Category Science & Technology
Ebb and flow of the sea drives world’s big extinction events
A new study, published online June 15 in the journal Nature, suggests that it is the ocean, and in particular the epic ebbs and flows of sea level and sediment over the course of geologic time, that is the primary cause of the world's periodic mass extinctions during the past 500 million years. Read More
Ancient mineral shows early Earth climate tough on continents
A new analysis of ancient minerals called zircons suggests that a harsh climate may have scoured and possibly even destroyed the surface of the Earth's earliest continents. Read More
Pioneer of climatology dies at 88
Reid Bryson, a towering figure in climatology and interdisciplinary studies of climate, people and the environment, and the founder of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's meteorology department and Center for Climatic Research, and the first director of the Institute for Environmental Studies, died in his sleep early June 11 at his home in Madison. Read More
Town hall meeting set on study of state-owned heating and cooling plants
A town hall meeting detailing the progress of a study on state-owned heating and cooling facilities in Madison will be held Tuesday, June 17, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Mechanical Engineering Building at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Read More
Curiosities: Why does the sky turn green before a tornado?
Scott Bachmeier, a research meteorologist at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at UW–Madison, says that particles in the air scatter… Read More
Scientific information largely ignored when forming opinions about stem cell research
When forming attitudes about embryonic stem cell research, people are influenced by a number of things. But understanding science plays a negligible role for many people, according to a recent UW–Madison study. Read More
Agent in red wine found to keep hearts young
How, scientists wonder, do the French get away with a clean bill of heart health despite a diet loaded with saturated fats? Read More
Entrepreneurship becoming acceptable, even fashionable, in Wisconsin
With the sixth annual Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Conference set for June 9-10 in Milwaukee, there are increasing signs the state is becoming a place where entrepreneurs can survive — and even flourish. Read More
Milky Way’s infrared portrait gives new view of galaxy
Astronomers have obtained an entirely new perspective of our home galaxy: a complete mosaic portrait of the Milky Way in infrared light, a picture that when printed measures 180 feet long by 4 feet wide. Read More
UW-Madison students design ‘disaster’ for Wisconsin rescue training facility
When University of Wisconsin–Madison civil and environmental engineering students Dan Zignego, Jake Varnes, Bill Schmitz and Nick Bobinski began a design project meant to be the crowning glory of their educational careers, they never thought it would turn into such a disaster. Read More
Green highways: Research targets environmentally friendly asphalts
For those hoping to create a greener world, our country's millions of miles of asphalt roads may seem like an odd place to seek solutions. Yet, it's precisely because asphalt is so common that we have much to gain from making it more eco-friendly, says University of Wisconsin–Madison civil engineering professor Hussain Bahia. Read More
Curiosities: Are there years when dandelions are more plentiful?
Mark Renz, Extension weed scientist at UW–Madison’s Department of Agronomy, says that varying environmental conditions ensure that virtually all plants, including dandelions,… Read More
New exchange program to build bridges between UW and India
Although still recovering from jet lag, a group of 15 undergraduate students from India are getting situated in various labs across the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, where they will spend the summer conducting research. Read More
Hartwell fellowship aids childhood asthma research
Postdoctoral fellow Lisa Lenertz spends her days at the University of Wisconsin–Madison studying how one protein, critical for proper immune function, moves from the inside to the surface of white blood cells. Read More
At the synapse: Gene may shed light on neurological disorders
In a recent finding, UW–Madison researchers describe a gene that controls the proper development of synapses, explaining how they work and why they sometimes go wrong. Read More
Nobel laureate establishes symposium to inspire young scientists
As an undergraduate student at Oxford University in the 1940s, Oliver Smithies attended a series of lectures by Linus Pauling, one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century. It was a powerful experience, one that sparked the young scientist's ambitions and helped launch his own eminent career. Read More
Astronomers witness the birth of a supernova
An international team of astronomers, acting on a tip from a NASA satellite that serves as an early warning system for the most violent astronomical events, has caught a supernova in the act. Read More
African dust forecast may help hurricane season predictions
As the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, forecasters are developing predictions about the severity of this year's season. For the first time this year, African dust may provide a piece of this puzzle. Read More
Gypsy Moth spraying planned for campus and Arboretum
Aerial spraying to protect trees and forests from the potentially defoliating effects of the invasive gypsy moth could begin in Wisconsin within the next two weeks. Read More
Recent sightings: Bugged
Kindergarteners experience hands-on learning and exploration during a UW–Madison Insect Ambassadors program held at C.H. Bird Elementary School in Sun Prairie… Read More