Mossback Mossback's Northwest: Roll on, Columbia! From its beginnings at a bucolic Canadian lake to shipwreck dangers at its mouth, the Columbia River has defined the region's history and culture. by Knute Berger / April 3, 2025
News Tokitae’s death surfaced orcas’ complicated history in the PNW The death of the whale at a Miami amusement park just before her planned release highlighted the species’ fraught relationship with humans. by Knute Berger / December 4, 2023
Environment Podcast | How a wayward whale foretold decades of exploitation People flocked to see a young orca lost in a river near Portland. Then she was killed, pickled and left in a tank on a mountainside. by Knute Berger & Stephen Hegg / April 14, 2023
Environment In 1931, an orca swam to Portland — and caused a stir A recent beluga whale sighting had Puget Sound agog. It wasn't the first time a whale visited a Northwest city. by Knute Berger / October 29, 2021
Opinion We’re living in the age of the megafire We have a long history of wildfire in the PNW. But megafires are a new thing entirely. by Knute Berger / October 13, 2021
Environment Podcast | Why the ancient stories of Mount Rainier matter now Peter Rainier never set foot on this continent. Some tribal members suggest giving a more fitting name for Washington’s tallest peak. by Ted Alvarez & Sara Bernard / October 6, 2021
Environment Podcast | A reluctant birder dabbles in an exploding pandemic pastime Ted Alvarez thinks birding is boring. But with so much interest in it now, he decides to investigate. by Ted Alvarez & Sara Bernard / September 29, 2021
Environment Podcast | Hunting for one of Washington’s rarest flowers Professor Steven Clark is on an ongoing quest to find a rare daisy that helps us understand the intricacies of evolution. by Ted Alvarez & Sara Bernard / September 22, 2021
Culture In Seattle, public health resisters have always pushed back From sewage to milk to vaccinations, naysayers have always obstructed mandates and measures. by Knute Berger / September 21, 2021
Environment Podcast | WA group brings science to the legend of Sasquatch To find the mythical beast, members of the Olympic Project first analyze the evidence. by Ted Alvarez & Sara Bernard / September 15, 2021