Natural Sciences Division

The governors of Iowa and North Dakota recently announced mandates that require people to wear masks in public. Both leaders previously resisted mask rules but issued them in the past week as daily COVID-19 cases spiked in their states, overrunning hospitals and intensive care units. Christopher Adolph, associate professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Scientists are finding that some percentage of tropical forests may hold up under global warming — if they’re not cut down. Abigail Swann, associate professor of atmospheric sciences and of biology at the UW, is quoted.

One of the last things that Lilienne Shore Kilgore-Brown did during her senior year of high school before the pandemic was travel to Olympia, the capital of Washington, to advocate for state-wide comprehensive sex education. In March, the Washington state legislature passed the legislation that Kilgore-Brown and her peers had advocated for. Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Chipmunk-like animals that lived among the dinos appear to have been social creatures, which suggests that sociality arose in mammals earlier than scientists thought. Luke Weaver, a graduate student in biology, is interviewed on the “60-Second Science” podcast.

In some ways, you might think that COVID-19 would be a boon for people who relish alone time or who worry in social situations, but as a clinical psychologist, I’m noticing that despite socializing less, many of my clients are stressing more about connecting, writes Jenny Taitz. Marsha Linehan, professor emeritus of psychology at the UW, is referenced.

Danyelle Thomas (BS, Biochemistry 2007) discusses her career in improving the health outcomes of underserved communities.

Wrinkle-faced bats incorporate whistles, wing flaps and furry masks into their mating rituals, researchers have found. Sharlene Santana, associate professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Daniel. E. L. Promislow, professor of biology, discusses the relation between dogs and aging science.

Mammals appear to have been social creatures much earlier than previously thought, according to U.S. paleontologists. The UW’s Luke Weaver, a graduate student in biology, and Gregory Wilson Mantilla, a professor of biology, are quoted.

A species of tiny mammals that lived among the dinosaurs might have led highly gregarious lives. Luke Weaver, a graduate student in biology at the UW, is quoted.

A new study led by paleontologists at the University of Washington and its Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture indicates that the earliest evidence of mammal social behavior goes back to the Age of Dinosaurs. The evidence lies in the fossil record of a new genus of multituberculate — a small, rodent-like mammal that lived during the Late Cretaceous of the dinosaur era — called Filikomys primaevus, which translates to “youthful, friendly mouse.”

Many mammals work together in packs to stay alive. Since reptiles don’t do this, it seems likely the first mammals weren’t social creatures, raising the question of when this important trait arose. New evidence suggests it dates back to at least the late Cretaceous period. The UW’s Luke Weaver, a graduate student in biology, and Gregory Wilson Mantilla, a professor of biology, are quoted.

During this time of uncertainty and isolation, find solace in digital opportunities to connect, share, and engage. Each week, we will share upcoming events that bring the UW, and the greater community, together online. 

“A recent study has determined that watching nature programming on TV or via a virtual-reality headset reduces feelings of sadness and boredom. According to researchers from the University of Exeter, scenes of nature soothe us – whether they are real video footage of a coral reef, to use the study’s example, or even just computer-generated graphics of the same,” writes Adrienne Matei. Peter Kahn, professor of psychology and of environmental and forest sciences, is quoted.

The p-adics form an infinite collection of number systems based on prime numbers. They’re at the heart of modern number theory. Bianca Viray, associate professor of mathematics at the UW, is quoted.