Latest news from University of Washington on News en-us Copyright 2025 News 115 31 / /images/newswise-logo-rss.gif /articles/children-exposed-to-higher-ozone-levels-early-in-life-are-more-likely-to-develop-asthma/?sc=rsin /articles/children-exposed-to-higher-ozone-levels-early-in-life-are-more-likely-to-develop-asthma/?sc=rsin Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:20:23 EST Children exposed to higher levels of ozone in their first two years of life were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with asthma or wheezing at ages 4-6 -- but researchers didn't observe the increased risk of asthma at ages 8-9. University of Washington /articles/video-the-uw-s-assistive-feeding-robot-gets-tested-outside-the-lab/?sc=rsin /articles/video-the-uw-s-assistive-feeding-robot-gets-tested-outside-the-lab/?sc=rsin Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:25:17 EST UW researchers deployed a robotic feeding arm in a pair of studies outside the lab. In the first, six users with motor impairments used the robot to feed themselves a meal in a UW cafeteria, an office or a conference room. In the second study, a community researcher and co-author on the research used the system at home for five days. University of Washington /articles/university-of-washington-expert-available-to-discuss-the-use-of-ai-in-filmmaking/?sc=rsin /articles/university-of-washington-expert-available-to-discuss-the-use-of-ai-in-filmmaking/?sc=rsin Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:20:24 EST University of Washington /articles/coffee-grounds-and-reishi-mushroom-spores-can-be-3d-printed-into-a-compostable-alternative-to-plastics/?sc=rsin /articles/coffee-grounds-and-reishi-mushroom-spores-can-be-3d-printed-into-a-compostable-alternative-to-plastics/?sc=rsin Tue, 18 Feb 2025 18:30:39 EST University of Washington researchers developed a new system for turning used coffee grounds into a paste, which they use to 3D print objects, such as packing materials and a vase. They inoculate the paste with Reishi mushroom spores, which turn the coffee grounds into a resilient, fully compostable alternative to plastics. University of Washington /articles/whale-poop-contains-iron-that-may-have-helped-fertilize-past-oceans/?sc=rsin /articles/whale-poop-contains-iron-that-may-have-helped-fertilize-past-oceans/?sc=rsin Thu, 06 Feb 2025 20:15:06 EST A recent theory proposes that whales weren't just predators in the ocean environment: Nutrients that whales excreted may have provided a key fertilizer. Analysis of whale excrement shows significant amounts of bioavailable iron, a vital element that's often scarce in ocean ecosystems, and nontoxic forms of copper, another essential nutrient. Large populations of whales in past oceans may have helped support marine ecosystems. University of Washington /articles/uw-researchers-are-designing-cancer-therapeutics-that-can-kill-cancer-cells-and-restore-healthy-tissue/?sc=rsin /articles/uw-researchers-are-designing-cancer-therapeutics-that-can-kill-cancer-cells-and-restore-healthy-tissue/?sc=rsin Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:10:23 EST Two University of Washington researchers are developing treatments that aim to simultaneously treat cancer and improve patients' quality of life. For World Cancer Day, UW Â鶹´«Ã½ asked them to discuss their novel materials and how these materials can treat both the cancer and the patient. University of Washington /articles/qa-how-rate-of-co2-rise-can-affect-a-global-ocean-current/?sc=rsin /articles/qa-how-rate-of-co2-rise-can-affect-a-global-ocean-current/?sc=rsin Tue, 28 Jan 2025 20:30:56 EST How fast the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide -- and with it, the temperature -- goes up matters for the ability of humans and ecosystems to adjust. A slower increase gives humans time to move away from low-lying coasts and animals time to move to new habitats. It turns out the rate of that increase matters for non-living systems, too. University of Washington /articles/open-source-ai-expert-available-to-discuss-deepseek/?sc=rsin /articles/open-source-ai-expert-available-to-discuss-deepseek/?sc=rsin Tue, 28 Jan 2025 20:05:04 EST University of Washington /articles/study-finds-strong-negative-associations-with-teenagers-in-ai-models/?sc=rsin /articles/study-finds-strong-negative-associations-with-teenagers-in-ai-models/?sc=rsin Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:45:40 EST A UW team studied how AI systems portray teens in English and Nepali, and found that in English language systems around 30% of the responses referenced societal problems such as violence, drug use and mental illness. The Nepali system produced fewer negative associations in responses, closer to 10% of all answers. University of Washington /articles/a-smart-ring-with-a-tiny-camera-lets-users-point-and-click-to-control-home-devices/?sc=rsin /articles/a-smart-ring-with-a-tiny-camera-lets-users-point-and-click-to-control-home-devices/?sc=rsin Wed, 08 Jan 2025 22:45:53 EST UW researchers have developed IRIS, a smart ring that allows users to point and click to control smart devices. The prototype Bluetooth ring contains a small camera which sends an image of the selected device to the user's phone. The user can control the device clicking a small button or -- for devices with gradient controls, such as a speaker's volume -- rotating the ring. University of Washington /articles/how-a-uw-teaching-professor-adds-the-context-behind-the-science-in-her-chemical-engineering-courses/?sc=rsin /articles/how-a-uw-teaching-professor-adds-the-context-behind-the-science-in-her-chemical-engineering-courses/?sc=rsin Tue, 07 Jan 2025 19:50:06 EST Alex Prybutok, University of Washington assistant teaching professor of chemical engineering, studies anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in engineering education. University of Washington /articles/the-carbon-in-our-bodies-probably-left-the-galaxy-and-came-back-on-cosmic-conveyer-belt/?sc=rsin /articles/the-carbon-in-our-bodies-probably-left-the-galaxy-and-came-back-on-cosmic-conveyer-belt/?sc=rsin Fri, 03 Jan 2025 19:30:38 EST University of Washington scientists recently discovered that the giant 'conveyer belt' currents that push star-forged material out of our galaxy and pull it back in can also transport carbon atoms. That means that a good deal of the carbon here on Earth, including the carbon in our bodies, likely left the galaxy at some point! University of Washington /articles/by-looking-at-individual-atoms-in-tooth-enamel-uw-and-pnnl-researchers-are-learning-what-happens-to-our-teeth-as-we-age/?sc=rsin /articles/by-looking-at-individual-atoms-in-tooth-enamel-uw-and-pnnl-researchers-are-learning-what-happens-to-our-teeth-as-we-age/?sc=rsin Thu, 19 Dec 2024 21:00:42 EST A research team at the University of Washington and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory examined the atomic composition of enamel samples from two human teeth. University of Washington /articles/qa-new-ai-training-method-lets-systems-better-adjust-to-users-values/?sc=rsin /articles/qa-new-ai-training-method-lets-systems-better-adjust-to-users-values/?sc=rsin Wed, 18 Dec 2024 19:50:05 EST University of Washington researchers created a method for training AI systems -- both for large language models like ChatGPT and for robots -- that can better reflect users' diverse values. It predicts users' preferences as they interact with it, then tailors its outputs accordingly. University of Washington /articles/will-the-next-generation-of-ai-be-agents-that-can-shop-autonomously/?sc=rsin /articles/will-the-next-generation-of-ai-be-agents-that-can-shop-autonomously/?sc=rsin Tue, 17 Dec 2024 21:10:14 EST University of Washington /articles/record-low-antarctic-sea-ice-can-be-explained-and-forecast-months-out-by-patterns-in-winds/?sc=rsin /articles/record-low-antarctic-sea-ice-can-be-explained-and-forecast-months-out-by-patterns-in-winds/?sc=rsin Fri, 06 Dec 2024 12:50:27 EST University of Washington researchers show that the all-time record low in winter sea ice extent in 2023 can be explained by warm Southern Ocean conditions and patterns in the winds that circled Antarctica months earlier, allowing forecasts for sea ice coverage around the South Pole to be generated six or more months in advance. This could support regional and global weather and climate models. University of Washington /articles/that-s-no-straw-hummingbirds-evolved-surprisingly-flexible-bills-to-help-them-drink-nectar/?sc=rsin /articles/that-s-no-straw-hummingbirds-evolved-surprisingly-flexible-bills-to-help-them-drink-nectar/?sc=rsin Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:30:23 EST Scientists have discovered that the hummingbird bill is surprisingly flexible. While drinking, a hummingbird rapidly opens and shuts different parts of its bill simultaneously, engaging in an intricate and highly coordinated dance with its tongue to draw up nectar at lightning speeds. University of Washington /articles/uw-led-research-links-wildfire-smoke-exposure-with-increased-dementia-risk/?sc=rsin /articles/uw-led-research-links-wildfire-smoke-exposure-with-increased-dementia-risk/?sc=rsin Mon, 25 Nov 2024 13:10:48 EST New research led by the University of Washington found that wildfire smoke is especially hazardous to people's memory health. An analysis of the health care records of 1.2 million Southern California residents found that higher long-term smoke exposure was associated with a significant increase in the odds that a person would be diagnosed with dementia. University of Washington /articles/fewer-than-7-of-global-hotspots-for-whale-ship-collisions-have-protection-measures-in-place/?sc=rsin /articles/fewer-than-7-of-global-hotspots-for-whale-ship-collisions-have-protection-measures-in-place/?sc=rsin Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:35:13 EST A new study has quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. Researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale species' ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have measures in place to protect whales. University of Washington /articles/qa-promises-and-perils-of-ai-in-medicine-according-to-uw-experts-in-public-health-and-ai/?sc=rsin /articles/qa-promises-and-perils-of-ai-in-medicine-according-to-uw-experts-in-public-health-and-ai/?sc=rsin Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:45:01 EST In a recent paper, UW research professor describes a troubling experience asking an AI chatbot for medical information. Optimists believe artificial intelligence could help solve those problems, but the bots might not be ready for prime time. University of Washington