Environment

Our primate ancestors might have become “protomusical” to advertise their ability to perform death-defying leaps from tree to tree. David Schruth, a postdoctoral researcher in anthropology at the UW, is referenced.

“Might a singular focus on zero emissions lead to the neglect of climate adaptation policies that have less media appeal? As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, climate policy should pay attention to two important but neglected issues: how the electric car industry will source inputs — such as copper, cobalt, nickel and lithium — and, because climate change is already underway, how prepared countries and cities are to adapt to different dimensions of climate change,” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.

A 19th-century claim has fueled a 21st-century debate about how a warming climate might reshape animals. One "rule," declaring that animals in warmer regions usually have darker exteriors, whereas those in cooler regions are lighter, is being reconsidered. Lauren Buckley, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

“For [Milton] Friedman, managers are agents who work on behalf of owners: their principals. Because all shareholders want to maximize their return on investments, the Friedman logic goes that managers have a duty to focus solely on profit maximization. Should, then, managers support climate actions in response to stakeholders’ pressure?” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW; Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW; and Jennifer Griffin of Loyola University Chicago.

Elena Campbell, associate professor of history, is teaching a new class on the history of mankind's relationship to the Artic.

Twenty moments from a year like no other — captured through the lenses of UW photographers.

Aseem Prakash, professor of political science, explains recent protests by Indian farmers.

“India has enacted new laws that lift restrictions on where and to whom farmers can sell their crops. Why then are Indian farmers protesting instead of celebrating their new economic freedom?” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.

A trove from a Portuguese trading ship that sank in 1533 preserved genetic traces of whole elephant lineages that have vanished from West Africa. Sam Wasser, research professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Jason Hodin, a biology research scientist at UW’s Friday Harbor Laboratories, talks about his work successfully breeding sunflower sea stars.

“[MacKenzie] Scott and [Jeff] Bezos are not impulsive philanthropists. Their advisors have pored over lots of data to identify the beneficiaries. Yet, they fund different causes and organizations. Why so and what does this reveal about their priorities?” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.

“President-elect Biden’s July 2020 climate plan outlined a zero emission pledge. States, such as California and Washington, and companies, such as Microsoft and Google, have also announced net-zero emission pledges. But there is a catch,” write the UW’s Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs; Aseem Prakash, professor of political science; and Inhwan Ko, a doctoral student in political science.

Amazon said it has become the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy after signing agreements Thursday to purchase energy from 26 wind and solar projects around the world. Stuart Adler, associate professor of chemical engineering at the UW and energy storage researcher at the UW Clean Energy Institute, is quoted.

The Conservation Canines program, which is part of the UW Center for Conservation Biology, trains dogs in what might seem at first to be unusual detective work: tracking wild animal scat. Deborah Giles, a research scientist at the center, and Sam Wasser, research professor of biology at the UW and director of the center, are quoted.

Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, comments on the antitrust lawsuits against Facebook, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW, comments on Amazon's Climate Pledge.