Category Science & Technology
Zebra mussels hang on while quagga mussels take over
The zebra mussels that have wreaked ecological havoc on the Great Lakes are harder to find these days - not because they are dying off, but because they are being replaced by a cousin, the quagga mussel. But zebra mussels still dominate in fast-moving streams and rivers. Read More
Curiosities: Why do cats seem compelled to eat some plants, like my poor aloe, and ignore others?
Cats may devour some plants but ignore others as a simple matter of taste, says Sandra Sawchuk, a clinical instructor at the School… Read More
UW-Madison to play key role in nuclear energy’s comeback
As the climate warms, energy supplies shrink and oil imports continue to rise, nuclear energy is suddenly set for a resurgence: Splitting atoms, which now provide 20 percent of American electricity, are being asked to play a bigger role in solving our never-ending energy woes. Read More
Isolated forest patches lose species, diversity
Failing to see the forest for the trees may be causing us to overlook the declining health of Wisconsin's forest ecosystems. Read More
‘Galileo Under Wisconsin Skies’ to celebrate astronomy at UW–Madison
"Galileo Under Wisconsin Skies," a series of special events presented by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Astronomy July 19-22, will commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's telescope, the International Year of Astronomy and the renovation of Washburn Observatory at UW–Madison. Read More
Looking for alien life at the ballpark
On Friday, June 5, UW–Madison researchers are taking science to the ballpark to share their work with the crowd at the Madison Mallards' first Friday night game of the season. Read More
UW-Madison researchers study salt’s potential to store energy
At UW–Madison, researchers see potential for storing heat in a mineral found on kitchen counters and restaurant tables worldwide. They're studying salt. Read More
Culture, not biology, underpins math gender gap
For more than a century, the notion that females are innately less capable than males at doing mathematics, especially at the highest levels, has persisted in even the loftiest circles. Read More
Curiosities: Why do the blue eyes of babies often turn brown?
Melanin is the pigment that makes body parts dark, said Burton Kushner, professor of ophthalmology at the School of Medicine and Public… Read More
Recent sightings: Steel Bridge Team
The UW–Madison Steel Bridge Team assembles its bridge entry during a timed practice in the foyer of the Engineering Centers Building on May 13, 2009. Read More
Special protein helps maintain an efficient brain
The instruction manual for maintaining an efficient brain may soon include a section on synaptotagmin-IV (Syt-IV), a protein known to influence learning and memory, thanks to a study by University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers. Read More
Early Alzheimer’s diagnosis offers large social, fiscal benefits
Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease could save millions or even billions of dollars while simultaneously improving care, according to new work by University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers. Read More
Buffering Wisconsin’s water quality with science
Spring in Wisconsin heralds a new growing season. But the warming temperatures also bring heavier runoff from farm fields, carrying pollution and contaminants into the state’s lakes and streams. Read More
Cancer researcher wins Shaw Award
University of Wisconsin–Madison cancer researcher Jing Zhang received a Shaw Scientist Award last week from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to support her novel research on the roles cancer stem cells may play in the causes and treatment of cancer. Read More
Graduate student recognized for biofuels advance
In recognition of the earth-friendly biofuel technology he helped develop, a University of Wisconsin–Madison graduate student has been selected to receive a prestigious national award from the American Chemical Society. Read More
UW-Madison nuclear research and development earns major DOE support
With more than $5 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding, University of Wisconsin–Madison engineers are leading 10 cutting-edge research projects that will advance next-generation nuclear energy technologies. Read More
Songs raise awareness about aquatic invasive species
A new initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is using music to raise public awareness about aquatic invasive species in the state. Read More
Planet Trek offers chance to bike or walk through scaled-down solar system
Dane County residents have a new way to appreciate the solar system, thanks to Planet Trek Dane County, which offers pedestrians and bikers a chance to discover the 11 biggest objects in the solar system at the correct scale of size and distance. Read More
Thirty-plus medical inventions debut at undergraduate design competition
On Friday, May 1, some 150 University of Wisconsin–Madison biomedical engineering students will showcase 34 novel devices that address myriad real-world medical challenges. Read More
Lecture explains the science behind ‘Angels and Demons’
Physics professor Wesley Smith will discuss the science behind the movie in a public lecture titled “Angels and Demons of the Large Hadron Collider” at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 4, in 2103 Chamberlin Hall. Read More