Natural Sciences Division

A new study led by the University of Washington has for the first time quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four geographically widespread ocean giants that are threatened by shipping: blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. In a paper published online Nov. 21 in Science, researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale speciesâ ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have any measures in place to protect whales from this threat. These measures include speed reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, for ships crossing waters that overlap with whale migration or feeding areas.

Exciting. Confusing. Inspiring. Intimidating. Being a first-generation college student can bring many challenges and emotions. If you are a first-gen student, know that you are in good company. Here, ten UW Arts & Sciences students/alumni who've been in your shoes offer their thoughts on surviving — and thriving — as a first-generation student at the UW. 

It’s not clear how the juvenile male ended up so far north, but experts suggest he was motivated by his appetite. Dee Boersma, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Nuclear fission has powered our world and medical advancements for decades, yet some of its secrets have remained elusive. Aurel Bulgac, professor of physics at the UW, is quoted.

A team led by scientists at the University of Washington and the University of Aberdeen attached tiny âbackpackâ trackers to hummingbirds in the Colombian Andes to learn more about their movements. As they report in a paper published Oct. 10 in the journal Ecology and Evolution, the tracking system will aid conservation efforts in this region by revealing the previously hidden movements of hummingbirds and other small animals.

Standing on the beach in the small town of Denmark in Western Australia on Friday afternoon was a male emperor penguin, about 2,100 miles from where one might expect to find it, in Antarctica. Dee Boersma, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Eric Adelberger, UW professor emeritus of physics, has been awarded the American Physical Society's Einstein Prize. 

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

As Earth faces unprecedented climate change, a look into the planetâs deep past may provide vital insights into what may lie ahead. But knowledge of the natural world millions of years ago is fragmented. A 15-year study of a site in Bolivia by a joint U.S.-Bolivia team has provided a comprehensive view of an ancient ecosystem when Earth was much warmer than it is today, and changed how we look at the Andes.

The hunt for dark matter is shifting from particles to waves named after a laundry detergent. Gray Rybka, associate professor of physics at the UW, is quoted.

Emergency department visits for self-harm have spiked since the pandemic. Experts explain the psychology behind the behavior and how to overcome it. Vibh Forsythe Cox, clinical associate professor of psychology and director of the Marsha M. Linehan DBT Clinic at the UW, is quoted.

Across the animal kingdom, models have vastly underestimated the energy costs of reproduction. Lauren Buckley, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

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.

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.

Mathematics and Democracy, an undergraduate mathematics course, explores the role of math in many aspects of democracy, from elections to proportional representation.