Category Science & Technology
Invasive shrubs increase spread of tick-borne disease
For a hungry tick, bush honeysuckle is as good as a drive-through. Read More
Team receives funds to advance development of production method for medical isotopes
An acute shortage of a medical isotope needed by tens of thousands of medical patients daily will be addressed through a federal funding agreement reached Sept. 30 to advance pioneering technology developed at a Middleton, Wis., company and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Read More
Bioenergy choices could dramatically change Midwest bird diversity
Ambitious plans to expand acreage of bioenergy crops could have a major impact on birds in the Upper Midwest, according to a study published today (Oct. 4) in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Read More
For first time, monkeys recognize themselves in the mirror, indicating self-awareness
Typically, monkeys don't know what to make of a mirror. They may ignore it or interpret their reflection as another, invading monkey, but they don't recognize the reflection as their own image. Chimpanzees and people pass this "mark" test - they obviously recognize their own reflection and make funny faces, look at a temporary mark that the scientists have placed on their face or wonder how they got so old and grey. Read More
Report casts world’s rivers in ‘crisis state’
The world's rivers, the single largest renewable water resource for humans and a crucible of aquatic biodiversity, are in a crisis of ominous proportions, according to a new global analysis. Read More
UW-Madison receives grant for superconducting electron gun
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has received a $4.5 million grant from the United States Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences office. The award will fund a research and development project focusing on the fabrication and testing of what is called an electron gun for a free electron laser (FEL) - a several-football-fields-long light source, an immense instrument whose light would be used by researchers across a range of disciplines for their experiments. Read More
Researchers discover less-expensive low-temperature catalyst for hydrogen purification
Engineering researchers from Tufts University, the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Harvard University have demonstrated the low-temperature efficacy of an atomically dispersed platinum catalyst, which could be suitable for on-board hydrogen production in fuel-cell-powered vehicles of the future. Read More
Curiosities: Are “baby” carrots really … baby carrots?
Sadly, not really. “There’s something very convenient about (baby carrots), and kids seem to enjoy it. It means more people eating vegetables, and I… Read More
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center hires chief operating officer
Anchored in the basic research of academia and charged with generating new biofuels technologies, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is a bit of a hybrid. Read More
UW-Madison undergrads to design a room that’s literally out of this world
Think of it as a high-tech screened porch for astronauts. Read More
Go Big Read kicks off another year with events
The campus community has many opportunities to participate in the second year of the Go Big Read common-reading program, which this year will feature “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. Read More
Court puts stem cell researchers back to work, for now
A panel of appellate judges removed barriers to embryonic stem cell research funded by federal grants in a decision Thursday, Sept. 9 reversing a suspension of funding ordered in August by another federal judge. Read More
New director takes over at Primate Center
It is not likely, by a long shot, to be his biggest challenge, but reorienting his collegiate athletic allegiances and keeping peace in the family will be one pressing priority for neurophysiologist Jon Levine, the Northwestern University researcher who takes the reins of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center (WNPRC) this month. Read More
Curiosities: Why are yellow jackets most noticeable in late summer?
Often mistaken for bees, German yellow jackets are social wasps that cooperate to build their nests and support their queen, and they… Read More
Fellowship a boost for budding energy researchers
A pair of young fusion researchers will be working with the support of the Department of Energy as they work on graduate degrees at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Read More
Curiosities: Why do sharks have to swim constantly?
For two reasons, says James Kitchell, professor of zoology at UW–Madison. First, sharks lack the swim bladder that most fish use to adjust their buoyancy. Read More
Plants give up some deep secrets of drought resistance
In a study that promises to fill in the fine details of the plant world's blueprint for surviving drought, a team of Wisconsin researchers has identified in living plants the set of proteins that help them withstand water stress. Read More
Renewed partnership keeps $60 million satellite center in Madison
It was a deep history in satellite meteorology that first got the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration interested in Madison in the 1970s. Read More