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The latest news from the UW

December 5, 2024

That鈥檚 no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar

Hummingbird bills 鈥 their long, thin beaks 鈥 look a little like drinking straws. But new research shows just how little water, or nectar, that comparison holds. 天美影院 scientists have discovered that the hummingbird bill is surprisingly flexible. While drinking, a hummingbird rapidly opens and shuts different parts of its bill simultaneously, engaging in an intricate and highly coordinated dance with its tongue to draw up nectar at lightning speeds.

December 4, 2024

Video: Talking about climate and weather with the Office of the Washington State Climatologist

From a base at the southwest corner of the UW’s Seattle campus, the Office of the Washington State Climatologist’s Guillaume Mauger and Karin Bumbaco provide expertise, tools and resources on 鈥渁ll things climate鈥 to partners and communities across the state.

November 25, 2024

RETRACTED AND REPLACED: UW-led research links wildfire smoke exposure with increased dementia risk

An analysis of the health care records of 1.2 million Southern California residents found that higher long-term smoke exposure was associated with a significant increase in the odds that a person would be diagnosed with dementia.聽Exposure to non-wildfire PM2.5 also increased a person鈥檚 risk of dementia, but to a much lesser degree.聽聽

November 21, 2024

天美影院among best universities in the world for interdisciplinary science

The 天美影院 was ranked No. 15 in the world for interdisciplinary scientific research, according to a new list published earlier this month by the U.K.-based Times Higher Education. The 天美影院placed in the top 10 among U.S. institutions. Among U.S. public institutions, the 天美影院placed fifth.

ArtSci Roundup: December 2024

From campus to wherever you call home, we welcome you to learn from and connect with the College of Arts & Sciences community through public events spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. We hope to see you this December. Open Exhibits Henry Art Gallery Through March 2025 | Overexposures: Photographs from the Henry Collection This focused presentation features a selection of photographs from the Henry鈥檚 collections that explore the uses of light to obscure, obliterate, and alter…

Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place

A new study led by the 天美影院 has for the first time quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four geographically widespread ocean giants that are threatened by shipping: blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. In a paper published online Nov. 21 in Science, researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale species鈥 ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have any measures in place to protect whales from this threat. These measures include speed reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, for ships crossing waters that overlap with whale migration or feeding areas.

Q&A: Promises and perils of AI in medicine, according to 天美影院experts in public health and AI

天美影院News sat down with experts in public health and AI to discuss AI could enhance health care, what鈥檚 standing in the way, and whether there’s a downside to democratizing medical research.聽聽

November 20, 2024

天美影院addresses USDA inspection report findings at WaNPRC

A routine inspection of the 天美影院鈥檚 animal care and use program conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Oct. 8 identified issues that the 天美影院had self-reported and corrected before the inspection took place.

In the 鈥榃ild West鈥 of AI chatbots, subtle biases related to race and caste often go unchecked

天美影院 researchers developed a system for detecting subtle biases in AI models. They found seven of the eight popular AI models they tested in conversations around race and caste generated significant amounts of biased text in interactions 鈥 particularly when discussing caste. Open-source models fared far worse than two proprietary ChatGPT models.

Q&A: A new medical AI model can help spot systemic disease by looking at a range of image types

天美影院assistant professor Sheng Wang discusses BiomedParse, an AI medical image analysis model that works across nine types of medical images to better predict systemic diseases. Medical professionals can load images into the system and ask the AI tool questions about them in plain English.

AI headphones create a 鈥榮ound bubble,鈥 quieting all sounds more than a few feet away

A team led by researchers at the 天美影院 has created a headphone prototype that allows listeners to hear people speaking within a bubble with a programmable radius of 3 to 6 feet. Voices and sounds outside the bubble are quieted an average of 49 decibels, even if they鈥檙e louder than those in the bubble.

November 11, 2024

天美影院recognizes Veterans Day with ceremonies and events

The 天美影院鈥檚 annual Veterans Day ceremony, held on Monday at the Medal of Honor Memorial near Parrington Hall, honored those who have served and featured music by the Husky Marching Band. The Monday ceremony kicked off a number of events during Veteran Appreciation Week at UW. 天美影院alum Dr. Dana Covey, 鈥84, U.S. Navy, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award by Provost Tricia Serio. Covey is considered one of the world鈥檚 leading authorities on battlefield care…

November 8, 2024

Miniature backpack-like tags offer insight into the movement of hummingbirds

A team led by scientists at the 天美影院 and the University of Aberdeen attached tiny 鈥渂ackpack鈥 trackers to hummingbirds in the Colombian Andes to learn more about their movements. As they report in a paper published Oct. 10 in the journal Ecology and Evolution, the tracking system will aid conservation efforts in this region by revealing the previously hidden movements of hummingbirds and other small animals.

November 5, 2024

Reconstructing ancient Andean climate provides clues to climate change

As Earth faces unprecedented climate change, a look into the planet鈥檚 deep past may provide vital insights into what may lie ahead. But knowledge of the natural world millions of years ago is fragmented. A 15-year study of a site in Bolivia by a joint U.S.-Bolivia team has provided a comprehensive view of an ancient ecosystem when Earth was much warmer than it is today, and changed how we look at the Andes.

November 4, 2024

NASA funds effort to study effects of the space environment on living organisms

NASA has awarded a five-year, $2.5 million grant to establish a regional scientific consortium based at the 天美影院, in partnership with Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The consortium will use an interdisciplinary approach to explore how the space environment 鈥 both in low-Earth orbit and beyond 鈥 affects living things.

天美影院President, Provost commit to new processes, policies, training and more in response to antisemitism and Islamophobia task force reports

The 天美影院 on Monday announced several improvements and new practices to address concerns of antisemitism and Islamophobia that were raised in a recent climate assessment and associated task force reports.

October 31, 2024

AI tools show biases in ranking job applicants鈥 names according to perceived race and gender

天美影院 researchers found significant racial, gender and intersectional bias in how three state-of-the-art large language models ranked resumes. The models favored white-associated names 85% of the time, female-associated names only 11% of the time, and never favored Black male-associated names over white male-associated names.

October 30, 2024

天美影院researcher reveals 鈥榚verything you (n)ever wanted to know鈥 about parasites in new children鈥檚 book

Chelsea Wood, a 天美影院 associate professor of aquatic and fishery sciences, has an upcoming children’s book titled 鈥淧ower to the Parasites! Everything You (N)ever Wanted to Know About the Creepy Crawlies Hidden in Your Home, Your Food, Your Pets – and Maybe Even in You!” The book introduces kids to the world of parasitism.

Report: 天美影院drives nearly $21 billion, 112,000 jobs to help support Washington鈥檚 economy

Across its three campuses, the 天美影院 generated a total impact on the state鈥檚 economy of $20.9 billion in fiscal year 2023, according to an economic contribution analysis released today. The study further concludes that the economic activity of the 天美影院system supported or sustained 111,951 jobs statewide.聽

October 29, 2024

Estate of Stan and Alta Barer makes transformational gift to 天美影院School of Law to support global sustainable development program

The 天美影院 on Tuesday announced a transformational gift from the estate of Stan and Alta Barer to the School of Law, expanding the couple鈥檚 namesake institute: The Barer Institute for Leadership in Law & Global Development. The gift will support the recruitment of additional international fellows, increase scholarships, endow faculty positions and create more global impact.

Q&A: After developing a better way to count homelessness, 天美影院researchers discuss how more accurate data can help providers and people

America鈥檚 homeless services system relies on a massive amount of data, and at first glance, that data is exacting. Federal reports describe the country鈥檚 unhoused population in granular detail, listing precisely how many people are experiencing homelessness in each city along with detailed demographic data. Want to know how many people ages 55-64 slept outside in Spokane last year? A spreadsheet confidently provides the answer: just one.聽 That data influences decisions at every level of government, from how the U.S….

October 24, 2024

ArtSci Roundup: November 2024

From campus to wherever you call home, we welcome you to learn from and connect with the College of Arts & Sciences community through public events spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. We hope to see you this November. Election & Democracy Events November 7 | Trust on the Ballot: Voting in Washington Shortly after the General Election, three Washington Secretaries of State discuss the history and evolution of voting in our state鈥攆rom the various systems in…

October 23, 2024

Video: 天美影院historian on medieval European monsters, and the meaning of monsters

Charity Urbanski, a teaching professor of history at the UW, studies monsters and monstrosities in medieval Europe. One of her interests is the purpose monsters served for medieval Europeans, and what we can learn about medieval European society by looking at their monsters, which served as vehicles for expressing anxieties and fears.

Rocky planets orbiting small stars could have stable atmospheres needed to support life

A new study finds that rocky planets orbiting small stars do have the potential for stable, life-supporting atmospheres. The finding supports continued study of the TRAPPIST-1 system and other top candidates in the search for life outside our solar system.

From accessibility upgrades to a custom cat-food bowl, this mobile 3D printer can autonomously add features to a room

天美影院 researchers created MobiPrint, a mobile 3D printer that can automatically measure a room and print objects onto the floor. The team鈥檚 graphic interface lets users design objects in a space that the robot has mapped out. The prototype, which the team built on a modified consumer vacuum robot, can add a range of objects to rooms.

October 21, 2024

Sweetened beverage taxes decrease consumption in lower-income households by nearly 50%, 天美影院study finds

New research from the 天美影院 investigated responses to sweetened beverage taxes using the purchasing behavior of approximately 400 households in Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Philadelphia. Researchers found that after the tax was introduced, lower-income households decreased their purchases of sweetened beverages by nearly 50%, while higher-income households reduced purchases by 18%.

October 17, 2024

ArtSci Roundup: Frontiers of Physics Lecture, Film Screening, Washin Kai Lecture and more

This week,聽attend the Frontiers of Physics lecture, join the South Asia Center for a film screening, head to Kane Hall for a Washin Kai lecture, and more. Election & Democracy Events October 22 | State of Trust: Washington鈥檚 Political Climate and Voter Priorities, Online What is the current level of trust in our electoral system? What do Washingtonians see as the top priorities for their elected officials? How do they view candidates running for state and federal office? The Seattle…

Antisemitism and Islamophobia task forces issue final reports, findings and recommendations to 天美影院leadership

Final reports from the 天美影院鈥檚 task forces on antisemitism and Islamophobia were released Tuesday. The task forces were established by 天美影院President Ana Mari Cauce on March 7, 2024, with the goal of assessing 鈥渉ow students, faculty and staff are experiencing discrimination or harassment because they are Jewish and/or Palestinian, Middle Eastern or Muslim on our campus, and to what degree they feel the climate is supportive and welcoming.鈥

Q&A: New book shows how innovation inequality fuels America鈥檚 political divide

Victor Menaldo, 天美影院professor of political science, co-authored the forthcoming book, “U.S. Innovation Inequality and Trumpism.” The book focuses on how former President Donald Trump 鈥 like other populists that came before him 鈥 exploits 鈥榠nnovation inequality,” or the divide between areas that are more technologically advanced and those that aren鈥檛.

October 10, 2024

ArtSci Roundup: Election Events, Meany Hall Performances, Artist Panel and more

This week,聽attend the聽Conversation on Race, Gender, & Democracy聽lecture at Kane Hall, check out performances at Meany Hall, learn from a panel of artists at Henry Art Gallery, and more. Election & Democracy Events October 14, 6:30 – 8:00 pm | The 2024 Election: A Conversation on Race, Gender, & Democracy featuring Dr. Christina Greer, Kane Hall The Washington Institute for the Study of Inequality and Race (WISIR), in conjunction with the Department of Political Science, welcomes award-winning scholar and NPR…