Data is now streaming from the deep sea, thanks to an observatory installed off of the Pacific Northwest coast by the UW as part of a larger National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative to usher in a new age of oceanographic research.
Read more at UW Today »Early Earth's air weighed less than half of today's atmosphere
New research from the University of Washington uses bubbles trapped in 2.7 billion-year-old rocks to show that air at that time exerted at most half the pressure of today's atmosphere.
Read more at UW Today »UW-led field project watching clouds from a remote island off Antarctica
It turns out not all clouds are created equal. Though Seattle presents an ideal location for cloud-gazing, it can’t reproduce the unique clouds in a part of the world thought to play a key role in the planet’s climate. The vast Southern Ocean circling Antarctica soaks up a large portion of the carbon emissions taken up by the oceans and stores some of the extra heat trapped by the carbon emissions that remain in the air.
Read more at UW Today »Dean’s Letter: Curiosity-driven research—the foundation of all that we do
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” —Albert Einstein Curiosity-driven research is scholarship in which real world applications are not immediately apparent. Such fundamental research can be seen as a luxury in a time where the College is called on to address a panoply of environmental challenges. Far worse is the fact that fundamental research in the geosciences is under fire in Washington, D.C.
Read more »Geology and art connect at UW light rail station
Tens of thousands of people will pass through the new University of Washington light rail station that opened in mid-March. While most riders will focus on their destination, they may also learn something as they pass through the station. “Subterranium,” by UW alumnus Leo Saul Berk, lines the walls with 6,000 unique backlit panels inspired by the geology of the site that was excavated to create the station.
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