The Puget Sound watershed, the area west of the Cascades Mountains that stretches from the state capitol up to the Canadian border, is warming. It also faces rising seas, heavier downpours, larger and more frequent floods, more sediment in its rivers, less snow, and hotter, drier summer streams. A new report by the University of Washington synthesizes all the relevant research about the future of the Puget Sound region to paint a picture of what to expect in the coming decades, and how best to prepare for that future.
Read more at UW Today »Natural Hazards and Resilient Communities Lecture Video: UW's John Vidale
Unlike some natural disasters that we can depend on arriving at our doorstep every year—hurricanes, tornados, fires—earthquakes can be out of sight and out of mind because of their relative infrequency. But when the Big One strikes, it could be a real catastrophe for the Pacific Northwest coast, deeply disrupting the lives and economies throughout the region. John Vidale, professor of Earth and Space Sciences and chief seismologist for the State of Washington, wants people to be aware of the threats.
Read more »Oceans and Ocean Activism Deserve Broader Role in Climate Change Discussions
Less visible, but perhaps more indelible, signs of changing climate lie in the oceans. A University of Washington researcher in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs argues in the journal Science that people—including world leaders who will gather later this month in Paris for global climate change negotiations—should pay more attention to how climate change’s impacts on ocean and coastal environments affect societies around the globe.
Read more at UW Today »From Garden to Gut: New Book from UW’s David Montgomery Explores an Unfolding Scientific Revolution
A new book by Earth and Space Sciences‘ David Montgomery weaves history, science and personal challenges into an exploration of humanity’s tangled relationship with microbes, perhaps the least loved and most misunderstood creatures on Earth—and in you. “The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health” comes out Nov. 16 from W.W. Norton & Co. Montgomery, a UW professor of Earth and space sciences, co-wrote the book with his wife, Anne Biklé, a biologist and environmental planner.
Read more at UW Today »OLYMPEX project measures rain and snowfall to gauge new precipitation satellite
NASA and UW researchers are deploying a massive array of instruments Washington's Olympic Peninsula to improve local forecasts and ground-truth satellite data.
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