UBC researchers have identified a previously unknown microbe that plays a crucial role in converting food waste into renewable natural gas, using a molecular tagging approach that could also detect other elusive microbes - including those that are breaking down microplastics in the ocean.

In a paper published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences, a research team conducted a comprehensive analysis of the horizontal distribution and transport patterns of anthropogenic ¹²⁹I in the northern South China Sea. These findings reveals that terrigenous input is the primary driver of the pronounced ¹²⁹I enrichment observed off the Pearl River estuary. By quantifying the ¹²⁹I inventory across the region, the study further discriminates the relative contributions of different source terms, demonstrating that oceanic advection serves as the dominant pathway through which ¹²⁹I enters the seawater of the northern South China Sea.

A research team introduces a series of iron-doped nickel catalysts (NiO/MgAl₂₋ₓFeₓO₄) that achieve efficient hydrogen generation from methane decomposition at relatively low temperatures.

A research team led by Prof. WANG Jiguang from the Division of Life Science and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has discovered a previously overlooked subtype of brain tumor termed IME IDH-mutant astrocytoma. Contrary to typical medical expectations, this subtype exhibits strong immune activity, classified as“immune-hot”, yet tends to have poorer survival rates, and may respond differently to treatments compared to other types. In addition, the team has developed an AI framework to assist doctors in accurately identifying this subtype, enabling more personalized patient care.

A new study, led by Dr Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor, a Senior Lecturer in Nature-based Solutions at the University’s Faculty of Natural Sciences, has identified key ecological factors supporting natural colonisation – where trees are encouraged to colonise new areas naturally without the need for planting.

A new international analysis now published in Global Change Biology warns that penguin survival hinges on a shift in how science and conservation policy approach climate change: rather than examining extreme events in isolation, it is their cumulative effects that must be assessed. Applied for the first time in a quantitative way across habitats of all 18 penguin species in the Southern Hemisphere, this perspective provides a crucial tool to anticipate risks and design more effective conservation policies.

From decoding genomes to predicting protein structures, artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of biology. To help harness its potential for discovery through data analysis, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research has appointed Sumner Magruder, Ph.D., as its first AI Fellow. The new role within the Stowers Fellows Program is designed to accelerate the integration of advanced computational methods into biological research.