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Category Science & Technology

Ever-sharp urchin teeth may yield tools that never need honing

December 22, 2010

To survive in a tumultuous environment, sea urchins literally eat through stone, using their teeth to carve out nooks where the spiny creatures hide from predators and protect themselves from the crashing surf on the rocky shores and tide pools where they live. Read More

World’s largest neutrino observatory completed at South Pole

December 17, 2010

Culminating a decade of planning, innovation and testing, construction of the world's largest neutrino observatory was successfully completed today. Read More

100-year study mirrors U.S. history of concrete

December 16, 2010

Almost since the beginning of recorded history, people have used concrete substances in everything from infrastructure to artwork. Read More

Satellites give an eagle eye on thunderstorms

December 15, 2010

It's one of the more frustrating parts of summer. You check the weather forecast, see nothing dramatic, and go hiking or biking. Then, four hours later, a thunderstorm appears out of nowhere and ruins your afternoon. Read More

Learning the language of bacteria

December 6, 2010

Bacteria are among the simplest organisms in nature, but many of them can still talk to each other, using a chemical "language" that is critical to the process of infection. Sending and receiving chemical signals allows bacteria to mind their own business when they are scarce and vulnerable, and then mount an attack after they become numerous enough to overwhelm the host's immune system. Read More

Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery facility opens on UW–Madison campus

December 2, 2010

Twin research institutes and a space designed for all to engage in science opened Thursday on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Read More

New treatments protect Christmas from ‘Grinch’ grub

December 1, 2010

Across northern Wisconsin, many of the state's Christmas tree growers struggle to protect their trees from an insect pest known as the white grub, which lurks in the soil, feeds on tree roots and destroys the crop. Read More

UW-Madison chemistry professor elected to lead American Chemical Society

November 29, 2010

University of Wisconsin–Madison chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri has been voted president-elect of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Read More

Mifflin Meteorite finds permanent home in Geology Museum

November 23, 2010

The meteorite that lit up the skies over southwest Wisconsin this spring has been officially dubbed the "Mifflin Meteorite," and several of its pieces are now part of the permanent collection of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Geology Museum. Read More

Banking on predictability, the mind increases efficiency

November 22, 2010

Like musical compression saves space on your mp3 player, the human brain has ways of recoding sounds to save precious processing power. Read More

Scientists ferret out a key pathway for aging

November 18, 2010

A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and their colleagues describe a molecular pathway that is a key determinant of the aging process. Read More

UW-Madison researchers win White House science awards

November 15, 2010

Two University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers are among the country's most promising young researchers, according to the White House. Read More

Curiosities: Why is Pluto not considered a planet?

November 15, 2010

Until 2006, astronomers had not carefully defined “planet,” says James Lattis, director of the UW Space Place. Asteroids were not considered planets because… Read More

Embryonic stem cell culturing grows from art to science

November 14, 2010

Growing human embryonic stem cells in the lab is no small feat. Culturing the finicky, shape-shifting cells is labor intensive and, in some ways, more art than exact science. Read More

Curiosities: How do frogs, toads and other amphibians survive the Wisconsin winter?

November 10, 2010

Amphibians are at great risk during the winter but employ several strategies for getting through, says Scott Craven, professor of forest and wildlife… Read More