Category Science & Technology
Like humans, ants use bacteria to make their gardens grow
Leaf-cutter ants, which cultivate fungus for food, have many remarkable qualities. Read More
Sweet corn story begins in UW–Madison lab
This week, scientists are revealing the genetic instructions inside corn, one of the big three cereal crops. Corn, or maize, has one of the most complex sequences of DNA ever analyzed, says University of Wisconsin–Madison genomicist David Schwartz, who was one of more than 100 authors in the article in the journal Science. Read More
After mastodons and mammoths, a transformed landscape
Roughly 15,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, North America's vast assemblage of large animals - including such iconic creatures as mammoths, mastodons, camels, horses, ground sloths and giant beavers - began their precipitous slide to extinction. Read More
Evolution institute named for pioneering UW–Madison geneticist
A few days before the 150th anniversary of the "Origin of Species," Charles Darwin's epochal book on evolution, plans for a new evolution institute moved closer to final approval at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Read More
UW-Madison receives $9.5 million Gates Foundation grant
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has received a five-year, $9.5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to identify virus mutations that would serve as early warnings of potential pandemic influenza viruses. Read More
Warmer means windier on world’s biggest lake
Rising water temperatures are kicking up more powerful winds on Lake Superior, with consequences for currents, biological cycles, pollution and more on the world's largest lake and its smaller brethren. Read More
Study: Can meditation sharpen our attention?
A new study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests that people can train their minds to stay focused. Read More
FDA-approved drugs eliminate, prevent cervical cancer in mice
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health have eliminated cervical cancer in mice with two FDA-approved drugs currently used to treat breast cancer and osteoporosis. Read More
Now hear this: Mouse study sheds light on hearing loss in older adults
Becoming "hard of hearing" is a standard but unfortunate part of aging: A syndrome called age-related hearing loss affects about 40 percent of people over 65 in the United States, and will afflict an estimated 28 million Americans by 2030. Read More
Bringing ‘bioneers’ to Wisconsin
Bioneers, a leading-edge environmental movement that uses solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity to support sustainable lifestyles and communities, will be introduced to Wisconsin at a Nov. 13-14 conference in Fitchburg. Read More
Fifty years of expanding girls’ horizons in science, math
The Expanding Your Horizons program, a daylong conference designed to expose young women to careers in science, technology, engineering and math, has touched thousands of Wisconsin women during its 50-year history at UW–Madison. Read More
Middle East air-quality study bridges borders
An unprecedented effort to collect air pollution data in the Middle East has united researchers in a region mired in conflict. Read More
Muscle mass maintenance under scrutiny
When muscles are not pressed into service, they begin to lose mass. Read More
Collaboration to enhance patient safety during blood collection, transfusion
The National Institute of Health (NIH), Health and Human Services has awarded a $1.4 million Small Business Technology Transfer grant to SysLogic Inc., the UW RFID Laboratory and the BloodCenter of Wisconsin. Read More
Curiosities: Is there a limit to how fast humans can be?
“In my opinion there are no limits,” says Tim Gattenby, a faculty associate in kinesiology at UW–Madison. “People said that no one could… Read More
New material could efficiently power tiny generators
To power a very small device like a pacemaker or a transistor, you need an even smaller generator. The components that operate the generator are smaller yet, and the efficiency of those foundational components is critical to the performance of the overall device. Read More
War of the viruses: Could ancient virus genes help fight modern AIDS?
Almost 30 years into the AIDS epidemic, scientists have yet to find an effective vaccine against HIV, the virus that destroys the immune system and causes AIDS. HIV is perhaps the most adaptive virus ever seen, not only evading the immune system, but also antiviral medicines. Read More
Carbon nanotubes may cheaply harvest sunlight
A new alternative energy technology relies on the element most associated with climate change: carbon. Read More
Virent Energy Systems CEO to speak at Bioenergy Summit
Lee Edwards, president and chief executive officer of Madison's Virent Energy Systems, will deliver the keynote address at the second annual Wisconsin Bioenergy Summit at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St. Read More