Category Science & Technology
Two UW–Madison researchers awarded prestigious Sloan Fellowships
Two members of the University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty are among 126 scientists from around the country who have been awarded prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowships. Read More
Early spring: Good for us, mixed bag for insects, plants
Madison’s warm weather may have made the outdoors more comfortable for people, but does it spell trouble for overwintering plants and bugs? Read More
Recent sightings: Wonders of Physics
Physics student Blaine Law (right) uses the pressure of liquid nitrogen changing from a liquid to a gas to power a canon during a… Read More
Does history repeat? Using the past to improve ecological forecasting
To better predict the future, Jack Williams is looking to the past. Read More
Proposed hunt poorly designed, says UW wolf expert
Legislation outlining a proposed state wolf hunt is likely to hurt wolf populations while failing to resolve existing conflicts with humans, says a UW–Madison wolf… Read More
Mother of pearl tells a tale of ocean temperature, depth
Nacre -- or mother of pearl, scientists and artisans know, is one of nature's amazing utilitarian materials. Read More
Howard Zimmerman, pioneer in organic chemistry, dies at 85
Howard Zimmerman, a professor of chemistry from 1960 until his retirement in 2010, died on Saturday, Feb. 11 as a result of a fall. Read More
Arboretum director to return to teaching
Kevin McSweeney, a University of Wisconsin–Madison soil scientist who has directed the university's internationally famous Arboretum since 2004, announced this week that he is relinquishing that administrative post and returning to the faculty. Read More
UW–Madison names finalists for Nelson Institute director
UW-Madison has named three finalists for the director of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Read More
Forest and Hawks named 2012 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Fellows
Katrina Forest, professor of bacteriology, and John Hawks, associate chair of Anthropology, have been selected by the Institute for Biology Education as Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Faculty Fellows for 2012. Read More
Two engineers named to national academy
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) today (Feb. 9) announced it has named two UW–Madison engineers to its 2012 class of new members. Read More
Physics Department open house welcomes community
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Physics will throw open its doors from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, for its fifth annual Physics Fair. Read More
Hunting could hurt genetic diversity of sandhill cranes, UW research suggests
As Wisconsin lawmakers debate whether to establish a hunting season for sandhill cranes, they may want to consider more than just the sheer number of birds, suggests a University of Wisconsin–Madison specialist in avian genetics. Read More
Study shows calories drive earlier puberty
Environmental pollutants, eating habits, lack of exercise and genetic traits have all been raised as possible causes of earlier puberty onset in girls in recent years. Now we may now know why: It's the calories, as reported by Ei Terasawa, Joe Kurian, Ricki Colman and colleagues at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. Read More
Sturgeon “thunder” has roots in biological process
Research into the mysterious sounds that lake sturgeon produce resumes in April, or whenever the water warms to a temperature conducive for fish spawning, which is the best time to experience sturgeon “thunder.” Read More
Evolution’s oddities are focus of Darwin Day
The annual celebration of Charles Darwin’s birthday at the University of Wisconsin–Madison will highlight the evolutionary significance of strange life forms, including the octopus and enormous flowers. Read More
Smallest tools could give biggest results in bone repair
When William Murphy works with some of the most powerful tools in biology, he thinks about making tools that can fit together. These constructions sound a bit like socket wrenches, which can be assembled to turn a half-inch nut in tight quarters, or to loosen a rusted-tight one-inch bolt using a very persuasive lever. Read More
Neurons from stem cells could replace mice in botulinum test
Using lab-grown human neurons, researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison have devised an effective assay for detecting botulinum neurotoxin, the agent widely used to cosmetically smooth the wrinkles of age and, increasingly, for an array of medical disorders ranging from muscle spasticity to loss of bladder control. Read More
How does the compassionate brain, measured in the lab, predict what occurs in real life?
University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers are launching a new series of studies to understand how laboratory measures of virtuous qualities such as compassion relate to their behavior in the real world. Read More