Washington State | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/washington-state/RSS feed for Washington StateenWed, 12 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000Pumas Might Be Making Your Drive Home Safer. When the Predators Are Around, Deer Tend to Avoid Roads, Preventing Some Collisionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pumas-might-be-making-your-drive-home-safer-when-the-predators-are-around-deer-tend-to-avoid-roads-preventing-some-collisions-180989314/In Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the wild cats’ presence corresponded with a 67 percent drop in the likelihood of a deer-vehicle crash and a 76 percent overall decline in the number of wrecks during a five-year period, according to a new studyWed, 12 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pumas-might-be-making-your-drive-home-safer-when-the-predators-are-around-deer-tend-to-avoid-roads-preventing-some-collisions-180989314/A Massive Flow of Rock and Mud Tumbled Down Mount Rainier Centuries Ago. Scientists Pinpointed Its Date to Better Understand the Volcano's Complex Threatshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-massive-flow-of-rock-and-mud-tumbled-down-mount-rainier-centuries-ago-scientists-pinpointed-its-date-to-better-understand-the-volcanos-complex-threats-180989162/In a recent study, researchers dated a historic lahar called the Electron Mudflow to the summer of 1507, establishing a way to determine when past geologic events around the Puget Sound occurredTue, 21 Jul 2026 16:48:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-massive-flow-of-rock-and-mud-tumbled-down-mount-rainier-centuries-ago-scientists-pinpointed-its-date-to-better-understand-the-volcanos-complex-threats-180989162/An Unusual-Looking Raccoon Nicknamed Jimothy Is Winning Hearts Across the Internet for His Short, Round Bodyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-unusual-looking-raccoon-nicknamed-jimothy-is-winning-hearts-across-the-internet-for-his-short-round-body-180989157/Jimothy has become a local celebrity in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood and likely has a rare congenital spine conditionMon, 20 Jul 2026 20:11:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-unusual-looking-raccoon-nicknamed-jimothy-is-winning-hearts-across-the-internet-for-his-short-round-body-180989157/