ShakeAlert gets first Washington test in recent Pacific Northwest earthquake

Early on March 3, many residents of the San Juan Islands and beyond were jolted awake by the rocking of a 4.5 magnitude earthquake. Located on the southeast side of Orcas Island, it fortunately caused no major damage and did not trigger a tsunami warning. It did, however, trigger the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system, which alerts people via their smartphone as soon as an earthquake begins.

Read more at the College of the Environment

Federal layoffs and funding cuts threaten earthquake alerts in WA

Harold Tobin, ESS professor and Washington State seismologist is quoted.

Read more at Fox 13

A weird ice that may form on alien planets has finally been observed

ESS assistant research professor and planetary scientist Baptiste Journaux is quoted.

Read more at Science News

Ice spy - ESS alum Peter Neff goes way down under studying ice cores in Antarctica

ESS alum and polar glaciologist Peter Neff and team drill ice cores near the Thwaites Glacier that could provide a clearer picture of the history of weather patterns in the region.

Read more at the UW Magazine

Honoring Women in Science at the College of the Environment

In honor of International Women and Girls in Science Day on February 11, 2025, we celebrate the women across the UW College of the Environment making significant contributions to the advancement of science. ESS associate professor Alison Duvall is highlighted in this roundup.

Read more at the College of the Environment

Erin Wirth wins Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Before leaving office, President Joe Biden awarded nearly 400 scientists and engineers the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers. 

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2024 PNSN Earthquake Catalog

In 2024 the PNSN located 3,272 earthquakes within Washington and Oregon. Another pretty typical year for seismicity in the PNW. Check out our most recent blog post which reviews our 2024 Earthquake Catalog.

Read more at PNSN

Professor Fang-Zhen Teng awarded Alumni Excellence Research Award

Professor Fang-Zhen Teng was awarded Alumni Excellence Research Award from alma mater University of Maryland for his expertise in isotope geochemistry.

Read more at University of Maryland Alumni Association

Desert planets like those in 'Dune' and 'Star Wars' unlikely to host life, NASA says

ESS PhD student Haskelle White-Gianella is quoted.

Read more at Space.com

Could deuterium be the key to finding aliens?

A new paper by UW ESS Professor David Catling and Assistant Professor Josh Krissansen-Totton, recently accepted in the Astrophysical Journal, explores how deuterium could play a key role in the search for extraterrestrial life.

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