On the Seattle Fault, the biggest quakes aren't the most likely

Smaller quakes from secondary faults occur more frequently than previously thought, says new study published in Geology by ESS researchers Elizabeth Davis and Juliet Crider. PNSN Director Harold Tobin is also quoted.

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Planets need more water to support life than scientists previously thought

In a new study, Haskelle White-Gianella and Joshua Krissanen-Totton show that an Earth-sized planet likely needs at least 20 to 50% of the water in Earth’s oceans to maintain a critical natural cycle — the geologic carbon cycle — that keeps water on the surface. These new parameters could exclude many exoplanets in the so-called habitable zone and help narrow the search for life.

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New study shows fluid in Cascadia Subduction Zone creates variability in earthquake impacts

A new study authored by Maleena Wjeratna Kidiwela, with mentorship from ESS Associate Professor Marine Denolle, indicates that a difference between the northern and central areas of the Cascadia Subduction Zone may create variability in how earthquakes rippling out of the fault could spread.

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Overnight offshore earthquake swarm poses no danger to Pacific Northwest, expert says

A swarm of offshore earthquakes near the Pacific Northwest poses no threat to land, says ESS Professor and PNSN Director Harold Tobin.

Read more at King 5

Earth sciences and Geophysics among top in nation in recent ranking

Two disciplines in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences ranked in the top 10 nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools released April 6. Earth sciences tied for 9th, and Geophysics remained in a three-way tie for 9th (ranked in 2024).

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March research highlights: Nautilus habitat, eco-friendly tennis courts, more

This highlight features a recent paper by ESS Adjunct Professor Peter Ward about the habits and habitats of 'living fossils' Nautilus and Allonautilus. ESS Professor Eric Steig and lab manager Andrew Schauer are co-authors.

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Fiber optic cables reveal a serious problem at the heart of modern farming

Co-authors David Montgomery and Marine Denolle are quoted.

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Earthquake scientists reveal how overplowing weakens soil at experimental farm

In a new study published in Science, a team led by UW researchers, including Marine Denolle, David Montgomery, Abby Swann and Nicoleta Cristea, examine the impact of tilling on soil moisture and water retention using methods designed for monitoring earthquakes. By tracking changes in the speed of sound through soil, they show that tilling disrupts important soil microstructures, compromising its natural sponginess.

The method could help farmers develop tailored cultivation strategies, provide real time food information, inform earthquake hazard maps and more.

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Scientists discover skyscraper-sized underwater waves beneath Greenland that speed up glacier melt

Underwater waves triggered by falling icebergs are playing a bigger role in Greenland's ice loss than previously thought. ESS postdoc Dominik Gräff is lead author on the study.

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ESS Professor David Catling elected as a Geochemistry Fellow

Professor David Catling of the Department of Earth and Space Sciences has been elected as a 2026 Geochemical Fellow of the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry. This international award is bestowed upon outstanding scientists who have made a major contribution to the field of geochemistry.

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