Natural Sciences Division

The oldest known primate fossils were dated to just after the extinction event 66 million years ago —suggesting some primate ancestors lived even longer ago. Gregory Wilson Mantilla, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

A long streak of lights slow-danced over the Pacific Northwest around 9 p.m. Thursday. The bright show dazzled onlookers from Snohomish County to Salem, Oregon, leaving many to wonder what caused the spectacle. While viewers speculated it could be a meteor shower, fireworks or something extra-terrestrial, scientists report the sight was actually human-made. James Davenport, a research assistant professor of astronomy at the UW, is interviewed.

Halley Greg (who graduated from UW with a double degree in biology and psychology) is on this season of The Voice.

Alexandra Velian, assistant professor of chemistry, has been named a 2021 Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Science.

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the “what ifs” having come true, therapists hear story after story of collective trauma, grief and loss, all through a computer or phone screen. Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Astronomers once gazed at the night sky and charted the stars using their naked eyes. Emily Levesque, associate professor of astronomy at the UW, describes how generations of telescopes have unlocked the wonders of the universe.

Peter Kahn, professor in the Department of Psychology, discusses his new documentary about humanity's connection to the natural world.

Psychology professor Jane Simoni explains the mental health implications of the COVID-19 vaccine phase.

An unexpected superconductor was beginning to look like a fluke, but a new theory and a second discovery has revealed that emergent quasiparticles may be behind the effect. Matthew Yankowitz, assistant professor of physics at the UW, is quoted.

A new study from a research team led by Munira Khalil, professor and chair of chemistry, explains the role of solvent molecules in light-driven electron transfer.

UW Physics Professor Miguel Morales has penned a math-free tour of quantum mechanics and technology

A new study by psychology researchers at the UW has found that a mindfulness program they created improves students' mental health. Liliana Lengua, psychology professor and director of the Center for Child and Family Well-Being, and Robyn Long, director of community programs and training for the Center for Child and Family Well-Being, are quoted.

A new study authored by Rodolfo Cortes Barragan, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, has found that "identification with all of humanity" preditcts whether someone will engage in "prosocial" behaviors during COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people who recognize the connections they share with others are more likely to wear a mask, follow health guidelines and help people, even at a potential cost to themselves, a new University of Washington study shows.

With the COVID-19 pandemic confining many Americans to their homes, a significant number of people used the money they might otherwise have spent on travel or eating out to invest in rooftop solar systems. Daniel Gamelin, professor of chemistry at the UW, is quoted.