-
A look inside Puget Sound’s declining bull kelp beds
Kelp has vanished from about 80% of the shorelines around which it once grew in Puget Sound, according to a 2023 report from Washington’s Kelp Forest Monitoring Alliance. Megan Dethier, a research professor of biology at the UW and director of the UW's Friday Harbor Laboratories, is quoted. -
Video: UW historian on medieval European monsters, and the meaning of monsters
Charity Urbanski, a teaching professor of history at the UW, studies monsters and monstrosities in medieval Europe. One of her interests is the purpose monsters served for medieval Europeans, and what we can learn about medieval European society by looking at their monsters, which served as vehicles for expressing anxieties and fears. -
New funding will help UW researchers make “scents” of air pollution’s effect on pollinators
The $900,000 award — from a collaboration between the Kavli Foundation and the National Science Foundation — will fund work by biology’s Jeff Riffell and atmospheric and climate science’s Joel Thornton. The strengths in climate science, environmental change and neuroscience that span the College of the Environment and the College of Arts and Sciences uniquely positions the UW to bridge these fields and answer novel questions.
-
War’s public health impacts are vast — tallying them is difficult
New research is shedding light on how war inflicts mortality, displaces families and erodes mental health. Nathalie Williams, professor of sociology and of international studies at the UW, is quoted. -
Opinion: Hurricanes Helene and Milton should motivate us to bury power lines
"Hurricanes Helene and Milton remind us of electricity infrastructure’s vulnerability to extreme weather events. However, at least one Florida community, Babcock Ranch, managed to avoid electricity shutoffs from downed power lines," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science. -
Most and least politically engaged states in 2024
The best way to stay engaged in the political process is to vote. But even with a record number of people voting in the last presidential election, we still only had a 66.8% turnout, unfortunately. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted. -
Podcast: Uber + Expedia? Ballmer on 60 Minutes; 1980s Silicon Valley revisited; What's next for AI
Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, talks to GeekWire about the rise of Silicon Valley in the early 1980s. -
What’s with all the Trumpy VCs?
Silicon Valley has historically prided itself on technological supremacy and a belief in social progress. Now many of its loudest and most well-resourced personalities support a candidate who espouses retrograde views. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted. -
Sweetened beverage taxes decrease consumption in lower-income households by nearly 50%, UW study finds
New research from the University of Washington investigated responses to sweetened beverage taxes using the purchasing behavior of approximately 400 households in Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Philadelphia. Researchers found that after the tax was introduced, lower-income households decreased their purchases of sweetened beverages by nearly 50%, while higher-income households reduced purchases by 18%. -
In Seattle play, imaginary friends and loneliness take center stage
In “Primary Trust,” which opens at Seattle Rep on Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 24, playwright Eboni Booth brings audiences on a deep dive into the epidemic of adult loneliness. Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted. -
ArtSci Roundup: Frontiers of Physics Lecture, Film Screening, Washin Kai Lecture and more
This week, attend the Frontiers of Physics lecture, join the South Asia Center for a film screening, head to Kane Hall for a Washin Kai lecture, and more. Election & Democracy Events October 22 | State of Trust: Washingtonâs Political Climate and Voter Priorities, Online What is the current level of trust in our electoral system?... -
Fear of flying? Here’s how to make plane rides less scary
Fear of flying affects more than 25 million Americans. If you are among them, these tools and expert tips could help make your next plane ride easier. Jonathan Bricker, affiliate professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted. -
Christopher Columbus may have been a Spanish Jew, documentary claims
Conventional history states Christopher Columbus was from Genoa, Italy, but he may have been, in fact, a Sephardic Jew from the eastern Iberian Peninsula, according to a new documentary by Spain’s national broadcaster that also rekindles questions of religious persecution and the treatment of Indigenous communities. Devin Naar, associate professor of history and of Jewish studies at the UW, is quoted. -
Q&A: New book shows how innovation inequality fuels Americaâs political divide
Victor Menaldo, UW professor of political science, co-authored the forthcoming book, "U.S. Innovation Inequality and Trumpism." The book focuses on how former President Donald Trump â like other populists that came before him â exploits âinnovation inequality," or the divide between areas that are more technologically advanced and those that arenât. -
Rubin Observatory telescope team installs its huge mirror
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s 8.4-meter Simonyi Survey Telescope in Chile has now been equipped with all three of its mirrors, plus a camera for good measure. James Davenport, research assistant professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted. The UW's Željko Ivezić and Mario Jurić, both professors of astronomy, are mentioned.