Environment

What marks the start of the Anthropocene – the geological epoch marked by human impact on the planet? The debate hinges, in part, on how we define “signature events,” the important information left behind as clues. But finding signature events transcends the study of the Anthropocene; it’s how we read to make meaning of a text, a collection of data, even a piece of art. This episode features Jesse Oak Taylor, associate professor of English.

_{“Ways of Knowing” is an eight-episode podcast connecting humanities research with current events and issues. This season features faculty from across the humanities as they explore race, immigration, history, the natural world – even comic books. Each episode analyzes a work, or an idea, and provides additional resources for learning more.} 

Counterbalancing grief with wonder in works that heighten our awareness of the natural world and our connections to one another.

A new satellite has become one of the brightest objects in the night sky, sparking concerns among scientists for the future of astronomy. Meredith Rawls, a research scientist of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

A surge in gray whale strandings along the West Coast has raised alarms among researchers. Sue Moore, affiliate professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

The return of the humpback whale to greater numbers than observed in decades is part of a larger revival of marine mammals in the Salish Sea. Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, is mentioned.

Adrienne Russell, professor of communication at the University of Washington, examines in her new book how journalism, activism, corporations and Big Tech battle to influence the public about climate change.

Atlantic puffins had their second consecutive rebound year for fledging chicks after suffering a catastrophic 2021, said scientists who monitor the birds. The news flies in the face of environmental trends. P. Dee Boersma, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

As marine heat waves continued to simmer along the East Coast and beyond, a mass of warm water twice the size of Alaska quietly arrived on the Pacific Northwest's coastal shores. The UW's Julia Parrish, professor of biology and of aquatic and fishery sciences is quoted.

"Climate change has emerged as an important issue for the younger generation—that is, Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996). Public opinion polls suggest that these cohorts are more worried about climate change and more supportive of climate policies," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

Big feet and short beaks have evolved in some hummingbirds that allow the birds to mooch nectar without helping the plant by transporting pollen. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.

Washington state has a unique connection to the period of time portrayed in the new Hollywood movie. Bruce Hevly, associate professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Amazon reported a slight drop in greenhouse gas emissions, but its total footprint remains millions of metric tons larger than past years, according to the company's sustainability report. Aseem Prakash, professor of political science and director of the Center for Environmental Politics at the UW, is quoted.

A new study from the UW found that persistent heat waves in the marine environment linked to climate change are leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds several months later. Julia Parrish, UW professor of biology and of aquatic and fishery sciences and director of COASST and lead author of the study, is inteviewed.

A new study from the UW found that persistent heat waves in the marine environment linked to climate change are leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds several months later. Julia Parrish, UW professor of biology and of aquatic and fishery sciences and director of COASST and lead author of the study, is inteviewed.