• Q&A: How 12 UW researchers fell in love with their research

    For Valentine's Day, UW News asked 12 University of Washington researchers to share their love stories: What made them decide to pursue their career paths?
    02/13/2025 | UW News
  • Proposed NIH funding cuts leave WA research institutions fearing ‘fiscal chaos’

    Dozens of universities and scientific institutions across Washington state are facing hundreds of millions of dollars in immediate cuts to NIH-funded programs supporting cancer research, pediatric medicine and drug development. The move could disrupt clinical trials and trigger layoffs and sparked a 22-state federal lawsuit involving Washington. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW; Marion Pepper, professor of immunology at the UW School of Medicine; and UW spokesperson Victor Balta are quoted. The UW's Washington National Primate Research Center is referenced.
    02/11/2025 | The Seattle Times
  • New journal co-founded by NIH nominee raises eyebrows, misinformation fears

    The Journal of the Academy of Public Health claims to open up scientific communication. But its unusual editorial policies have some scientists concerned. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    02/10/2025 | Science
  • Grasshopper size changes suggest how to predict winners and losers under climate change

    Thousands of grasshopper specimens from mountains in Colorado show trends in how the insects changed in size over 65 years. With earlier emergence of spring greenery and earlier summer drought, grasshopper species that emerged early in the year grew larger, while grasshopper species that emerge later in the year grew smaller in size. The study, led by UW biologist Lauren Buckley, shows that changes in insect size can be predicted based on lifecycles and environmental conditions.
    02/03/2025 | UW News
  • Whale, ship collisions around the globe could be helped by slower speeds, study shows

    Giant ships that transport everything from coffee cups to clothes across the ocean are often so large they can’t tell when they collide with a whale. Now, research out of the Northwest could help these massive vessels avoid collisions with whales around the world. Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    01/13/2025 | KUOW
  • ArtSci People & Research in the Media: Autumn Quarter Roundup

    The College of Arts & Sciences is home to many distinguished researchers, faculty, and students. Their work and contributions have been featured in media outside of the UW and across the country. Take a look at some ArtSci features from this past Autumn Quarter. With everything from AI to Orca whales, ArtSci people and research in the media has something for everyone.

    01/09/2025 | College of Arts & Sciences
  • Grieving orca Tahlequah that mourned dead calf in 2018 loses another baby

    The southern resident killer whale, known as Tahlequah, has now lost another calf in what the Center for Whale Research called “devastating” news. Samuel Wasser, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    01/06/2025 | The Washington Post
  • Study: Shipping paths pose a ‘major threat’ to whales

    Most shipping routes cross whale habitats worldwide. Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    12/23/2024 | The Washington Post
  • Hummingbirds don't use their beak like a straw to drink nectar

    According to a study by the UW, hummingbirds move their bills and tongues very quickly to drink a flower's nectar. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.
    12/10/2024 | BBC Newsround
  • UW study finds big risks, little protections for whales from ship strikes worldwide

    Whether it’s smartphones or sneakers, toys or tents, about 80% of commercial goods are transported to markets around the world using giant container ships. As global shipping routes grow to meet increasing demand, so too does the likelihood of fatal collisions with whale species whose ranges overlap with them. Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW, is interviewed.
    12/10/2024 | Oregon Public Broadcasting
  • Ship strikes now leading cause of whale deaths, UW study finds

    With the near complete end of commercial whaling, ship collisions are now a leading cause of death worldwide for large whale species, according to new research published in Science. Yet little is done to manage this risk. Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    12/10/2024 | The Seattle Times
  • Bendy bills allow hummingbirds to down nectar quickly

    Hummingbirds, among the smallest birds on the planet, flap their wings at as much as 80 beats a second. And scientists have been studying how they get enough nectar to satisfy that energy demand. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.
    12/09/2024 | Cosmos Magazine
  • Hummingbird bills are an evolutionary wonder

    At first glance, hummingbird bills look like straws — long and thin, perfect for sipping nectar. But a new study reveals that this comparison is far from accurate. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.
    12/09/2024 | Earth.com
  • That's no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar

    Hummingbird bills — their long, thin beaks — look a little like drinking straws. But new research shows just how little water, or nectar, that comparison holds. University of Washington scientists have discovered that the hummingbird bill is surprisingly flexible.

    12/05/2024 | UW News
  • Analysis: New maps show high-risk zones for whale-ship collisions − vessel speed limits and rerouting can reduce the toll

    "Imagine you are a blue whale swimming up the California coast, as you do every spring. You are searching for krill in the Santa Barbara Channel, a zone that teems with fish, kelp forests, seagrass beds and other undersea life, but also vibrates with noise from ship traffic. Suddenly, the noise gets louder," writes Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW.
    11/25/2024 | The Conversation