Category Science & Technology
Study: Botulinum attacks like a ‘smart bomb’
A pilot without a map can locate an airport by first finding a nearby landmark, like a big river, and then searching for the airport. New research from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) and Scripps Research Institute shows how the astonishingly powerful botulinum toxin uses a similar strategy to latch onto nerve cells, the first step in inactivating them.
Scientists find potential weapon against tuberculosis infection
The discovery of a unique copper-repressing protein in the bacterium that causes tuberculosis in humans may pave the way toward new strategies for halting tuberculosis infection.
Brain’s ‘fear center’ may underlie autistic behaviors
The brain's emotional center is unusually small in autistic males with the most severe behavioral impairments, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers reported this month.
Prestigious fellowship awarded to scientist
A postdoctoral researcher in the University of Wisconsin–Madison biochemistry department has been selected as a recipient of a prestigious new fellowship.
Controlling confusion: Researchers make insight into memory, forgetting
Why do we forget? Do memories decay on their own, or are they harmed by interference from similar memories? Using a technique called "transcranial magnetic stimulation," brain researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison may have found the answer.
Combustible Christmas special coming to public television
Chemistry is still a hot ticket in town. As in past years, the popular holiday lectures by University of Wisconsin–Madison chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri, scheduled for Dec. 2-3, are sold out, according to organizers.
Five UW–Madison faculty named AAAS fellows
Five University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty members are among the 449 scientists and engineers to be awarded fellowships from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which were announced this week (Nov. 23).
Good sports: Hamstring findings may help injured athletes stay healthy
Athletes who strain a hamstring could avoid re-injuring the muscle by participating in targeted physical therapies and improving their running mechanics, according to University of Wisconsin–Madison research.
UW-Madison researchers develop novel method to find new antibiotics
A University of Wisconsin–Madison bacteriologist plans to search for new antibiotics that render virulent bacteria harmless without killing them.
Lakeshore Nature Preserve comes to life online
A digital trove brimming with cutting-edge maps, evocative photos, ecological information and the rich history of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Lakeshore Nature Preserve has been assembled on a Web site that debuted today.
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.
Scientists find mutations that let bird flu adapt to humans
By comparing influenza viruses found in birds with those of the avian virus that have also infected human hosts, researchers have identified key genetic changes required for pandemic strains of bird flu.
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.
Scientists find key to immune system’s ability to remember
A team of researchers led by a University of Wisconsin–Madison researcher have identified the role of a protein that is important in stimulating the cells of the immune system, whose role is to take quick and effective action when agents of disease reinvade the body.
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.
Local events mark National Chemistry Week on Oct. 22-28
The Wisconsin local section of the American Chemical Society, together with the chemistry department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Institute for Chemical Education, will celebrate National Chemistry Week, Oct. 22-28, with several interactive events highlighting the theme "Your Home: It's All Built on Chemistry."
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.