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The organic properties of some particles, such as those from the burning of agricultural waste, have been found to increase the number of cloud droplets in polluted air, allowing more sunlight to be reflected into space than would occur normally.The phenomenon affects climate locally, and probably regionally, say researchers from the Consilio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Bologna, Italy, and the University of Washington in Seattle.

For nearly a decade, University of Washington atmospheric chemist Robert Charlson has advanced the notion that, in some regions, tiny particles from industrial pollution are actually countering the atmospheric warming effects of greenhouse gases. For nearly a decade, University of Washington atmospheric chemist Robert Charlson has advanced the notion that, in some regions, tiny particles from industrial pollution are actually countering the atmospheric warming effects of greenhouse gases.

Species recovery plans have multiplied quickly since the Endangered Species Act was spawned 25 years ago. But there’s still a question of how well the more than 900 species listed as endangered or threatened are recovering. Now a University of Washington zoologist is spearheading a national effort to review 200 recovery plans in detail.

Two University of Washington astronomy professors and two UW graduate students were among dozens of scientists on two teams who this year showed that the expansion of the universe is actually accelerating, a discovery lauded by the journal “Science” in its Dec. 18 edition as the most important science advance of the year.

Recent satellite measurements by University of Washington seismologists indicate the “locked zone” between the Juan de Fuca and North America plates is wider in the Seattle area than previously believed. That means the Puget Sound lowlands are likely to experience significantly greater motion during a subduction-zone earthquake than scientists earlier thought.