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Crowdfunding Coal Science

Dan Jaffe, UW-Bothell professor, is using crowdfunding to raise money to study how passing coal trains impact air quality.

by Ashley Ahearn

Crowdfunding campaigns are popular ways to raise money for fledgling businesses and independent projects. Now there are some scientists who are asking the public to chip in online for studies about the impacts of exporting coal in the Northwest.


Vanquishing Zombie Fishing Nets In Puget Sound


by Ashley Ahearn

Fishing nets are designed to ensnare fish. And that's what they do, even after they're lost or abandoned at sea. But a response is underway. It's playing out internationally and in the Pacific Northwest.


Study: Aquifers Draining Quickly, Less In PNW


by Courtney Flatt

A new study says the nation’s aquifers are shrinking at an alarming rate. The problem is not as bad in the Northwest, thanks to an abundance of rivers and streams. But even here, aquifers are in decline.


Underwater Earthquake Recordings Reveal Mysterious Whale’s Calls

by Ashley Ahearn

Scientists have gained better access to the mysterious deep-sea lives of fin whales – almost accidentally.


Portable Wind Turbines Bring Renewable Energy To Cities


by Courtney Flatt

Tall, noisy wind turbines may not go over well in some urban areas. A Northwest company has developed residential-sized turbines to push renewable energy to cities. The portable turbines could also generate power during disasters.


Elwha River: Recovery Proceeds Despite Sediment Setbacks


by Ashley Ahearn

Massive amounts of sediment have been released from above the two dams that are being removed on the Olympic Peninsula. But despite some technical challenges, there is new life and new habitat emerging on the Elwha River this spring.


Which Fish Get To Recolonize After Elwha’s Dams Are Gone?


by Ashley Ahearn

Fish are making their way into parts of the Elwha River that have been locked away above two dams for 100 years. But which fish should be allowed to recolonize the Elwha - just wild fish, or hatchery-raised salmon and steelhead, too?


What A Golf Course Could Mean For Washington’s Groundwater


by Courtney Flatt

Conservationists say groundwater used to irrigate Washington State University’s golf course is draining the region’s aquifer. Their legal challenge case could change how cities and towns manage water for future development.







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