Sep 15, 2020

Armored fish: the knights of the deep sea

Lateral scan of the north spearnose poacher

For centuries, armor has protected warriors in combat, providing a defensive barrier and preventing damage to whatever is underneath its protective shell. It has seen many iterations as the years go on, always improving and allowing for more agility while decreasing in weight with the advancement of technologies allowing for better materials. That is exactly how armor on fish has changed over time, evolving from the clunky thick head shields seen on the earliest fishes to the scales we now see on modern fish.

Sep 15, 2020

College of the Environment

Bruce Nelson to serve as Associate Dean for Research

Department of Earth and Space Sciences Professor Bruce Nelson has agreed to serve as the College of the Environment’s Associate Dean for Research, effective September 16. In this role he will foster multidisciplinary collaborations, promote and support the range of basic and applied research programs across the College and University, and help faculty identify opportunities to partner and collaborate with universities and research organizations both in the U.S.

Sep 11, 2020

Ecology

Fighting fire with fire in the Methow Valley

Editor’s note: Each year wildfires impact the landscape and change the way of life for many communities around the world. Last fall, UW News went to the Methow Valley — the heart of fire country — to learn more about how UW’s experts play a role in shaping how we fight and live with fires here in Washington. Here’s one story: WINTRHOP, Wash.

Seven species more invasive than a murder hornet

When it comes to invasive species, we tend to hear most about the ones that are the most sensational or scariest to human beings, even though their ecological impact is pretty minor. We have all heard a lot of buzz from Blaine, Washington surrounding the giant Asian hornet (commonly referred to as a “murder hornet” in popular media), but its impact remains to be seen.

Aug 26, 2020

Conservation

Mobile app for boaters expands to Washington state

Washington Sea Grant, in partnership with the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant Program, is excited to announce that Pumpout Nav, a free iOS and Android app for boaters, has expanded to Washington. Boaters can now use the interactive tool to find nearly 200 pumpout and portable toilet dump stations in Washington, in addition to hundreds of pumpout and floating restroom facilities in Oregon and California.