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 scientist helps set national earth sciences research priorities for next decade
Andrea Dutton, who studies climate change and sea level rise, talks about her work on the Earth in Time report and the importance of studying earth sciences even in the midst of a global viral 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
Understanding ceramic ‘mortar’ of materials may reveal ways to improve them
Findings in a new study could aid in fine-tuning a new generation of ceramic materials, from silicon solar panels to superconductors and biomedical implants. 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
South Pole neutrino detector uses computing capabilities to aid COVID-19 research
The Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center is providing some of its available computing resources to help researchers understand how the virus compromises human immune systems and reproduces. Read More
Study confirms cats can become infected with and may transmit COVID-19 to other cats
Researchers advise that people with symptoms avoid contact with cats, and cat owners should keep their pets indoors to limit contact with other people and animals. Read More
Research on viral junk, quicker drug testing could help outflank coronaviruses
Researchers hope to better understand how coronaviruses enter cells, spread, and cause varying immune responses in different individuals. 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
Combining mouse and human data uncovers new gene regulating cholesterol
Work by Brian Parks and collaborators provides a new target for understanding the genetic risk of high cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease. 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