Category Science & Technology
Federal investment in basic research yields outsized dividends
Investment in basic scientific research may be one of the best ways to foster long-term economic growth locally and nationally, according to a report released this week by The Science Coalition. Read More
Noted UW–Madison biochemist Robert Burris dies at 96
Robert H. Burris, a noted University of Wisconsin–Madison biochemist, died on Tuesday, May 11 at the age of 96. Read More
For comfort, mom’s voice works as well as a hug
"Reach out and touch someone" - good advertising slogan, or evolutionary imperative? Read More
It’s a small world (for small people) after all
Lab-coated and goggled, Troy Dassler's 15 third graders are itching to power up their digital optical microscopes. Read More
In Europe, bison find plenty of room to roam
The European bison, a close relative of the American bison, has been on a slow road to recovery for almost a century. Europe's largest grazing animal once dwelled from central Russia to Spain, but by the beginning of the 20th century, habitat loss and hunting had reduced them to 54 animals. Read More
Madison researchers field volcanic ash warning system
From a workstation in Madison, Mike Pavolonis hopes to lay eyes - satellite eyes, that is - on every natural chimney around the globe. Read More
NIH reapproves WiCell’s H9 and three other Wisconsin stem cell lines for federally funded research
Today the National Institutes of Health reapproved the WiCell Research Institute's H9 (WA09) human embryonic stem (ES) cell line, the most used and cited in scientific research, for ongoing use in federally funded research. Read More
Crystal defect shown to be key to making hollow nanotubes
Scientists have no problem making a menagerie of nanometer-sized objects - wires, tubes, belts, and even tree-like structures. What they sometimes have been unable to do is explain precisely how those objects form in the vapor and liquid cauldrons in which they are made. Read More
Life history database aids wild primate studies
Karen Strier can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that much of her life's work is now safe. Read More
Wisconsin meteorite shards on display at UW Geology Museum
At least five pieces of the meteorite that fell in southwestern Wisconsin last week will be on display at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Geology Museum for public viewing Tuesday, April 20 through this weekend. Read More
‘Consciousness’ comes to mind for annual bioethics forum
The 9th Annual International Bioethics Forum, "Taking the Measure of the Magic Mirror: Toward a Science of Consciousness" will be held April 22-23 at Promega Corporation's BioPharmaceutical Technology Center. Read More
Earth Day events honor birth of environmentalism
For some of us it seems like just yesterday, but Earth Day turns 40 this year. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Some 20 million people participated in environmental teach-ins across the United States. The event’s founder, U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, took a page from the antiwar movement to educate people about the environment and to put the cause on the national agenda. Read More
Meteor fragment lands in UW–Madison geoscience department
Researchers in the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Geoscience had the opportunity Friday morning to analyze a rock fragment they believe is from the meteor that blazed through the skies over parts of Wisconsin and Iowa Wednesday night. Read More
Recent sightings: Nighttime fireball
Moments before bursting in a dazzling fireball over southwestern Wisconsin, a likely meteor appears as a bright dot in the Wednesday night sky. This… Read More
Stem cell symposium to focus on hurdles in stem cell therapy development
The fifth annual Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium, called "The Road to Stem Cell Applications: Bioprocessing, Safety and Preclinical Evaluation," will be held on Wednesday, April 21 just outside of Madison. Read More
CAREER Award funds study of how estrogen-mimics affect cells
An intricate biochemical messaging network, the endocrine system enables human bodies to grow and function properly throughout their lives. Read More
Astronaut, in Madison visit, to discuss NASA’s changing plans
Former astronaut Harrison Schmitt, one of the last people to walk on the moon, will present a forceful case for manned space exploration in a talk at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on Monday, April 19. Read More
Symposium honors long-time development and evolution researcher
The biologists gathering on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus this Thursday, April 15, have one thing in common beyond their scientific interests in evolution and animal development. Read More
As honeybee colonies collapse, can native bees handle pollination?
With colony collapse disorder continuing to plague commercial beekeepers in many parts of the country, University of Wisconsin–Madison experts are studying whether native pollinators can supply the insect pollination needed to form many fruits. Read More
Controls for animals’ color designs revealed
The vivid colors and designs animals use to interact with their environments have awed and inspired since before people learned to draw on the cave wall. Read More