The field of plate tectonics is not that old, and scientists continue to learn the details of earthquake-producing geologic faults. The Cascadia Subduction Zone — the eerily quiet offshore fault that threatens to unleash a magnitude-9 earthquake in the Pacific Northwest — still holds many mysteries. A study led by the University of Washington discovered […]
University of Washington
Posted inCalifornia
Dryer, warmer night air is making some Western wildfires more active at night
Firefighters have reported that Western wildfires are starting earlier in the morning and dying down later at night, hampering their ability to recover and regroup before the next day’s flareup. A study by University of Washington and U.S. Forest Service scientists shows why: The drying power of nighttime air over much of the Western U.S. […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Last ice-covered parts of summertime Arctic Ocean vulnerable to climate change
In a rapidly changing Arctic, one area might serve as a refuge – a place that could continue to harbor ice-dependent species when conditions in nearby areas become inhospitable. This region north of Greenland and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago has been termed the Last Ice Area. But research led by the University […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Record-high Arctic freshwater will flow through Canadian waters, affecting marine environment and Atlantic ocean currents
Freshwater is accumulating in the Arctic Ocean. The Beaufort Sea, which is the largest Arctic Ocean freshwater reservoir, has increased its freshwater content by 40% over the past two decades. How and where this water will flow into the Atlantic Ocean is important for local and global ocean conditions. A study from the University of […]
Posted inSci/Tech
On nights before a full moon, people go to bed later and sleep less, study shows
February 2, 2021 – For centuries, humans have blamed the moon for our moods, accidents and even natural disasters. But new research indicates that our planet’s celestial companion impacts something else entirely — our sleep. In a paper published Jan. 27 in Science Advances, scientists at the University of Washington, the National University of Quilmes in Argentina […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Research strongly suggests COVID-19 virus enters the brain
December 18, 2020 – More and more evidence is coming out that people with COVID-19 are suffering from cognitive effects, such as brain fog and fatigue. And researchers are discovering why. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, like many viruses before it, is bad news for the brain. In a study published Dec.16 in Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that the […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Flying through wildfire smoke plumes could improve smoke forecasts
November 11, 2020 – Wildfires burning in the West affect not only the areas burned, but the wider regions covered by smoke. Recent years have seen hazy skies and hazardous air quality become regular features of the late summer weather. Many factors are causing Western wildfires to grow bigger and to generate larger, longer-lasting smoke […]
Posted inLife
Wear a mask? Yes, always wear a mask (infographic)
June 19, 2020 – We ran a meta-analysis on more than 20 studies on mask use. Our results show that masks, whether cloth or medical-grade, can reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 by 1/3 or more. Widespread mask use may temper or even help prevent a second wave of the pandemic, though survey […]
Posted inUS
Millions of US workers at risk of infections on the job
April 29, 2020 – A University of Washington researcher calculates that 14.4 million workers face exposure to infection once a week and 26.7 million at least once a month in the workplace, pointing to an important population needing protection as the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, continues to break out across the U.S. Marissa Baker, an […]
Posted inLife
At gun safety events, 40% of gun owners reported not locking all household guns — even around kids
January 13, 2020 – While waiting for free firearm storage devices at gun safety events held in sporting goods stores across Washington, nearly 3,000 people filled out a one-page survey asking how they stored guns at home and other household information. What the participants reported emphasizes the need for these public events, Seattle Children’s and […]
Posted inUS
Mass shootings represent one percent of the firearms problem in this country (VIDEO)
Aug. 6, 2019 – Following a deadly weekend, there are nationwide calls to address these mass shootings. However, firearm violence happens every day. “I think it’s important to recognize that mass shootings represent one percent of the firearms problem in this country,” said Eileen Bulger, chief of trauma at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. “And it’s a horrible thing […]
Posted inEnviro
UW study: Exposure to chemical in Roundup increases risk for cancer
Feb. 14, 2019 – Exposure to glyphosate — the world’s most widely used, broad-spectrum herbicide and the primary ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup — increases the risk of some cancers by more than 40 percent, according to new research from the University of Washington. Various reviews and international assessments have come to different conclusions about […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Suicide twice as common than homicide in US, but most Americans don’t know it
Oct. 30, 2018 – In the United States, suicide is twice as common as homicide — and more often involves firearms — but public perception is just the opposite. News reports, movies and TV shows may contribute to the perception of a high risk of firearm homicide, authors of a new study say, leaving a […]
Posted inSci/Tech
High CO2 levels cause plants to thicken their leaves, could worsen climate change effects
October 1, 2018 – Plant scientists have observed that when levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rise, most plants do something unusual: They thicken their leaves. And since human activity is raising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, thick-leafed plants appear to be in our future. But the consequences of this physiological response go far beyond […]
Posted inEnviro
California plain shows surprising winners and losers from prolonged drought
Aug. 20, 2018 – The Carrizo Plain National Monument is a little-known ecological hotspot in Southern California. Though small, it explodes in wildflowers each spring and is full of threatened or endangered species. A long-term study led by the University of Washington and the University of California, Berkeley tracked how hundreds of species in this […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Study Identifies Which Marine Mammals Are Most at Risk From Increased Arctic Ship Traffic
July 5, 2018 – In August 2016, the first large cruise ship traveled through the Northwest Passage, the northern waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The following year, the first ship without an icebreaker plied the Northern Sea Route, a path along Russia’s Arctic coast that was, until recently, impassable by unescorted commercial vessels. […]
Posted inWorld
Earth likely to warm more than 2 degrees this century
July 31, 2017 – Warming of the planet by 2 degrees Celsius is often seen as a “tipping point” that people should try to avoid by limiting greenhouse gas emissions. But the Earth is very likely to exceed that change, according to new University of Washington research. A study using statistical tools shows only a […]
Posted inSci/Tech
Bilingual babies: Study shows how exposure to a foreign language ignites infants’ learning
July 19, 2017 – For years, scientists and parents alike have touted the benefits of introducing babies to two languages: Bilingual experience has been shown to improve cognitive abilities, especially problem-solving. And for infants raised in households where two languages are spoken, that bilingual learning happens almost effortlessly. But how can babies in monolingual households […]
Posted inUS
Only 3 in 5 U.S. firearm owners have received any formal gun training
July 18, 2017 – Only about three in five U.S. firearm owners have received any formal gun training, according to a new study from the University of Washington. “This percentage has not changed much in 20 years, said Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, an associate professor of epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health, who led the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Retreating Yukon glacier caused a river to disappear at breakneck speed
April 17, 2017 – The massive Kaskawulsh Glacier in northern Canada has retreated about a mile up its valley over the past century. Last spring, its retreat triggered a geologic event at relatively breakneck speed. The toe of ice that was sending meltwater toward the Slims River and then north to the Bering Sea retreated […]