Natural Sciences Division

On Jan. 11 at the 241st meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle, a team led by scientists at the University of Washington and the Center for Computational Astrophysics reported something unexpected about the distinct populations of stars that make up the Triangulum galaxy: In this satellite galaxy, a close companion of the much larger Andromeda galaxy, old and new stars occur in separate parts of the galaxy's structure, something not seen in galaxies like our own and so far not reporter for other satellite galaxies.

Sama Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Psychology, discusses his research and what he looks forward to at the University of Washington.

Gabriel Cher, Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, discusses their research and what they look forward to at the University of Washington.

Gabriel Cher discusses their research and what they look forward to at the University of Washington.

Z Yan Wang, Assistant Professor in Psychology and Biology, discusses her research and what she looks forward to at the University of Washington.

University of Washington astronomers were on the lookout for “stars behaving strangely” when an automated alert from pointed them to Gaia17bpp, a star that had gradually brightened over a 2 1/2-year period. But follow-up analyses indicated that Gaia17bpp wasn’t changing. Instead, the star is likely part of a rare type of binary system. Its apparent brightening was the end of a years-long eclipse by an unusual, "dusty" stellar companion.

Climate change will reshape ecosystems through two types of events: short-term, extreme events — or “pulses” — and long-term changes, or “presses.” Understanding the effects of presses and pulses is essential as conservationists and policymakers try to preserve ecosystems and safeguard biodiversity. Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered how different presses and pulses impacted Magellanic penguins — a migratory marine predator — over nearly four decades and found that, though individual presses and pulses impacted penguins in a variety of ways, both were equally important for the future survival of the penguin population. They also found that these types of climate changes, taken together, are leading to an overall population decline at their historically largest breeding site.

Jeff Lin (2012), obsessed with video games as a child, now leads teams of game developers at Horizon Metaverse — with the help of his UW PhD in psychology.

The College of Engineering and the College of Arts & Sciences researchers are helping to establish the UW as a global leader of the coming quantum age.

Learn about the sleep scientist and UW professor of biology, Horacio de la Iglesia, whose influential sleep research helped demonstrate the benefits of delaying school start times for Seattle high schoolers. Read writer Nicole Reeve-Parker's Faculty Friday, Spotlight.

A study measuring the sleep patterns of students at the University of Washington found that students fell asleep later in the evening and woke up later in the morning during winter, when daylight hours on the UW Seattle campus are limited and the skies are notoriously overcast. Researchers believe the students' natural circadian clocks were being "pushed back" or delayed in winter because they were not getting enough exposure during the day to natural light, and that getting more daytime light exposure can help reverse this.

In a study published Dec. 8 in Nature Astronomy, an international research team, led by Orsola De Marco of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, analyzed 10 highly detailed exposures taken by the JWST of the Southern Ring Nebula. Their calculations show the central star that ejected the expanding nebula gas was originally three times the mass of the sun, and that unseen companions shaped the nebula's intricate features.

Astronomers at the DiRAC Institute have been preparing for a flood of data from the new Rubin Observatory. Now undergrads have joined the effort.

After committing to a new biology building in 2010, years of planning, relocation, and construction have culminated in the newly constructed greenhouse, and its doors are almost ready to open again. Taking the place of the old Botany Greenhouse, demolished in 2016, the new structure is located within the Life Sciences Building and, starting Dec. 1, will be open to the public on Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m. 

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! Highlights of current and upcoming exhibitions:  October 27 – November 23 | Miha Sarani: Amends, Art Building The Jacob Lawrence Gallery is pleased to host Seattle artist Miha Sarani. This exhibition is a broad survey of Sarani’s work, focusing on portraiture while also...