Technology

New research from a University of Washington scientist could give oyster farmers in Willapa Bay a fighting chance at battling burrowing ghost shrimp, little crustaceans that cause big problems. Jennifer Ruesink, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

From CERN in the ‘60s, to Brookhaven National Laboratory in the ‘90s, and now at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Illinois, it took a village to find the Muon g-2. The complex, experimental measurement of this subatomic particle’s magnetism has the potential to completely reshape our understanding of the universe. 

Last month, the physics community’s quest for absurd precision received recognition. The Muon g-2 experiment won the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, dubbed the “Oscars of Science.” The $3 million prize is split among 384 researchers across generations. Alongside a global legion of researchers, UW physics professor and CENPA Director David Hertzog and professor emeritus Peter Kammel played leading roles on the Muon g-2 team. 

It turns out interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was almost called 3I/Rubin, after researchers found that the giant survey telescope coincidentally spotted this visitor from the stars over a week before it was officially discovered. Colin Orion Chandler, project scientist at UW's DIRAC Institute, is referenced.

There is a promising new way to control burrowing shrimp, small marine excavators native to Washington. Jennifer Ruesink, a UW professor of biology, is quoted.

Many animals, from cockroaches to cats, can walk without input from the brain. Yet scientists have struggled to pinpoint the responsible rhythm-generating circuit, or central pattern generator, in the spinal cord in any organism.The UW's John Tuthill, professor of neurobiology and biophysics at the UW, and Bing Brunton, professor of biology, are quoted.

With its Music and Technology program, the School of Music provides a foundation in music recording and experience in a recording studio. 

UW News spoke with Paul Wiggins, a University of Washington associate professor of both physics and bioengineering, to learn about a surprisingly relatable behavior prompting bacteria to stockpile huge reserves of essential proteins.

David Hertzog, a University of Washington professor of physics, is a recipient of the 2026 Breakthrough Prize for Fundamental Physics. The award is shared among roughly 400 scientists and celebrates decades of work to better understand the muon a subatomic particle with anomalous properties.

David Hertzog, professor of physics at the UW, cant wait to find out how hundreds of researchers who worked on a geeky project known as the Muon g-2 Collaboration will react when they hear theyve each won thousands of dollars for that work. Hertzog is quoted. The UW's Eric Adelberger, professor emeritus of physics; Blayne Heckel, professor emeritus of physics; Lukasz Fidkowski, associate professor of physics; Jens Gundlach, professor of physics; and David Baker, professor of biochemistry in the UW School of Medicine and director of the UW Institute for Protein Design, are mentioned.

New research published in Current Biology reveals sunbirds use their long tongues as a kind of makeshift straw to hoover up nectar in flowersthe first vertebrates known to do so. Alejandro Rico-Guevara, associate professor of biology at the UW and curator of birds at the UW Burke Museum, is mentioned.

Strange data from a star about 11,000 light years away led researchers to hypothesize that two planets had collided in front of the star, blotting out the light but emitting a lot of heat. Such an event is one theory for how planets like Earth are created. Anastasios Tzanidakis, a doctoral student, and James Davenport, research assistant professor, both of astronomy at the UW, are interviewed.

Since its inception, Apple has not only introduced culture shifting technology like the Macintosh computer and iPhone, it has also influenced how we live here in the Bay Area, on the edge of the continent and a future being cast by technologists, innovators and entrepreneurs. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.

OpenAI's foray into media comes just a few weeks after executives told staff to cut back on "side quests" and focus on artificial intelligence offerings for businesses. It shut down its AI video app Sora and paused plans to release an erotic chatbot. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

"As a writing teacher based in college classrooms around Seattle, I find myself returning to a question each time I prep for a new quarter: How should I use or refuse technology?" writes Joe Concannon, part-time lecturer of English at the UW.

A simple act like drinking nectar can hide an unexpected scientific story. Sunbirds, small and colorful birds found in many parts of the world, have surprised researchers with a completely new way of feeding. This discovery shows that even well-known animals can still teach us something new about nature. Scientists continue to study such behaviors to better understand how animals adapt and survive. UW research is mentioned.