All Stories

Recording memories, reading thoughts and manipulating what another person sees through a device in their brain may seem like science fiction plots about a distant and troubled future. But a team of multi-disciplinary researchers say the first steps to inventing these technologies have already arrived. They want to put in place safeguards for our most precious biological possessions: our mind. Sara Goering, professor of philosophy at the UW, is quoted.

Resistance to the military coup in Myanmar continues to grow, and social media images now show a military force training to defend the shadow civilian government. Mary Callahan, associate professor of international studies at the UW, is interviewed.

Gary Martin, Assistant Teaching Professor of Near Eastern Languges and Civilization, discusses his fascination with the alphorn.

"Some ask whether climate policy has reached a 'social tipping point,' a self-reinforcing contagion process that will decarbonize the economy. Tipping points can be activated by interventions such as divesting from fossil fuel assets or exposing the moral failings of a fossil fuel economy, both of which are reflected in the recent developments in Chevron, Shell, and ExxonMobil," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

Seabirds are “sentinels” of ocean health. If marine ecosystems are suffering, the birds will be among the first to show it. Now a major study finds that seabirds in the Northern Hemisphere are already struggling. And without extra precautions, those in the Southern Hemisphere might be next. Dee Boersma, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

A proposal by the European Union would match U.S. and China bans on elephant poaching. But given recent record seizures, it may be too late for elephants. Sam Wasser, research professor of biology at the UW and director of the Center for Conservation Biology, is quoted.

In a paper published online last month, Bo Zhao, assistant professor of geography at the UW, employed AI techniques similar to those used to create so-called deepfakes to alter satellite images of several cities. Zhao and colleagues swapped features between images of Seattle and Beijing to show buildings where there are none in Seattle and to remove structures and replace them with greenery in Beijing.

Mark Ward, lecturer in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, discusses peace in Afghanistan.

In Gary Simmons's show The Engine Room, which is currently up at Henry Art Gallery, the Los Angeles-based artist experiments with elements of Seattle’s music history, particularly focusing on the contributions of Black musicians to the scene.

Wing Luke Museum’s “Asian American Women Rising: NOT Your Model Minority” was a masterfully crafted webinar on May 22, with the goal of inspiring viewers to participate in our democracy for the purpose of ending hate and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders\, especially women. The UW's Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies, and student Tianna Andresen are quoted.