scientists who have signed up to give a short speech on their work, and must respond to a question session in front of an audience of scientists and non-scientists alike.

Fergus McAuliffe, Ireland, Winner FameLab 2013. Courtesy of FameLab UK on Flickr.

The topic of this year’s FameLab, sponsored by National Geographic and NASA, is “Exploring Earth and Beyond.” Several preliminary rounds have already taken place, and the American finals will be held in Washington, DC, in April. The scientist who most successfully communicates their work will move on to the international stage at the FameLab finals in the United Kingdom.

Aside from giving scientific celebrity status to the winners, the results of FameLab are widespread, and will hopefully impact the scientific community in the future. FameLab recognizes the significance of being able to purvey a fascinating scientific accomplishment, whether that’s a ground-breaking discovery or a cutting-edge piece of technology. These accomplishments have the potential to increase quality of life, so there is an underlying moral requirement for new science to be conveyed in a coherent way.

Audience at FameLab International Semi Finals. Courtesy of FameLab UK on Flickr.

The trickle-down effect of good scientific communication is also relevant. Because every aspect of society relies on science, it is imperative that policy makers and government leaders are well-informed about new science. In this way, scientific knowledge can be shared on national and international levels.

At the end of the competition day, though, it’s all about content, clarity, and charisma. The scientists who perform best are those who deliver their message in an understandable way, yet infuse their speech with their passion and inspire the audience to learn about science. The video below is one such example of a high-placing FameLab competitor.

With the international finals approaching, make sure to keep an eye on the progress of the competition. Hopefully, a glimpse of what’s beyond Science 300 will re-emphasize the importance of successful science communication – or better yet, maybe FameLab will one day recognize a fellow student as a leading communicator of science.

Sydney Honsberger-Grant

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Posted in Public engagement, Science communication, Science communicators, Uncategorized

Tagged communication, outreach

Cerebral Palsy: damage to the developing brain

Posted on March 10, 2014 by nakisa kiai | 1 comment

17 million people around the world face the challenge of constant, uncontrollable movement of their muscles, difficulty in perceiving sensation and difficulties in speech and language.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common childhood physical disability. One to three of every 1000 born are affected. CP is a condition that primarily affects motor movement and muscle coordination. It is not hereditary, contagious, nor can it be considered a disease or a form of retardation. The variability of of the condition ranges from minor to very severe.

A young boy with Cerebral Palsy Image: Wikipedia commons

How does it occur?

Our brain is the power house of our bodies- it controls our ability to percieve sensation as well as our ability to move and speak. Oxygen is vital for the brain to function. When the brain unable to recieve oxygen, the effects are irreversible.

CP is caused by an impairment in brain development, such as suffocation at birth, or a complication during pregnancy or during the early years of life. The term for this impairment is called hypoxia, which means a lack of oxygen. This is where the condition gets its name. “Cerebral” refers to the cerebrum and “palsy” comes from the word for paralysis. CP specifically targets the areas of the brain responsible for motor movement, and therefore the brain’s ability to take control of movements and posture is hindered.

The area of the brain responsible for motor movement
Image: Wikipedia Commons

Is there a cure?

Cerebral Palsy is not a worsening condition and though there are minor therapies that can be done, such as physiotherapy, speech therapy and massage therapy, the condition remains permanent and without cure.

Children in particular benefit greatly from therapy because they are also battling the growth of their bodies. It is important that children with CP undergo therapy so that they can live more independent lives in the future.

Though there is no cure for Cerebral Palsy, there are ways to improve the quality of life of the patient. There are also preventative measures that can be taken during and prior to pregnancy. It is important to equip ourselves with the knowledge about this condition–it is more prevalent than we think.

Blog post by: Nakisa Kiai

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Posted in Issues in science, Public engagement, Science communication, Uncategorized

Tagged brain, cerebral palsy, cerebrum, children, health, muscle, therapy

Category Archives: Science communication

Just Another Seal? A look at the Northern Fur Seal

Southern Elephant Seals: Catching Climate Change in the Act

The Sharp Truth of the Hook

Beard Implants: A Growing Trend?

The Dark Side of Electric Vehicles

Does frequently cut hair grow faster?

Sounds Good!

The Age Old Question: “Why is yawning contagious?”

Science Communication in the Spotlight

Cerebral Palsy: damage to the developing brain

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