Category Science & Technology
New maps emphasize the human factor in wildfire management
To help fire managers identify the best locations for site treatments in one particularly fire-prone region in Southern California, a University of Wisconsin–Madison team developed a map that incorporates both environmental and human factors to pinpoint where the most devastating wildfires are likely to start in the Santa Monica Mountains, located just north of Los Angeles.
Dieting meets DNA: Nutrition gets personal in new studies
Ushering nutritional science into the biotech age, UW–Madison researchers are exploring the complex interactions between food and genes to uncover new modes of disease prevention, drug development and, eventually, personalized diet advice tailored to one’s DNA.
Space Place unveils nifty new exhibits
On Friday, Nov. 10, the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Space Place will unveil three new exhibits about Wisconsin astronomers' explorations of the heavens.
Icelandic swarms may provide hints on ecosystems
Wisconsin ecologists have ventured into remote parts of Iceland to explore a startling phenomenon in which trillions of gnat-like bugs periodically rise up to form hovering swarms so thick they resemble waves of morning fog.
Researcher finds gene associated with sharp drop in dairy cow pregnancy rates
The new discovery of a lethal gene may explain why pregnancy rates in dairy cattle have dropped sharply in recent years, a UW–Madison researcher says.
Future of conservation pondered in Oct. 26 lecture
"The Future of Conservation" will be the topic of a free public lecture by Steven Sanderson at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Wisconsin Historical Society Auditorium, 816 State Street.
Commonplace sugar compound silences seizures
Though in clinical use for decades, a small, sweet-tasting compound is revealing a startling new face as a potential cure for epilepsy.
Microbial ‘blueprint’ may unlock mysteries of wastewater treatment
A University of Wisconsin–Madison environmental engineer and her graduate student are among researchers on a multi-institutional team who have mapped the metagenome of elusive phosphorous-eating organisms key to thousands of wastewater treatment processes in the developed world.
Zinn to receive Havens Center award
Acclaimed historian, playwright and social activist Howard Zinn will receive the A.E. Havens Center's Award for Lifetime Contribution to Critical Scholarship on Thursday, Oct. 5.
Study: Earlier crop plantings may curb future yields
In an ongoing bid to grow more corn, farmers in the U.S. Corn Belt are planting seeds much earlier today than they did 30 years ago, a new study has found. Poring over three decades of agricultural records, Christopher Kucharik, an associate scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, discovered that farmers in 12 U.S. states now put corn in the ground around two weeks earlier than they did during the late 1970s.
Intersection of business and research explored at CEO Summit
Three distinguished University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists will meet with corporate chief executives who graduated from the university to brief them on the business applications and marketability of their research on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Stem Cells 101: Meet Wisconsin’s research leaders
Southeastern Wisconsin residents will have a unique opportunity on Oct. 10 to hear about the promises and limitations of stem cell research directly from the Wisconsin professors and researchers working in the field.