Category Archives: Science Communication

More Facts about Vapes

Posted on October 14, 2019 by han jiang | Leave a comment

“15% of Canadians have tried an e-cigarette.”(for more information click here) Teenagers and the youth (15 to 24 years) have the highest rates of trying vaping.

(The number of teens vaping has doubled in the past five years CREDIT: MARTINEDOUCET /ISTOCKPHOTO)

The main base of e-liquid is nicotine, propylene glycol and glycerin. Propylene glycol and glycerin are known as an important cause of bronchial irritation. Besides, we know very little about their safety for long-term inhalational exposure. “More than 500 people have been diagnosed with vaping-related breathing illnesses, but the cause remains unknown,” U.S. health officials said on 9.19.2019. (We’re still monitoring the relation and will update the content when more information is available.)

In addition, some e-cigarette manufacturers add alcohol in the e-liquids but without indication. The level of alcohol varied with recipes with different flavours, sometimes in high levels, and inhaling alcohol is known to have toxic effects on the brain. It puts people at high risk for alcohol poisoning and increase the possibility for alcohol addiction.

E-cigarettes are technically simple devices. They look nothing like cigarettes, and come in various shapes, sizes and colours; at the same time, most of them are very portable. Compared with traditional cigarette, vape is not easy to spot by parents and teachers. However, e-cigarettes can expose teens to a lot of nicotine. The nicotine concentration in some single-used vapes is comparable as a full pack of cigarettes. Teens brain are very sensitive: even low levels of nicotine are very addictive for teen brains. As a result, the vape may lead the entire generation of youth to be nicotine-addicted.

If we want to protect our health and the health of our next generation, probably we should get out of the habit of automatically celebrating new technology ,and then get into the habit of looking at new things with a critical eye, knowing more fact about vapes may help us.

A robotic hug For Jellies

A robotic hug For Jellies

How does one capture a very delicate animal such as the jelly? The research conducted at Harvard University in Cambridge lead by Nina Sinatra has the answer.

They engineered a robot that mimics a human hand to capture delicate Jellies whose body is 95% water, slippery, and very soft. This robot, which they presented on August 28th, 2019, can capture a Jelly using its soft foamy fingers in a hug like motion. Before researchers were forced to use their own hands, which the jelly could slip from or use nets that could harm the incredibly delicate, and fragile tissue, or worse, robots made to capture other brittle sea animals such as sea cucumber would tear jellies apart.

The problem with capturing jellies without hurting them was an obstacle to fascinating scientific research. So far, Jellies have helped us learn vital information such as techniques to study microscopic organisms and macro-molecules with Green Fluorescence Tag microscopy. In this method, green fluorescence protein is extracted from jellies and used to dye parts of the cell and study vital information such as gene expression.

Jellies Have the potential to teach us far more, as they have many abilities that could be of assistance to us. For example, Jellies can reverse their aging process, and that is one of the things that humanity has been trying to reach since its beginning, leading to legends or stories such as “fountain of youth.”

The immortal Jelly: Turritopsis dohrnii

Now this robot’s impressive structure can help open the door to opportunities that jellies hold for us. The machine incorporates a 3D printed palm that has the shape of a rectangular box with six fingers made of soft rubbery silicone attached. The fingers have a more rigid side made of nanofibers and channels of water that go through the fingers. When the jelly is in contact, the robot pumps water into the fingers, which causes them to bend on the more on, the stiffer side and close in the jelly.

This foamy robot is a step to further discoveries for a brighter future. The abilities of this robot can give scientists the opportunity to study more fragile and hard to capture marine animals. In addition, using robots similar to this to collect specimen can reduce potential harm to animals and make research more friendly.

Zahra Ghodsi

3 Comments

Posted on October 7, 2019 by zahra ghodsi in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science Communication, Science Communicators, Science in the News

Tagged Jelly, robots, science

Bioplastics, Can They Help?

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Clara Kim | 5 comments

Image: Bristol Green Party

We are at the point where our world is so heavily dependent on plastics we can’t function without them. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that according to Statista, the world’s plastic production was a whopping 348 million tons in 2017. So why talk about plastics? Well let’s find out.

It’s very difficult to ignore the number of climate change movements happening all around the world recently; the effects of global warming has been evident over the past decade and it’s crucial to discuss the biggest contributing factor that can be seen in the video below: greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases are gases in our atmosphere that trap heat and overtime, make the earth a gigantic oven. The more greenhouse gases we have, the warmer our earth will get and more severe damage done to different environments and their ecosystems. Some common greenhouses people may be familiar with are: carbon dioxide, methane and water. To bring it all together, the number one source of greenhouse emissions is the human activity of burning fossil fuels.

Industries commonly use what we call petroleum-based plastics when creating products. Petroleum-based plastics are typically made from carbon atoms and do not degrade naturally. Although some petroleum-based plastics are “recycled”, the reality is that this process also isn’t very efficient. A study done in 2017 by Roland Geyer stated that while 9% of the plastic produced was being recycled and 79% were sitting in landfills or natural environments, 12% was being incinerated. This is one way petroleum-based plastics contribute to burning of fossil fuels and release carbon dioxide into the air.

So why does this matter?

There are alternatives to using plastics! In fact, there are many that are being researched. Bioplastics, or often referred to as bio-based plastics, are ones that are made not from petroleum but from plants or other biological materials. These release significantly less greenhouse gases into the air as opposed to petroleum-based plastics.

Image: Pixabay

Common sources of bioplastics are plants like corn or sugarcanes where they extract sugars to change into polylactic acids (PLA) or microorganisms which produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). These chemicals are then made into polymers, which are long chains after going through chemical reactions.

However, the full transition to bioplastics face some challenges. These bioplastics are not cost-efficient at the moment, especially to industries that are looking to profit. Petroleum-based plastics are much more affordable for production and usage but bioplastics, being a relatively new industry, are not fully developed which increases the cost of production. There are also concerns whether bioplastics can cause more harm than good environmentally because they are still relatively new.

But give it some time, resources and support then the bioplastic research will develop more and more until it becomes flawless. A recent study done in 2019 by Mohammad Asif Ali shows progress with bioplastics as he explained a new mechanism to create higher performance plastics. Nothing starts off perfect, and the research on bioplastics is definitely not an exception.

-Clara Kim

5 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science Communication

Tagged #biology, #chemistry, #environment, #green, #nature, #pollution, innovation

AirPods: Fancy or Risky?

Posted on October 7, 2019 by flipos | 1 comment

AirPods may pose health risks to users. (Image Source: Flickr)

Ever since their unveiling in 2016, Apple’s wireless AirPods which are cord-free in-ear headphones have risen to gain a millennial status symbol over the past three years. For instance, if you take a one-hour tour at the University of British Columbia (UBC), you may be surprised by the number of AirPods you would observe in people’s ear canals. From studying in libraries to talking to friends or listening to music while walking or jogging on Main Mall, students have their AirPods on literally everywhere! While many users might not think that there are any side effects to the use of these products, a group of experts has concerns about their harmfulness to human health. Jerry Phillips, a Biochemistry professor at the University of Colorado is one of these experts with strong beliefs that wireless headphones may be associated with tumors and related conditions.

“My concern for AirPods is that their placement in the ear canal exposes tissues in the head to relatively high levels of radio-frequency radiation,” Jerry Phillips told a Medium post.

To understand why Jerry and other 250 researchers from more than 40 countries signed a petition to the United Nations and the World Health Organization to warn about the health risks posed by wireless devices and the need to enforce regulatory measures for such devices, it is important to get an idea of how AirPods and other Bluetooth headphones work.

How do wireless headphones/earphones work

Electromagnetic Field spectrum. (Image Source: Flickr)

Wireless headphones utilize the Bluetooth technology where data between devices is transmitted by radio waves. These radio waves are in the 2.4–2.48 GHz frequency range to wirelessly transmit signals between devices which means that there are about 2.4 – 2.48 billion waves per second traveling really fast between cellphones or headphones. This is also a similar range used by microwaves, WiFi and other devices.

So, what’s the problem with that in relation to Airpods?

According to a press release by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) as possibly carcinogenic to humans. These same EMFs are produced by Airpods and other Bluetooth headphones which have been shown to cause cancer in rats according to research in 2018.

Radiation exposure from wireless devices (Image Source: Flickr)

However, the amount of non-ionizing (or low level) EMFs emitted from Bluetooth headphones or earphones such as AirPods is usually less than the amount emitted by cell phones. Maybe before giving up on AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, one may need to give up on their cell phone to begin with.

The Apple company that makes these AirPods mentioned that “Apple products are always designed and tested to meet or exceed all safety requirements”.

While many Bluetooth earphones-making companies assure their buyers of the safety of their products, people may need to think twice and make a personal decision based on their research and not just flow with the waves of the product’s popularity.

By Flipos Tadese

1 Comment

Posted in Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science Communication

Tagged AirPods, Bluetooth, brain tumours, cell phone radiation, cell phones, earphones, electromagnetic fields, headphones, human health, microwaves, radiation exposure, technology, University of British Columbia, wireless devices

What’s The Tea? The Health Benefits of Green Tea

Posted on September 28, 2019 by alexandra mcdonald | 2 comments

What are the health benefits of green tea? Where did it originate, and why is it the superior morning beverage?

Green tea is a delicious and popular beverage around the world, but many people are unaware of the numerous health benefits that come along with consumption! The comforting drink has its origins in China, but its popularity has made its way throughout many other countries in Asia and around the world. Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times; and for good reason! Current studies have shown that green tea is linked to weight loss, increased oral health, and may even be able to prevent certain cancers!

Image source: Betty’s

In traditional Chinese medicine, it was thought that the tea was “cold and lowers the fire” (Li Shizhen) within humans. Fire represented inflammation, and the cooling properties of the tea reduced inflammation to prevent many diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine values natural healing practices such as acupuncture and herbs, instead of antibiotics or painkillers. It focuses on physical and mental healing for both the patient and the practitioner. This form of healthcare has been used for thousands of years, and “accounts for between 30 to 50 per cent of total medicinal consumption in China”. These practices could be a great alternative to some synthetic western medicinal practices, for the Chinese practice is natural, and has healing properties for the patient as well as the practitioner. Steps are being taken towards including traditional medicine in the west, and studies are currently being conducted in North America about the benefits of green tea.

Image source: Wikipedia

Studies have shown that green tea consumption may be linked to the prevention of cancer. Drinking the beverage everyday may prevent lung, colon, mouth, stomach, and kidney cancer. Another study has shown that green tea activates antioxidants and suppresses the growth and replication of cancer cells in the gastrointestinal tract.

Image source: Wikipedia

Green tea contains theanine, an amino acid which can reduce stress. Furthermore, the antioxidants in green tea have anti-aging properties, and therefore it is being used in topical creams and skin treatments. It can even help protect skin from UV ray damage! Other studies have shown that consuming green tea and green tea extracts may improve oral health, increase your metabolism, help control your body weight and fat content, increase bone density, and increase your energy and brain power!

Although further research is necessary to fully understand the positive effects that green tea can have on our health, the results so far are favourable! You may want to think twice next time you reach for a cup of coffee in the morning; instead choose green tea! Its a delicious beverage that will wake you up while simultaneously improving your mental and physical health!

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Public Engagement, Science Communication

Mental Health is your Physical Health

Posted on September 28, 2019 by Eric Hsieh | 5 comments

The National College Health Assessment surveyed in 2016, that 1 in 5 Canadian postsecondary students are depressed or battling other mental issues. Knowing how to maintain mental health is especially important for University students. Without having it in check, it will affect every aspect of life, regarding academic performance, social aptness, and general outlook to life such as self-efficacy.

At first glance when people mention mental health, most think they’re not a real illness and it’s just an excuse for poor behaviour. Other myths include “people experiencing mental illness are those who are weak and can’t handle stress” or “it’s just part of the aging process.” Well, those statements are not true, and believing in it only fuels the stigma and discrimination making it harder for people to reach out for solutions!

What is mental health and mental illness?

Mental health is your ability to handle and cope with stress and to enjoy daily life, it includes the way you feel, act, and relate to others. If people experience inabilities to perform these ordinary tasks, they are experiencing poor mental health and could be diagnosed with mental illness. Having mental illness means there is physical altering to your brain because different cognitive abilities are controlled by different parts of your brain. Just think of your brain as a machine, if something is not functioning as usual then something needs maintenance. Mental illness is a brain disorder that is caused by things like stressful life events, brain injury, irregular hormones, addictions, and imbalance of chemical messenger in the brain.

How does the brain work?

Neurons, which are cells designed to transfer information, are the basic workings of how different parts of the brain talks to each other. If there is an imbalance of chemical messenger in the brain, the neurons will have trouble transferring messages. Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are common chemical messengers, having a deficit of these will have you experience symptoms of poor mental health.

These are only a few of the components that make up your entire brain:

Prefrontal Cortex – Recalls memories, make decisions, problem-solving, and your response to situations

Amygdala – Controls fear; helps you avoid harmful and dangerous things

Cingulate cortex – Controlling emotion and concentration on tasks

Hippocampus – Makes and store new memories

How Neurons Communicate

So how does your physical health affect your mental health? Well, you will experience mental illness in two ways:

If you lack a sufficient amount of chemical messengers needed to communicate with different components of your brain.
If you suffer brain damage, the damaged part of your brain will not work properly even if you have a sufficient amount of chemical messengers.

If you experience mild symptoms of poor mental health, most likely your chemical messengers are lacking. A quick fix for students is to exercise regularly because it’s proven to boost metabolism to counter this kind of health deterioration. The physical health of your brain is the health of your mind! That’s the connection where mental health goes hand-in-hand with physical health!

5 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Statistics

Tagged brain scans, cellular respiration, mental health, physical health

More Facts about Vapes

Posted on September 23, 2019 by han jiang | Leave a comment

15% of Canadians have tried an e-cigarette. Teenagers and the youth (15 to 24 years) have the highest rates of trying vaping.

Behind the popularity, there are many consequences people may not know about. Although sometimes it called vapes, these devices do not produce water vapor, instead an aerosol. Aerosols contain many fine solid particles or liquid droplets that are created from e-liquid. Therefore, an aerosol could contain propylene glycol and glycerin, which are known to be safe for edible use only.
But we know very little about their safety for long-term inhalational exposure. “More than 500 people have been diagnosed with vaping-related breathing illnesses, but the cause remains unknown,” U.S. health officials said on 9.19.2019. (We’re still monitoring the relation and will update the content when more information is available.)
Besides, the e-liquids can also contain alcohol, sometimes in high levels, and inhaling alcohol is known to have toxic effects on the brain. It puts people at high risk for alcohol poisoning and increase the possibility for alcohol addiction.

Chemophobia and the Myth: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Vanessa Lee | 3 comments

Image created by: Vanessa Lee

From the surface, the healthy eating mantra “if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it” seems like good advice. However, if you have believed or have followed this motto, you have been a victim of chemophobia.

What is chemophobia?

Chemophobia is an irrational fear of chemicals. In fact, it is very common among the public to be scared of synthetic chemicals. It comes from a misconception of chemistry and generalizations made from scientific and media reports that suggest exposure to chemicals can harm your health.

Why is chemophobia important?

Chemophobia misinforms the public by letting people think that all chemicals are bad and harmful, when in reality chemicals are everywhere. In fact, we are made of chemicals! Yes, some chemicals can cause danger, but many harmful chemicals are only toxic when used in copious amounts, which leads to the saying “the dose makes the poison”.

https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/05/19/natural-vs-man-made-chemicals-dispelling-misconceptions/

Image created by: Compound Interest

Nevertheless, chemophobia has become more and more popular, and has now been considered a phenomenon that influences how people shop and how companies market their products. Companies market their products to appeal to nature, as consumer trends reports show that Canadians are increasingly seeking to purchase “natural” and organic products.

Canadians are becoming more concerned about their health and are more motivated to eat healthier. The general public believes that purchasing products that are labelled “organic” and “natural” (which in fact, are very different) are healthier and safer for our bodies. One of the reasons for this perception may be due to the public’s unawareness of ingredients in an ingredients list. Many people often assume that any chemical-sounding names are harmful or bad for the body.

For example, take a look at the ingredient list below. At first glance, would you eat this?

Image created by: James Kennedy

After reading the ingredient list, you may be thinking: “These ingredients are all chemicals! Whatever this is, it must be unhealthy and filled with preservatives!”

Regardless if you answered yes or no, these are actually the ingredients of… bananas!

Image created by: James Kennedy

You see, it is very easy to become a victim of chemophobia.

After watching this video created by AsapSCIENCE, it is almost impossible to eat chemical-free food. In fact, many common ingredients that are essential to maintain our health have some of the hardest-to-pronounce names.

For example, Tocopherol and Ascorbic acid are the chemical names of vitamin E and vitamin C, respectively. While, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids that are essential nutrients needed for life.

As for the motto “if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it”, science and chemistry are rarely that crystal clear. Perhaps, an improved motto would be “if you can’t pronounce it, research what it does.”

As for Yvette d’Entremont, a former analytical chemist and now blogger, she prefers her saying: “If you can’t pronounce it, get a dictionary! Go out in the world and learn something.”

By Vanessa Lee

3 Comments

Posted in Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science Communication, Science Communicators

Tagged #chemistry, #chemophobia, #food, #foodscience, #sciencemyths

Category Archives: Science Communication

More Facts about Vapes

A robotic hug For Jellies

Bioplastics, Can They Help?

AirPods: Fancy or Risky?

What’s The Tea? The Health Benefits of Green Tea

What are the health benefits of green tea? Where did it originate, and why is it the superior morning beverage?

Mental Health is your Physical Health

More Facts about Vapes

Chemophobia and the Myth: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!

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What are the health benefits of green tea? Where did it originate, and why is it the superior morning beverage?

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