Category Science & Technology
Stretching silicon: A new method to measure how strain affects semiconductors
UW-Madison engineers and physicists have developed a method of measuring how strain affects thin films of silicon that could lay the foundation for faster flexible electronics. Read More
Curiosities: Why do people like to scare themselves by watching horror movies or going on thrill rides?
First of all, it’s important to remember that many people don’t enjoy these experiences, said Jack Nitschke, a UW–Madison professor of psychiatry and psychology. Read More
Wisconsin undergraduate team tackles biofuels challenges
Working on a current scientific issue with cutting-edge technology is unusual for an undergraduate. But not for the Wisconsin iGEM team, a group of 11 University of Wisconsin–Madison undergraduates researching biofuels for a synthetic biology competition. Read More
Sea urchin yields a key secret of biomineralization
The teeth and bones of mammals, the protective shells of mollusks, and the needle-sharp spines of sea urchins and other marine creatures are made-from-scratch wonders of nature. Read More
Scientist makes satellite images accessible to all
From locating water sources in Ethiopia to parsing complex processes in the atmosphere over Bulgaria, satellite instruments provide information useful to anyone anywhere. UW–Madison atmospheric scientist Paolo Antonelli has made it his mission to help anyone access and use satellite observations of anywhere in the world. Read More
Curiosities: Why do apple slices turn brown?
The moment a knife slices through apple—spilling the contents of apple cells along the surface of the cut, and allowing everything to mix—a reaction begins. Read More
History of Wisconsin’s wolf policy filled with compromise, meddling
To some, last month's federal decision that put the gray wolf back on the endangered species list in the Great Lakes region was an unmitigated triumph. Siding with the Humane Society of the United States and other groups, the court ruling placed the wolf once again under federal protection after it was removed from the list last March. Read More
President of Environmental Defense Fund to speak at Bioenergy Summit
Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, will deliver the keynote address at the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative's Bioenergy Summit on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. in Ebling Symposium Hall of the Microbial Sciences Building, 1550 Linden Drive. Read More
Evolution’s hand detailed in Hawaiian lobeliads
A team led by UW–Madison botanists Thomas Givnish and Kenneth Sytsma details the evolutionary history of a diverse tropical group of flowering plants long viewed as one of the plant world's most dramatic examples of adaptive radiation, the phenomenon of new species arising from a single ancestor to occupy a multitude of ecological roles. Read More
Steven Clark, engineering diversity leader, dies
Steven N. Clark, assistant dean for diversity affairs and student leadership programs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering, died unexpectedly Monday. He was 44. Read More
Reservoirs promote spread of aquatic invasive species
The latest "damming" evidence suggests that manmade reservoirs are facilitating the spread of invasive species in Wisconsin lakes. Read More
Tunable microlenses shine light on medical imaging
UW-Madison engineers have developed tunable liquid microlenses that can quickly scan images and record video. Read More
Courses help growing railroad industry stay on track
there are few undergraduate or graduate programs in the United States that teach engineers to design, build and maintain railroads that are safe, efficient and consumer-oriented. However, UW–Madison offers a comprehensive continuing education program. Read More
Symposium looks at challenge of producing more food on a smaller carbon footprint
On the day before World Food Day, a group of agricultural leaders will gather to discuss how technology can be harnessed to meet the world's need for food, fiber and fuel while reducing their industry's carbon footprint. Read More
Waterborne disease risk upped in Great Lakes
An anticipated increased incidence of climate-related extreme rainfall events in the Great Lakes region may raise the public health risk for the 40 million people who depend on the lakes for their drinking water, according to a new study. Read More
World’s largest computing grid ready for data
The technological advancements surrounding the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the new particle accelerator near Geneva, Switzerland - are not just about the physics. Read More
Research team discovers brain pathway responsible for obesity
University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers, for the first time, have found a messaging system in the brain that directly affects food intake and body weight. Read More
Curiosities: How many people can the Earth support?
It depends on the kind of lifestyle those people enjoy, says Lisa Naughton, a UW–Madison professor of geography and environmental studies. The late 18th… Read More
Wielding microbe against microbe, beetle defends its food source
As the southern pine beetle moves through the forest boring tunnels inside the bark of trees, it brings with it both a helper and a competitor. The helper is a fungus that the insect plants inside the tunnels as food for its young. But also riding along is a tiny, hitchhiking mite, which likewise carries a fungus for feeding its own larvae. Read More