College of Arts and Sciences

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing renewed scrutiny, but don't expect the lifetime appointee to face any real repercussions, experts said. Scott Lemieux, assistant teaching professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Peter Ward, a UW professor of earth and space sciences and of biology, is an expert on one of the oldest and least understood animals on earth -- the nautilus.

The UW's Nancy Allbritton, dean of the College of Engineering and professor of bioengineering; Kai-Mei Fu, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of physics; and Charles Marcus, professor of materials science and engineering and of physics, are quoted.

A pair of studies published April 14 in the journal Science paint a new picture about apes, ancient Africa and the origins of humans. Many scientists had once hypothesized that the first apes to evolve in Africa more than 20 million years ago ate primarily fruit and lived within the thick, closed canopy of a nearly continent-wide forest ecosystem. Instead, the new research indicates that early apes ate a leafy diet in a more arid ecosystem of varyingly open woodlands with abundant grasses.

"Republican leaders are now adopting increasingly autocratic measures, using the police powers of government to impose moralized regulations, turning private citizens into enforcement officers and expelling defiant elected Democrats just as county Republican parties, particularly in Western states, are electing militia members, Christian nationalists and QAnon believers to key posts," writes New York Times columnist Thomas B. Edsall. Jake Grumbach, associate professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

A lot of people have been using ChatGPT out of curiosity or for entertainment. But students can also use it to cheat. ChatGPT marks the beginning of a new wave of AI, a wave that's poised to disrupt education. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, is quoted.

One of two Black Democratic legislators expelled by the Republican-controlled Tennessee House said, "what the nation is seeing is that we don't have a democracy in Tennessee." Chillingly, data offers some support for that contention. Jake Grumbach, associate professor of political science at the UW, is mentioned.

After Alice Ball died -- and just a year after her discovery of a treatment for leprosy -- another scientist took credit for her work. It would be more than half a century until her story resurfaced. Quintard Taylor, professor emeritus of history at the UW, is quoted.

The indictment of former President Trump isn't just about an individual but about the office of the presidency, and what the country is willing to accept from its leaders, say University of Washington political scientists James Long and Victor Menaldo,

This week, learn more about Japan's response to climate change, attend the talk on Yoko Ono and the Art of the Breakdown, enjoy music performances at Meany Hall and more.

Drawing upon archival photos and old films, Black Collectivity presents an original performance rooted in little-known legacies. Jasmine Mahmoud, assistant professor of theatre history and performance studies at the UW, is quoted.

The indictment of a former president of the U.S., Donald Trump, is history happening in real time. The Conversation asked the UW's political science professors James Long and Victor Menaldo to help readers understand the meaning of this moment in the U.S.

Former President Donald Trump may be the first U.S. president to face criminal charges, but he's hardly alone on the global stage. Plenty of other democracies have prosecuted their current or former leaders. James D. Long, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Thousands of experts are sounding alarms about a potential dark future created by artificial intelligence. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, however, says we should be more concerned about the harm the technology is already causing.

This week, head to Meany Hall for the Grammy-nominated Dover Quartet performance, learn about Seattle’s radical women’s liberation movement of the 60s and 70s from Barbara Winslow, celebrate Arab American Heritage Month and more.