Natural Sciences Division

The carbon that is a key component of the human body — and all other lifeforms on Earth — may have traveled outside the galaxy after being created before returning on a cosmic "conveyor belt," an author of a new study has suggested. Samantha Garza, a doctoral student of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

The carbon on the Earth – and therefore, in us – probably spent some time outside the Milky Way galaxy before forming our planet, according to a new study. The UW's Samantha Garza, a doctoral student of astronomy, and Jessica Werk, professor and chair of astronomy, are quoted.

Every atom of carbon in your body has an incredible story to tell. Before becoming part of you, the carbon atom likely spent time not just in other living things, but also floating in the vast spaces between stars. Samantha Garza, a doctoral student of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

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.

University of Washington scientists recently discovered that the giant 'conveyer belt' currents that push star-forged material out of our galaxy and pull it back in can also transport carbon atoms. That means that a good deal of the carbon here on Earth, including the carbon in our bodies, likely left the galaxy at some point!

It can help us cope with painful events and find peace in the present moment. Marsha Linehan, professor emeritus of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Throughout her journey from preschool teacher to speech and language pathologist to a special education administrator, Sara Jerger (BS, MS, Speech & Hearing Sciences) has helped students thrive. 

Cute creatures going viral is nothing new. But 2024 seems to be on a different level of feral fascination. David Barash, professor emeritus of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Most shipping routes cross whale habitats worldwide. Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

If there’s a hidden world in the solar system, a new telescope should find it. Mario Jurić, professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.