Category Science & Technology
Wisconsin engineer, entrepreneur move ‘green’ diesel engine closer to market
A University of Wisconsin–Madison engineer is collaborating with a Wisconsin entrepreneur to produce a diesel engine that could be a quieter, more efficient power source for a variety of household and industrial applications, including lawn equipment and electric generators.
Mouse genome sequences reveal variability, complex evolutionary history
The genome of even a single organism is packed with information. A new paper, building on recent advances in sequencing capability, now reports the complete genomes of 17 different strains of mice, creating an unparalleled genetic resource that will aid studies ranging from human disease to evolution.
Interim chancellor’s memo to lawmakers regarding proposed fetal tissue ban
Here is the text of a memo sent by UW–Madison Interim Chancellor David Ward to all members of the state Legislature regarding a bill that would ban the acquisition and use of fetal tissue in scientific research.
Study reveals critical similarity between two types of do-it-all stem cells
Ever since human induced pluripotent stem cells were first derived in 2007, scientists have wondered whether they were functionally equivalent to embryonic stem cells, which are sourced in early stage embryos.
In cell culture, like real estate, the neighborhood matters
Ever since scientists first began growing human cells in lab dishes in 1952, they have focused on improving the chemical soup that feeds the cells and helps regulate their growth. But surfaces also matter, says Laura Kiessling, a professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, who observes that living cells are normally in contact with each other and with a structure called the extracellular matrix, not just with the dissolved chemicals in their surroundings.
Organic Field Day set Aug. 30
University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers will host an Organic Field Day on Tuesday, August 30 from 1–3:30p.m. at the UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station.
Climate change could drive native fish out of Wisconsin waters
The cisco, a key forage fish found in Wisconsin's deepest and coldest bodies of water, could become a climate change casualty and disappear from most of the Wisconsin lakes it now inhabits by the year 2100, according to a new study.
Surgeon to be next UW–Madison vet research dean
Longtime professor Dale Bjorling has been named associate dean for research and graduate training at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.
New neutrino detection experiment in China up and running
Deep under a hillside near Hong Kong, a pair of new antineutrino detectors are warming up for some serious physics.
Is hunting wolves key to their conservation?
Hunters have been credited with being strong conservation advocates for numerous game species in multiple countries. Would initiating a wolf hunt invoke the same advocacy for the carnivores?
Digitization project promises lichens and mosses at our fingertips
Lichens and mosses are well-known barometers of the environment. But soon lichens and mosses could assume a new and much broader importance as harbingers of environmental change, thanks to an effort to digitize the lichen and moss collections of U.S. herbaria.
Award allows UW biochemist to investigate mitochondria mystery
Every student of basic biology learns that mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell - little factories turning oxygen and food into energy.
UW study finds that larger dairy farms tend to have better milk quality
Wisconsin's larger dairy operations tended to fare better than the state's small farms in a University of Wisconsin–Madison study of milk quality, although all of the state's farms - both large and small - produced milk that easily met federal food safety guidelines.
Sea level rise less from Greenland, more from Antarctica, than expected during last interglacial
During the last prolonged warm spell on Earth, the oceans were at least four meters - and possibly as much as 6.5 meters, or about 20 feet - higher than they are now.
Chinese high schoolers to learn from stem cells
Eighteen students participating in the inaugural Global Wisconsin Idea Program -- a unique pairing of American and Chinese teenagers -- will join a Chinese university dean this week to learn more about the science of stem cells during a hands-on workshop hosted by the Morgridge Institute for Research.
Novel gene increases yeast’s appetite for plant sugars
For thousands of years, bakers and brewers have relied on yeast to convert sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Yet, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers eager to harness this talent for brewing biofuels have found when it comes to churning through sugars, these budding microbes can be picky eaters.
Warming climate likely to dramatically increase Yellowstone fires by mid-century
Climate is changing fire patterns in the west in a way that could markedly change the face of Yellowstone National Park, according to new research.
Seeds of collaboration: Illinois Titan Arum traces roots to UW
A Titan Arum grown from a seed produced by the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s record-breaking Big Bucky is about to bloom and release its overpowering…
“Boot camp” prepares students for biology education at UW–Madison
Here's the situation: Recently, three kids succumbed within a month to a new blood parasite at your hospital, and a fourth child has just been admitted with the same parasite.