University of British Columbia

A decades-old scientific controversy and a small bench-top apparatus at the University of British Columbia (UBC) could be the key to more efficient fusion reactors by increasing the chances of a nuclear reaction occurring.

Vantablack, which is the world's darkest material, could be in for some competition. Canadian scientists have created a super-black substance that has the potential to be cheaper, hardier and easier to manufacture … and it's made out of wood.

Developing pliable power sources to go with wearable electronics is an important field of research, and scientists have put forward an impressive solution they say could be the first ever battery that is both flexible and washable.

Pulp mills generate significant amounts of waste, and we're seeing scientists get quite creative with how it might be put to use. The latest example sees it used as a filler material for cement, which proved to be stronger and more resilient.

A team of scientists has been developing an alternative to air conditioning called the Cold Tube, which works by absorbing body heat emitted from a person and uses around half the energy of traditional systems as a result.

Scientists in Canada have come up with a new adhesive they say can address some of the shortcomings of commercial glues, using ultra-strong connections at the molecular level to create new kinds of bonds between unlikely material partners.

Although ice formation on the wings is a major cause of aircraft crashes, that ice must still mainly be spotted by eye. A new sensor could change that, however, as it uses microwaves to instantly detect the formation of ice that may not be visible to pilots or ground crews.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have developed a new way to build solar cells containing bacteria, which are more efficient than similar systems and can even work on dim, cloudy days.

​Sometimes, people want to clean up polluted water, by removing spilled oil from its surface. Other times, they want to purify oil-based fuel, by removing water from it. An inexpensive new "smart" membrane created at Canada's University of British Columbia can switch between doing both.

​​While we may hear about ways of constructing new buildings to make them earthquake-resistant, what about all the buildings that are standing already? Well, that's where a special new concrete comes in. Sprayed onto existing walls, it allows them to withstand major tremors.​

Manually putting up a Do Not Disturb note at work can be a hassle. With that in mind, a scientist from the University of British Columbia has invented a desktop LED light that automatically switches between green ("It's OK to talk to me") and red ("Leave me alone").​

Construction recently began on new student digs for Canada's University of British Columbia. Designed by Acton Ostry Architects, the Tall Wood Building will rise to 18 floors, making it the tallest wooden residential tower in the world.