Natural Sciences Division

Scientists are struggling to explain why the gray whale population plummeted by nearly a quarter between 2016 and 2020. Sue Moore, affiliate professor of biology and of aquatic and fishery sciences, is quoted.

UW senior Ishira Parikh helped create an award-winning curriculum using what she'd learned through UW courses and volunteer activities. 

Dr. Meredith Rawls, astronomy research scientist, discusses the issue of space debris.

David Hertzog, professor of physics, explains the results of new research on muons, a type of particle.

Evidence is mounting that a tiny subatomic particle called a muon is disobeying the laws of physics as we thought we knew them, scientists announced on Wednesday. David Hertzog, professor of physics at the UW, is mentioned.

“Ever since early February, when some software volunteers debuted a website to help the public find COVID-19 vaccine appointments, they’ve had a unique window into the ebb and flow of what one engineer there dubbed ‘the spice.’ Who wants the vaccines, and who doesn’t? Where in the state are the shots snapped right up, and where are they left wanting?” writes columnist Danny Westneat. Jessica Chong, assistant professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, and Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, are quoted.

The Department of Philosophy's “Why do we need philosophy now?” video contest has concluded, with the first place prize going to College of Arts and Sciences junior Camille Miller.

A 6-mile-wide space rock and colossal eruptions racked Earth at the same fateful moment. Scientists have tried for decades to determine the primary suspect behind the Cretaceous extinction. Gregory Wilson Mantilla, Burke Museum curator of vertebrate paleontology and professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Particles called muons are behaving weirdly and it could mean a huge discovery. David Hertzog, professor of physics at the UW, is interviewed on the “60-Second Science” podcast.

Students across western Washington are returning to the classroom this month. After a year of isolation, mental health experts say some students may be struggling with the idea of heading back to school. Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed.

The term “herd immunity” has been thrown around frequently as vaccinations in the United States have ramped up, with many viewing it as the end goal for the COVID-19 pandemic. But as Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, detailed in a thread posted to Twitter, it may not be that simple.

Shannon Dorsey, professor of child clinical psychology, explains how students can adjust to in-person learning.

This week at the UW, attend a meditation session, attend Curating in Conversation: A Panel Series on Sharing Northwest Native Art and Art History with the Public, and more.

A composite-overwrapped pressure vessel from a Falcon 9 rocket was recovered from a private property owner in southwest Grant County. James Davenport, a research assistant professor of astronomy at the UW, is referenced.

As carbon dioxide continues to rise, multiple changes in the leaves of tropical plants may help these ecosystems perform better under climate change than previous studies had suggested.