Category Science & Technology
Study suggests H1N1 virus more dangerous than suspected
A new, highly detailed study of the H1N1 flu virus shows that the pathogen is more virulent than previously thought.
UW-Madison researcher wins White House science award
A University of Wisconsin–Madison bacteriologist and evolutionary biologist is one of the country's brightest young scientific minds, according to the White House.
Reduced diet thwarts aging, disease in monkeys
The bottom-line message from a decades-long study of monkeys on a restricted diet is simple: Consuming fewer calories leads to a longer, healthier life.
Registration now open for Wisconsin Science and Technology Symposium
The second annual Wisconsin Science and Technology Symposium, to be held July 23 and 24, will bring together science and technology researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors from across the state to help them share ideas and spark new collaborations.
Five big ideas to fill out Wisconsin Institute for Discovery portfolio
Capping an intensely competitive process, five proposals from University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty have been selected to form the intellectual heart of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID).
Recent sightings: The science of fireworks
Chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri ignites a gas-filled balloon during a free demonstration about the science of fireworks held at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Memorial…
New MRI technique could mean fewer breast biopsies in high-risk women
A University of Wisconsin–Madison biomedical engineer and colleagues have developed a method that, applied in MRI scans of the breast, could spare some women with increased breast cancer risk the pain and stress of having to endure a biopsy of a questionable lump or lesion.
Sequencing effort to chart ants and their ecosystem
Nestled within the twisting fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants exists a complex symbiotic web that has evolved over millions of years. Now, with the help of a major genomic sequencing grant from Roche Applied Science, scientists at UW–Madison will be able to analyze these interactions at the molecular scale.
Major study links malaria mosquitoes to Amazon deforestation
In one of the most field-intensive efforts to explore the connection between malaria and tropical deforestation, a team led by Jonathan Patz, a specialist in the link between environment and health at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW–Madison, has established a strong correlation between the extent of forest destruction and the incidence of the Amazon's most dangerous malaria vector, the mosquito Anopheles darlingi.
Students help New Orleans wetlands
A project led by students at UW–Madison and designed to restore New Orleans wetlands damaged by Hurricane Katrina recently took a major step forward.
Experts: Big Tobacco dead by 2047, possibly sooner
President Barack Obama's signature on a bill this week to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory authority over tobacco was historic, and represents a step in the march to eliminate tobacco use in this country by 2047, two national tobacco experts said today (June 25).
Projected food, energy demands seen to outpace production
With the caloric needs of the planet expected to soar by 50 percent in the next 40 years, planning and investment in global agriculture will become critically important, according a new report released today (June 25).
Chemistry professor reveals the science behind fireworks
Come early to the Memorial Union Terrace this Saturday, June 27, to stake out a good seat for Rhythm and Booms and learn about the science behind the spectacle.
Carb synthesis sheds light on promising tuberculosis drug target
A fundamental question about how sugar units are strung together into long carbohydrate chains has also pinpointed a promising way to target new medicines against tuberculosis.
Scientists and public differ on views about nanotechnology regulation
When it comes to regulating nanotechnology - a burgeoning global industry with wide-ranging potential applications - a new study led by professors Dietram Scheufele at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Elizabeth Corley at Arizona State University (ASU) reveals that the views of U.S. nanoscientists differ from those of the general public.
Expert on relationship between animals and bacteria wins Guggenheim honor
University of Wisconsin–Madison developmental biologist Margaret McFall-Ngai has been awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, a one-year grant that will support her investigation into how animals interact with their natural complement of microbes.
Beating the radar: Getting a jump on storm prediction
Satellite observation of cloud temperatures may be able to accurately predict severe thunderstorms up to 45 minutes earlier than relying on traditional radar alone, say researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Space Science and Engineering Center.
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.
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…
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.