Department of Biology

Volcanoes spewing carbon dioxide 250 million years ago heated the climate so much that extreme El Niño events became the norm, pushing most life on Earth past its limits. Peter Ward, professor of Earth and space sciences and of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Happening September 18–27, 2024, Dawg Daze offers more than 500 events hosted by student organizations and UW departments. Kick off the fall quarter and celebrate a return to campus with these can’t-miss recommendations from the College of Arts & Sciences!

New research led by the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has revealed how underwater noise produced by humans may help explain why southern resident orca populations have not recovered from historic lows. In a paper published Sept. 10 in Global Change Biology, the team reports that underwater noise pollution â from both large and small vessels â forces northern and southern resident orcas to expend more time and energy hunting for fish. The din also lowers the overall success of their hunting efforts. Noise from ships likely has an outsized impact on southern resident orca pods, which spend more time in parts of the Salish Sea with high ship traffic.

A ‘mosquito flight simulator’ reveals a potential weakness in one species that carries malaria. Saumya Gupta, a postdoctoral researcher of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Researchers say males can see other mosquitoes flying around, but give chase only when they hear female buzzing. Saumya Gupta, a postdoctoral researcher of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Through her love of languages and plants — and some serendipity — UW junior Katie Ruesink connected with a Korean family while studying in Seoul.

Spraying pesticides can have unintended impacts on important pollinator species. Jeff Riffell, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

An international team led by researchers at the University of Washington has uncovered surprising details about mosquito mating, which could lead to improved malaria control techniques and even help develop precision drone flight. In a paper published Aug. 30 in the journal Current Biology, the team revealed that when a male Anopheles coluzzii mosquito hears the sound of female-specific wingbeats, his eyes âactivateâ and he visually scans the immediate vicinity for a potential mate.

The overlap between humans and animals will increase substantially across much of the planet in less than 50 years due to human population growth and climate change, according to a collaborative study by scientists at the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and University College London. By 2070, the overlap between humans and more than 22,000 vertebrate species will rise across nearly 57% of Earthâs land, according to the team.

Pets were once dismissed as trivial scientific subjects. Today, companion animal science is hot. Daniel Promislow, professor of biology and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW, is quoted.

As the weather starts heating up this week, you may be tempted to go outside—but with the outdoors comes the possibility of getting bitten by mosquitoes. And if you find yourself getting a lot of mosquito bites, it could be because of the way you smell or the colors of the clothes you are wearing, recent research has found. The UW's Jeff Riffell, professor of biology, and Melissa Leon Norena, a doctoral student of biology, are quoted.

Could those irritating mosquito bite bumps soon become a thing of the past? Researchers at the UW are studying the understanding of the feeding behaviors of mosquitoes. Jeff Riffell, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

The UW is delighted to announce the recipients of the 54th annual University of Washington Awards of Excellence! The awards honor outstanding alumni, faculty, staff, students and retirees who contribute to the richness and diversity of our University community.

Dr. Abigail Swann, a UW professor of atmospheric sciences and of biology, led a project that combined climate projections with plant models to determine what combination of traits might be best adapted to future climates. The study used projections of weather and climate across the U.S. in 2050 and 2100 with a model that simulates corn’s growth to find the mix of traits that will produce the highest, most reliable yield under future conditions across the country.

Zebrafish embryos aboard the Chinese Tiangong Space Station are the latest ‘aqua astronauts.’ Aaron van Loon, postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW, is quoted.