Department of Biology

"Public understanding of science is essential for democracy. Misleading readers to score political points with an argument that scientists have exchanged merit and objectivity for progressive ideology is a disservice to science and the public alike," writes Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, in a letter to the editor.

By analyzing records from the U.S. Social Security Administration, two scientists at the University of Washington and Ohio University have discovered that the popularity of certain month and season names for girls varies by geographic region in the continental United States. The name April dominates monthly names in southern states where spring arrives early in the year. June is more popular in northern states where spring blooms later. Autumn is also more prevalent in the northern U.S., a region known for its brilliant fall foliage.

Along the U.S. Pacific coast, droves of alien creatures about the size of a doughnut are washing up on beaches and leaving a mat of briefly blue debris that soon fades to a crackly white -- hiding just how bizarre these tiny animals are. Julia Parrish, UW professor of biology and of aquatic and fishery sciences and director of COASST, is quoted.

The Husky 100 recognizes 100 UW undergraduate and graduate students who are making the most of their time at the UW.

Peter Ward, a UW professor of earth and space sciences and of biology, is an expert on one of the oldest and least understood animals on earth -- the nautilus.

The new UW Biology Greenhouse is a place for research, for classes, and for anyone who enjoys spending time with plants.

In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, southern resident orcas have experienced no net population growth since the 1970s, with just 73 left at the most recent count. But northern resident orcas, which have a similar diet, territory and social structure, have grown steadily, now numbering more than 300. A new study led by scientists at the University of Washington and NOAA Fisheries may help explain why: The two populations differ in how they hunt for salmon, their primary and preferred food source, a key difference that conservationists will have to take into account when designing interventions to help southern residents.

Research led by scientists at the University of Washington's Center for Ecosystem Sentinels reveals that a warming world is increasing human-wildlife conflicts globally. They show that climate shifts can drive conflicts by altering animal habitats, the timing of events, wildlife behaviors and resource availability. It also showed that people are changing their behaviors and locations in response to climate change in ways that increase conflicts.

Attacks on humans by carnivorous animals have increased steadily since 1950, as growing human populations in new areas make such incidents more common, according to a study published last week. According to other experts, climate change may also be contributing to increased human-wildlife conflict. Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Briana Abrahms, Assistant Professor and Boersma Endowed Chair in Natural History and Conservation, UW Department of Biology, uses data to help people and animals coexist with climate change in Botswana.

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

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.

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.

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.