Category Science & Technology
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.
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.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.