Category Science & Technology
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Muscle mass maintenance under scrutiny
When muscles are not pressed into service, they begin to lose mass.
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.
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…
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.
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.
Carbon nanotubes may cheaply harvest sunlight
A new alternative energy technology relies on the element most associated with climate change: carbon.
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.
Satellite anniversary marks 50 years of studying climate from space
On Oct. 13, 1959, University of Wisconsin–Madison professors Verner Suomi and Robert Parent crouched in a bunker at Cape Canaveral, sweating through the countdown for the Juno II rocket perched on its launching pad 150 yards away.
High-speed genetic analysis looks deep inside primate immune system
Viruses such as HIV and influenza take safe harbor in cells, where they cannot be recognized directly by the immune system. The immune response relies on infected cells announcing the presence of the virus by studding their exterior with fragments of the virus lurking within.
Banded rocks reveal early Earth conditions, changes
The strikingly banded rocks scattered across the upper Midwest and elsewhere throughout the world are actually ambassadors from the past, offering clues to the environment of the early Earth more than 2 billion years ago.
Scientists hope to mimic nature’s dynamos
In the cosmos, all celestial objects - planets, stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies - have magnetic fields. On Earth, the magnetic field of our home planet is most easily observed in a compass where the needle points north.
Industrial engineering professor provides national expertise on the driver distraction threat
University of Wisconsin–Madison industrial and systems engineering professor John Lee spoke about the dangers of distracted driving at a Washington, D.C., meeting on the topic held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The meeting included representatives from the Obama administration, U.S. Senate and automotive industry, among others, and was a chance for Lee to discuss his area of expertise: technology-mediated attention.
Researcher studies monkeys in Africa to better understand virus evolution
Despite the importance of AIDS in human health, scientists still know very little about the diversity and ecology of AIDS-like viruses in nature.