Category Science & Technology
WARF in top 10 among university patent producers
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which manages intellectual property for the UW, is ranked 9th for U.S. utility patents that cover inventions, including materials, processes, functions and devices. Read More
Wisconsin’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order drove changes in state’s traffic volume
Interstate travel in Wisconsin bottomed out the week of March 25 at a 40% reduction for weekday traffic and a 60% reduction on weekends — knowledge that could help with future highway planning and construction. Read More
Nine projects selected for UW/WARF COVID-19 Accelerator Challenge
From improved respirators to accelerated virus testing, each project is designed to be rapidly advanced over the coming months to help combat the pandemic. Read More
UW–Madison VisPy data visualization project awarded Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant
A programmer is working to make scientific data easier to picture, from creating images of spiral galaxies based on theoretical data to visualizing satellite imagery. Read More
The winners: Cool Science Images 2020
Eyeball-licking geckos, wiggling brain cells and a whole planet’s worth of weather are among the winners in UW–Madison’s 10th Cool Science Image Contest. A panel of artists, scientists and science communicators judged the scientific content and aesthetic and creative qualities of the images and videos. Read More
Schauer leads COVID-19 testing efforts at hygiene lab
James Schauer holds a unique position as both an air pollution expert and a leader in the state’s response to the pandemic. Read More
40 years and counting, NOAA renews partnership with UW
CIMSS is recognized internationally for its satellite expertise, spanning geostationary and polar-orbiting platforms. This network of satellites forms the backbone of a global observing system developed to monitor our planet and ensure public safety. Read More
Storing carbon dioxide underground may be feasible for helping achieve climate goals
A new study shows that underground reservoirs currently have capacity to store enough atmospheric carbon dioxide to limit planetary warming to under two degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit) relative to pre-Industrial temperatures by the year 2100. Read More
Teaching machine learning to check senses may avoid sophisticated attacks
One approach is to make the algorithms multi-modal. Instead of a self-driving car relying solely on object-recognition to identify a stop sign, it can use other sensors to cross-check results. Read More
Nanomaterial bests all others in blocking speeding projectiles
In the future, these new types of armor could potentially be used as a shield on military vehicles to provide enhanced protection from bullets, as well as on spacecraft to mitigate impacts from meteorite debris. Read More
Long-term data show hurricanes are getting stronger
In almost every region of the world where hurricanes form, their maximum sustained winds are getting stronger. A warming planet may be fueling the increase. Read More
How should journalists cover coronavirus preprint studies?
Headlines that don’t stand up to scrutiny are among the perils of writing about scientific articles that have not yet undergone peer review by experts in the field, says emerita Professor Sharon Dunwoody. Read More
Promising research projects win funding
Twelve projects have been chosen for the UW2020: WARF Discovery Initiative. The goal is to stimulate groundbreaking research and acquire equipment that will foster significant scientific advances. Read More
In uncertain times, you can lean on rocks … and The Rock
Stephen Meyers calls his last Geosci 100 lecture of the semester “Living in an Uncertain World.” This year, he and his team have created a multimedia production that features a Twitter conversation with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson about his favorite rock, a special video message from Chancellor Blank and a musical performance from local band Mr. Chair. Read More