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Tag College of Letters & Science

Curiosities: How can a tornado occur in January?

January 21, 2008

Tornadoes can happen whenever atmospheric conditions are suitable, says Steve Ackerman, professor of atmospheric science at UW–Madison. Over the years, Wisconsin has had…

Arsenic contamination lacks one-size-fits-all remedy

December 10, 2007

Though a worldwide problem, arsenic contamination of drinking water does not have a universal solution, recent work by UW–Madison researchers has shown.

Waterborne carbon increases threat of environmental mercury

December 10, 2007

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin and a worrisome environmental contaminant, but the severity of its threat appears to depend on what else is in the water, researchers at UW–Madison have found.

Beowulf expert says Hollywood makeover may do justice to epic poem

November 12, 2007

The epic poem "Beowulf" has all the elements for a Hollywood film: action, monsters and classic battles of good vs. evil. But it also features a "monastic" hero with little sex appeal whose story is told in Old English, a combination that wouldn't exactly fill seats with movie fans.

Computer scientist forges new line of defense against malicious traffic

November 5, 2007

Paul Barford has watched malicious traffic on the Internet evolve from childish pranks to a billion-dollar "shadow industry" in the last decade, and his profession has largely been one step behind the bad guys.