Category Archives: Science Communication

The Escalator to Extinction

Posted on April 14, 2021 by | Leave a comment

On those rare summer days when the temperature is climbing to nearly forty degrees celsius, you have probably dreamed of climbing into a freezer. Well, this desperation to escape the heat is not unique to us. As humanity drives the temperature up through global warming, many tropical species are in desperate need of a good fan. But with a lack of appliances in the tropical wilderness, they are starting to migrate up mountains to escape the heat. However, this one way escalator ride up the mountain may be leading to extinction. 

Source: Pixabay.com

Dr. Freeman’s Research: 

Dr. Benjamin Freeman, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of British Columbia, aims to understand how global warming is impacting where montane (mountain-dwelling) species live. His recent study highlights how climate change is causing species to shift upward, which can lead to the extinction of species living higher up on mountains. This phenomenon is known as the “escalator to extinction” which is explained by the video below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOoO2_DxwS0&ab_channel=MatthewLim

To make these conclusions, Dr. Freeman examined datasets from various studies that measured elevational shifts associated with global warming over the last 100 years. Based on his findings, the escalator to extinction is around the corner for tropical montane species. 

Effects of the escalator to extinction: 

This phenomenon can have various effects on montane species and our society as discussed in the following podcast.

Thank you to freesound.org for providing the sound effects used in our podcast (plasterbrain, InspectorJ)

In the podcast, Dr. Freeman mentions that less available land at higher altitudes of a mountain are threatening montane species. 

Why is this the case?

Less available land at higher altitudes often means less resources for organisms to use. Thus, as species continue to shift upslope to evade the heat, there will be increased competition within species populations and between different species. This competition for resources such as food and habitat will likely result in the strongest species surviving, and lead to extirpations (loss of species populations) of weaker species. Some examples of extirpations caused by the escalator to extinction are populations of the White-eared Solitaire and Fulvous-breasted Flatbill as found by a previous study by Dr. Freeman.

Furthermore, temperature-dependent (requiring specific temperature to survive) crop diseases such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens shifting upslope can greatly affect human populations living in mountains. For example, introducing new crop diseases can lead to lower crop yields. Thus, human communities in mountains can potentially face unexpected food shortages, and be forced to find different sources of food. 

How can we prevent this? 

If we cannot stop global warming, we must guide animals to higher elevations to save them from extinction. Many species go extinct because they are restricted from higher elevations due to human agricultural activities that divide up lands. One possible way to facilitate their upward migration is through the development of corridors that give species a path to higher elevations. In addition, we can plant trees at higher altitudes to provide new habitats for these displaced organisms.

Once grown, these newly planted trees will provide accessible habitats for species and as a result, potentially reduce extirpation events. 

Source: commons.wikimedia.org/

But really, the best thing we can do is raise awareness of this critical issue.

-Karnvir Dhillon, Declan O’Driscoll, Samantha Nalliah, Matthew Lim 

 

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Replacing UV Lights with a “Green” Alternative

Posted on April 14, 2021 by | Leave a comment

With summer just around the corner, it’s nearing that time of year where we start slapping on sunscreen to protect ourselves. After all, it’s well known that ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can damage our DNA. Despite this, UV light is still used for all sorts of applications – ranging from UV lamps at nail salons, to the hardening of resins.

A UV lamp in action. Source: cottonbro, Pexel.

The question remains: is it necessary to use UV light in these processes?

Good news: no!

Alternatives to UV light for similar processes have been recently identified by researchers. One such researcher is Taylor Wright, a graduate student at the University of British Columbia. In 2020, Wright developed a safe, low-cost method which uses harmless green LED lights instead of UV light. Wanting to learn more about this research, we sat down for an interview with Wright.

Into the details of cross-linking

The previously mentioned applications (UV lamps, resin hardening) are examples of a process called cross-linking. For an explanation of cross-linking, as well as a walkthrough of Wright’s cross-linking method of a material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), please refer to the following video:

Okay… why should I care about this?

As we’ve previously said, frequent use of UV light in cross-linking processes poses a health risk to workers. By substituting with green LEDs, Wright’s newly developed method could help eliminate potential health complications in workers who deal with cross-linking processes.

But wait, there’s more! This research can also be applied to the biomedical field, through making antimicrobial fabrics. Turns out, by slightly altering the chemical properties of PDMS, we can give PDMS antimicrobial properties. By dipping a piece of fabric into liquid PDMS, then cross-linking to produce a solid PDMS coating, we can produce antimicrobial fabrics! The diagram below helps visualize the process.

Step-by-step walkthrough of making the antimicrobial fabric. Source: Wright’s 3MT

This would have important implications for reducing the rate of infections in high-risk settings, such as hospitals. In the US alone, there are approximately 100,000 deaths resulting from infections acquired in a healthcare setting. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic that we’ve been in for a whole year now, this application has never been more relevant. Wright’s low-cost, simple, and safe method of producing antimicrobial fabrics could be crucial in reducing the impacts of any future pandemics.

Beyond the research

Although we learned much about his research during our interview with Wright, we were also able to get a glimpse into the person behind the science. To hear about his journey that resulted in the person he is today, listen to this week’s episode of Vancity Science, a podcast run by one of our members, Chie!

Audio sources: Blue Dot Sessions, Free To Use Sound – Royalty Free Sound Effects, Kyster, SnakeBarney, dobroide, KelliesKitchen, ZyryTSounds, ShadyDave, InspectorJ

 

Special thanks to Taylor Wright – we are excited to see further innovations by scientists with unique perspectives that can make the world a safer and better place!

– Sam Jung, Chie Nakayama, Madeline Filewych

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Global Warming: A Death Wish for Fish

Posted on April 14, 2021 by | Leave a comment

After a study done in 2020 using computer simulations, Dr. William Cheung and his team from the University of British Columbia found a concerning fate for our fish: as a result of increased ocean temperatures, the fish populations in the northeast Pacific Ocean are predicted to decline significantly by 2050.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
Credit: CruiseExperts, cruiseexperts.com

We take for granted how large and beautiful our oceans really are. They are full of life, and house over 2 million different species of animals ranging from the beautiful coral reefs in Australia, to the largest animals ever discovered. However, imagine if the oceans were empty, and life no one longer existed underwater. Sadly, this is becoming a reality, and according to marine expert Dr. William Cheung, we are headed straight in this direction.

Continued global warming resulting from our emissions has caused the temperature of surface ocean waters to steadily increase. These rises in temperature have led to a doubling of marine heatwaves, or periods of extremely high temperatures in ocean waters, since around 1982 (as seen in the graph below), in turn significantly affecting all marine life, especially fish.

Large Recent Increases in Marine Heatwaves
Credit: Climate Central, climatecentral.org

Dr. Cheung not only identified patterns of current decline in fish populations as a result of marine heatwaves, but has predicted significant future decline as global warming continues. In fact, Dr. Cheung predicts that populations of common fish species such as sockeye salmon will decrease by more than 40% by 2100. These predictions are based on the assumption that we do not change our current emission trends, which does not have to be the case.

You might not think this, but you, me, and every single person on this planet plays a part in our global warming problem. Everyday decisions such as driving your car can contribute to global warming and have downstream effects in marine environments, as described in the video below.

Although there are new policies tackling climate change, and large progressions made in the right direction, according to Dr. Cheung, this is still not enough. He says,

“We really need to pick up the pace and accelerate the actions against climate change.” 

So what can I do to help?

Fixing a global problem like climate change requires global contributions, and it starts with all of us. Although it might be true that your changes alone wouldn’t stop climate change, if all 7.6 billion people on the planet made one small positive change, the effects would be enormous. The TeamTrees podcast below highlights the many different ways we can start protecting the future of our oceans now.

Thank you to freesound.org (Robinhood76, SomeoneCool15, Simon_Lacelle, Votichez, Sentuniman) for providing the sound effects used in our podcast.

If we are to save the fish and the rest of marine life from these increasingly prevalent marine heatwaves, we need to act now.

~SO Group #3: William, Jessica, Balkaran, Adam

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Chemistry for Cancer: New Radioactive Tracers for Cancer Diagnosis

Posted on April 13, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Cutting-edge chemistry may be the key to fast and efficient cancer diagnoses. In early 2020, Antonio Wong and his research team at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, BC, developed a new way to synthesize radioactive tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) scan cancer diagnosis. Recently, I interviewed Antonio to discuss his research.

The Problem 

Imaging technologies like the CT scan, ultrasound, X-ray, MRI, and PET scans allow doctors to identify cancerous masses in patients. Although PET scans are a common way to diagnose cancer, researchers want to find ways to make tracers more efficiently. So, Antonio and his team aimed to develop a new kind of tracer and to make the synthetic process more efficient.

PET scan and technician, Source: http://www.bccancer.bc.ca

The Science 

Since cancer cells divide quickly and uncontrollably, they require many more cellular “building blocks” compared to regular cells. Taking advantage of this, researchers have previously developed “tagged” versions of  these building blocks, called tracers, which accumulate inside cancer cells. This allows doctors to see tumors in PET scan images. When I spoke to Antonio, he explained that the “golden standard” for PET imaging uses a sugar molecule called glucose tagged with a radioactive fluoride atom (called FDG) which is responsible for the glow on medical images. To see how tracers work, check out this video below.

Combining innovation and creativity, Antonio’s team developed a more efficient way to make these tiny building blocks by using a careful mixture of chemicals. They used a molecule called thymidine which is required for cell division, tagged it with a radioactive atom (18F), and injected into mice with cancer. The mice were then put into a PET scan to see if the building blocks were “building up” inside the tumors, which would glow on the PET scan images.

Tracer synthesis, Source: Antonio’s Paper

The Impact 

When Antonio ran this study, he was an undergraduate student at UBC. As a result, his story has caught the attention of students on campus. After my interview with Antonio, my colleague Parwaz, a UBC student who runs a podcast called “Thinkin’ a Latte”, chatted with two other UBC undergraduates about the interview. Check out their podcast below.

Although the study’s findings are promising, using thymidine-based tracers for PET tumor imaging requires much more research before it can be used in clinics. 

“I think the significance of this paper is not like ‘look this is the next blockbuster drug that we’re trying to use’, this is more like a proof of concept”

– Antonio Wong

Nonetheless, cancer is a prevalent disease that has touched the lives of almost everyone and research like Antonio’s is bringing much needed innovation and creativity to the field.

– Maya Bird 

Co-authors: Parwaz, Samin, and Teaya 

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Reusable Grocery Bags… It’s Complicated

Posted on April 5, 2021 by | Leave a comment

I hope you don’t like your groceries in a plastic bag, because that may be a thing of the past very soon! As the world looks to reduce plastic waste, many countries have banned the use of single-use plastic bags – with Vancouver to follow suit by 2021. Greener alternatives—biodegradable or compostable (BoC) plastic bags, paper bags, reusable plastic bags, and cotton totes—have been steadily becoming more popular for many shoppers.

Some alternatives to single-use plastic bags. Adapted from Plastic Education.

But what’s really the truth? How much better are these so-called greener alternatives?

What if I told you that the chic tote you bought for yourself is actually much, much worse for the environment than a plastic bag?

What’s it take to make these bags?

To get a good grasp of the environmental impact these bags can have, we need to look at the full picture. Turns out, the bulk of the environmental impact of these bags come from the production stage. Let’s have a quick overview of how each type of bag is made.

The single-use plastic bag—in all of its environmentally unfriendly glory—is produced from petroleum. The thicker, reusable plastic bags are also made from petroleum, except they require quite more. On the other hand, we make BoC plastic bags from plant-based materials such as starch! Wood pulp is required for paper bags, and of course, cotton (which requires loads of resources) is needed to make cotton totes.

A cotton field. Source: Jimmy Smith, Flickr

So how does this play into the environmental impact?

There are many studies called life cycle assessments (LCA) which examine how a product is made, used, then disposed of. In 2018, the Denmark Environmental Protection Agency conducted a LCA of the different types of grocery bags. For each type, they looked at the total environmental impact (greenhouse gas release, ozone depletion, water depletion, toxicity, and more).

“Greener alternative”… well, no, not really.

The big question is, how many times do you need to use your reusable bags in order to have less impact than if you used single-use plastic bags?

You might want to hold onto your seat. For the total environmental impact, you’d want to use your BoC plastic bags, paper bags, and reusable plastic bags at least 40 times in order to beat single-use plastic bags. And for the cotton tote? You would need to reuse it 7100 times. It’s even higher for organic cotton, since organic crop yields are lower: try 20000 times. If you use your tote three times a week, it would take 45 years (128 if organic) to break even with single-use plastic bags!

It’s intuitive to think that the greener alternatives would be better for the environment. Single-use plastic bags do not break down, and end up in landfills, whereas alternatives could be either biodegradable or used many, many times before they break and become unusable. It goes to show that it’s important to consider not just the disposal of a product, but also the production and resources that go into making it.

For more information, check out this video from SciShow!

 

-Sam Jung

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Not Seeing Gains at the Gym? Have you heard of Mind-Muscle Connection?

Posted on March 30, 2021 by | 2 comments

When individuals talk about increasing muscle mass and getting stronger, several different strategies are brought up. For example, most people like to focus on nutrition or training harder at the gym. Don’t get me wrong, these are important strategies to improve your physique and build muscle mass, but there is one thing that is often overlooked. This is the phenomenon called “Mind-Muscle Connection”.

A study conducted in 2015 by Joaquin Calatayud and team, describes the mind-muscle connection and what happens when you mentally apply yourself during workouts. If you haven’t heard of mind-muscle connection, you may be wondering what it is and how can this apply to you?

What is Mind-Muscle Connection?

In simple terms, mind-muscle connection (MMC) is when you consciously and deliberately contract a specific or group of muscles in your body. The brain sends a signal to your muscles at the “neuromuscular junction,” telling the particular muscle to contract. The neuromuscular junction acts as a bridge and connects the skeletal system to the human body’s nervous system.

This video showcases what MMC is in a nutshell:

Source: PictureFit (YouTube)

MMC used in Resistance Training

The study determined if performance will improve if an individual focused on specific muscles (chests and triceps) when doing a bench press.The subjects of the study were separated into three groups where they performed the bench press while: 1) not concentrating on any specific muscle in the body, 2) concentrating on the pectoralis (chest) major muscles, and 3) concentrating on flexing the triceps muscles. In these conditions, the subjects performed the bench press at 20%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 80% of their 1-repitition max (1-RM). The final results of the experiment showed that the muscle activity did increase when emphasis was put on the two target muscles, but only up to 60% of their 1-RM.

Man performing bench press. Source: muscleandstrength.com

You may be asking, why is MMC only effective up to 60% 1-RM? This is because when you create a mental connection with your brain to the muscles, it requires concentration and attention. You will only be able to concentrate when you lift a weight that you can manage, for example, around 20-60% of your 1-RM. If you go over 60% of your 1-RM, you will not be able to solely focus on the specific muscle, since your mental focus will be directed towards how heavy the weight is.

How can you create MMC when you lift? Give these two tricks a shot during your workouts:

  • Slow Down: Your muscles have to work more if you move slowly, allowing you to have more time to connect your brain to the specific muscle movement.
  • Ego Check: Many people are obsessed with lifting more and more weight, but instead, focus on the quality of each repetition.

It is common to see muscle growth coming to a halt when going to the gym and when results are not seen, this results in a lack of motivation. For those of you who are experiencing this, MMC can be the missing piece for you.

– Parwaz Gill

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Dining Out: Are we digging ourselves an early grave?

Posted on March 29, 2021 by | Leave a comment

How often do you find yourself sitting down to eat at a restaurant? Or maybe even taking a detour to your favourite fast food drive-thru? If your answer is along the lines of, “more often than I’d like to admit”, then it’s time for some serious reflection. A recent study led by lead investigator, Wei Bao, from the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Iowa linked frequent consumption of away-from-home meals to an increased risk of all-cause death.  

Eating Out – How Often and Why (adapted image). Source: Statistics Canada

The downside of dining out

It should come as no surprise that the dietary quality of meals from restaurants and fast food chains fall below home-cooked meals. You may have noticed that serving sizes at restaurants are quite large. Due to this, people have no way of controlling their calorie intake and the risk factor for obesity increases as well. In addition, fast food meals are usually high in sugar and sodium. Meals with added sugar are not only addictive but low in nutrition. It’s quite evident how addictive McDonald’s fries are and that may be due to them being coated in dextrose, a form of sugar. Meals high in sodium cause water retention which in turn can make you feel bloated and can also elevate blood pressure which puts stress on your heart. Most fast food meals also contain a large amount of carbohydrates. The video below called “How do carbohydrates impact your health?”, by the TED-Ed Youtube channel, explains what carbohydrates are and the downside of eating too many.

It gets worse

The dietary quality of food away from home is not exactly top tier but the problem does not end there. Recent evidence has also linked this poor dietary quality to an early death. Lead investigator Wei Bao’s study is one of the first to put in numbers the connection between eating out and mortality. The findings from this study built on previous knowledge, similar to what was discussed above, of how eating out often has negative impacts on our health. There were 35, 084 participants from this study that reported their dietary habits, such as how often they were dining out, in a questionnaire. During the follow-up with these participants, 2,781 deaths occurred. From this number, 511 deaths occurred from cardiovascular disease and 638 deaths occurred from cancer.

Sharpen those culinary skills 

The fact that dining out frequently is not only unhealthy but is now linked to an early death should be a wake-up call for those of us that rarely eat home-cooked meals. The best recommendation for avoiding severe health problems would be to reduce the amount of meals we eat prepared away from home and instead sharpen our own cooking skills to prepare meals at home. Additionally, restaurants should practice portion control and reduce the serving sizes of their meals as another study has proposed. Hopefully, with this information, you’ll listen to your parents when they say “there’s food at home”.

– Ramdeep Dosanjh

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Plastics: Why They Are Bad, and a New Plant-Based Solution!

Posted on March 29, 2021 by | 4 comments

From water bottles to cigarette butts to straws, plastic has become an important asset to many of the products and appliances that we use today. However, with the huge influence that plastic has on the manufacturing industry, comes the potential destruction of the environment. Luckily, a study conducted by Mecking and others discusses the invention of a new plant-based plastic that can potentially fix this problem!

why are plastics bad?

Most of the plastics that are used today are manufactured from petroleum, which is a fossil fuel that is formed when dead organisms are broken down throughout millions of years. Then, petroleum is converted into a type of material that is unrecognizable by the organisms that normally break down products like petroleum. This results in plastics that decompose very slowly, or do not decompose at all. These plastics tend to accumulate and end up in landfills and incinerators, or even worse, dumped into the environment.

“Plastic Ocean” by Kevin Krejci is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

what about recycling?

There are two types of plastics that need to be addressed. The first type is thermoset plastics. These are plastics that are not recyclable. The second type is thermoplastics. These are plastics that can be melted into smaller parts and re-formed into different plastics. This is the process that we call mechanical recycling. However, every time these plastics are recycled, their quality starts to decrease. In fact, a piece of plastic can only be recycled 2-3 times before it reaches a point where it can no longer be used!

plant-based plastic to the rescue

A solution to this imperfect recycling procedure is to utilize a new recycling method known as chemical recycling. This is a process that breaks down plastics at the molecular level, which can then be used to create other materials without a decrease in quality.

Check out the video above by CNBC for more information on chemical recycling!

 

In Feb 2021, a paper was released in Nature by Mecking and others, discussing the invention of a new plant-based type of plastic. Rather than using fossil fuels such as petroleum, this type of plastic is composed of plant oils. This plastic can utilize chemical recycling at a much more efficient rate than what is originally possible.

Normally, chemical recycling of fossil-fuel-composed plastics requires a lot of energy; temperatures above 600 degrees Celsius are required and only 10% of the plastic can be utilized for other materials. In comparison, their new plant-based plastic only needs to heat to around 250 degrees Celsius and can utilize up to 96% of the original material!

Stefan Mecking, the lead author of the study, acknowledged in an interview in the Academic Times, that their new plastic would have a hard time competing with the cheap cost of ethylene. Hopefully, with further refinement, Mecking and his team will be able to lower the price point of their plastic to a level that is suitable for the plastic industry.

– Aaron Yoon

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