This year, two milestones have been reached in the Arctic Ocean — record-low sea ice extent, and an even more dramatic new low in Arctic sea ice volume. What might this mean for the future of Arctic ice, and its effects on the globe? UW’s PIOMAS model is cited; read more here.
Read more »Dinosaur die-out might have been second of two closely-timed extinction events - UW News
The most-studied mass extinction in Earth history happened 65 million years ago and is widely thought to have wiped out the dinosaurs. New research indicates that a separate extinction came shortly before that, triggered by volcanic eruptions that warmed the planet and killed life on the ocean floor. This research was undertaken by ESS‘ Thomas Tobin, Peter Ward, Eric Steig and others.
Read more »Seattleites learn what will grow on rooftops - EarthFix
“It turns out cars aren’t that heavy compared to saturated soil.” UpGarden, the first rooftop community garden in the country is on top of the Mercer Street Parking Garage, and its seen both challenges and successes in its inaugural growing season. Read all about it here!
Read more »Harnessing the power of waves - NYT
It’s been about 15 years since the state of Oregon started working to harness wave power for energy. Things are really speeding up with this technology, although some would rather we take it slow and assess the side-effects before, rather than after, large-scale implementation. University of Washington is mentioned in this overview of the history and state of wave-generated energy.
Read more »Finding wilderness in sidewalk cracks: Interview with Molly Steinwald - Grist
How do you find nature in the city? What if you’ve never been outside the city before? This intrepid science educator seeks to do just that, by pointing out the nature hidden all around us to children in urban environments. Check out this intriguing story about Molly Steinwald; Dean Lisa Graumlich is quoted.
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