Research

  • The carbon in our bodies probably left the galaxy and came back on cosmic ‘conveyer belt’

    University of Washington scientists recently discovered that the giant 'conveyer belt' currents that push star-forged material out of our galaxy and pull it back in can also transport carbon atoms. That means that a good deal of the carbon here on Earth, including the carbon in our bodies, likely left the galaxy at some point!
    01/03/2025 | UW News
  • Study: Shipping paths pose a ‘major threat’ to whales

    Most shipping routes cross whale habitats worldwide. Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    12/23/2024 | The Washington Post
  • If planet nine exists, we’ll find it soon

    If there’s a hidden world in the solar system, a new telescope should find it. Mario Jurić, professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.
    12/17/2024 | Scientific American
  • Ship strikes now leading cause of whale deaths, UW study finds

    With the near complete end of commercial whaling, ship collisions are now a leading cause of death worldwide for large whale species, according to new research published in Science. Yet little is done to manage this risk. Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    12/10/2024 | The Seattle Times
  • Hummingbirds don't use their beak like a straw to drink nectar

    According to a study by the UW, hummingbirds move their bills and tongues very quickly to drink a flower's nectar. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.
    12/10/2024 | BBC Newsround
  • UW study finds big risks, little protections for whales from ship strikes worldwide

    Whether it’s smartphones or sneakers, toys or tents, about 80% of commercial goods are transported to markets around the world using giant container ships. As global shipping routes grow to meet increasing demand, so too does the likelihood of fatal collisions with whale species whose ranges overlap with them. Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW, is interviewed.
    12/10/2024 | Oregon Public Broadcasting
  • Bendy bills allow hummingbirds to down nectar quickly

    Hummingbirds, among the smallest birds on the planet, flap their wings at as much as 80 beats a second. And scientists have been studying how they get enough nectar to satisfy that energy demand. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.
    12/09/2024 | Cosmos Magazine
  • Hummingbird bills are an evolutionary wonder

    At first glance, hummingbird bills look like straws — long and thin, perfect for sipping nectar. But a new study reveals that this comparison is far from accurate. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, assistant professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.
    12/09/2024 | Earth.com
  • Exotic new superconductors delight and confound

    Three new species of superconductivity were spotted this year, illustrating the myriad ways electrons can join together to form a frictionless quantum soup. Matthew Yankowitz, assistant professor of physics and of materials science and engineering at the UW, is quoted.
    12/06/2024 | Quanta Magazine
  • More than 10,000 supernovae counted in stellar census

    Since 2018 the Zwicky Transient Facility, an international astronomical collaboration based at the Palomar Observatory in California, has scanned the entire sky every two to three nights. As part of this mission, the ZTF's Bright Transient Survey has been counting and cataloging supernovae — flashes of light in the sky that are the telltale signs of stars dying in spectacular explosions.

    12/06/2024 | UW News
  • That's no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar

    Hummingbird bills — their long, thin beaks — look a little like drinking straws. But new research shows just how little water, or nectar, that comparison holds. University of Washington scientists have discovered that the hummingbird bill is surprisingly flexible.

    12/05/2024 | UW News
  • The Quantum Quest

    Quantum science is poised to tackle problems of mind-boggling complexity, with UW faculty and students in Arts & Sciences and Computer Science & Engineering playing a key role in quantum research.

    December 2024 Perspectives
  • NSF awards UW partners $13.6M to broaden access in the sciences

    The UW’s Molecular Engineering and Materials Center and Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand, in collaboration with partner institutions, have been selected for NSF Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) awards totaling $13.6 million to broaden participation and access to materials science resources, education, training, and career opportunities at minority-serving institutions.   

    UW Department of Chemistry
  • Analysis: New maps show high-risk zones for whale-ship collisions − vessel speed limits and rerouting can reduce the toll

    "Imagine you are a blue whale swimming up the California coast, as you do every spring. You are searching for krill in the Santa Barbara Channel, a zone that teems with fish, kelp forests, seagrass beds and other undersea life, but also vibrates with noise from ship traffic. Suddenly, the noise gets louder," writes Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW.
    The Conversation
  • Noisy boat traffic may hide fish from hungry orcas

    Scientists eavesdropped on orcas and found ship sounds may hide fish from the endangered killer whales. Jennifer Tennessen, senior research scientist in biology at the UW Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, is quoted.
    National Geographic