Category Science & Technology
‘Magic’ plus UW science equals world-champ cheese
Wisconsin cheese is at least as old as the state. The University of Wisconsin–Madison has one of the world’s great institutions of dairy food science,… Read More
Startup harnesses stem cells for new medical uses
Stem Pharm’s custom materials support growing human cells to evaluate potential drugs or serve as replacement tissues for regenerative medicine. Read More
UW-Madison astrophysics innovator Lawler wins national award
James Lawler is a professor of physics known for devising techniques to measure the chemical elements in the sun and other stars. Read More
Former UW geneticist, Nobel laureate Smithies dies
Much of the work for which Oliver Smithies shared the Nobel Prize was performed at UW–Madison, where he was a professor from 1960 to 1988. Read More
UW-Madison launches Microbiome Initiative
Recent studies have shown that the complement of microorganisms known as the microbiome is an important determinant of human health and disease. Read More
Unraveling the radium riddle
UW-Madison researchers began a two-year grant from the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI) to examine water samples taken from 22 monitoring wells in and around Dane County to try to determine the geological strata that contribute to elevated radium levels in groundwater. Read More
Forward Motion video: The art of science
A look behind the scenes at a yearly competition at UW–Madison to find incredibly cool science images. Read More
Abrupt climate change could follow collapse of Earth’s oceanic conveyor belt
A new study shows Earth’s oceanic conveyor belt, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, may be less stable than thought, posing a risk of abrupt climate change. Read More
More frequent hurricanes not necessarily stronger on Atlantic coast
Active Atlantic hurricane periods, like the one we are in now, are not necessarily a harbinger of more, rapidly intensifying hurricanes along the U.S. coast, according to new research performed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Read More
Hugh Iltis, UW’s ‘battling botanist,’ dies at 91
Passionate, articulate and informed, Iltis was opinionated, sometimes argumentative, but always a fearless defender of the natural world he revered. Read More
Fossil fuel formation: Key to atmosphere’s oxygen?
“Why is there oxygen in the atmosphere?" asks researcher Shanan Peters. The high school explanation is 'photosynthesis.' But we’ve known for a long time ... that building up oxygen requires the formation of rocks like black shale." Read More
UW-Madison student places second in nationwide engineering contest
Anna Scheibengraber, a fifth-year senior studying Mechanical Engineering at UW–Madison, was one of eight students from across the nation to receive an award for “exceptional thinking and innovation” during the PepsiCo/Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Student Engineering Challenge. Read More
Ocean temperatures faithfully recorded in mother-of-pearl
Mother-of-pearl or nacre (pronounced nay-ker), the lustrous, tough-as-nails biomineral that lines some seashells, has been shown to be a faithful record of ancient ocean temperature. Read More
From public outreach to peer review, UW–Madison scientists find value in social media
At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a survey of 372 scientists engaged in biological or physical science research shows that scientists are increasingly using social media to communicate with nonscientific audiences. Read More
UW-Madison spinoff in Janesville awarded $10 million for critical medical isotope
SHINE Medical Technologies, Inc. of Janesville has been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance production of an isotope used in cancer and heart diagnosis. Read More
Fred Blattner: genetics pioneer, entrepreneurial success, and all that jazz
Fred Blattner has been doing DNA research for more than 50 years, and he founded or co-founded three successful companies all focused on DNA: DNASTAR, Nimblegen and Scarab Genomics. Read More
Fast Plants Program’s new varieties are tailored for classroom use
A UW–Madison program built around plants that mature quickly enough to engage the scientific curiosity of elementary through college students is releasing two new varieties that make the popular plants even better suited to classrooms. Read More
Staying in the loop
What’s the future of high-speed transportation? A team of UW–Madison students thinks it’s on the right track — actually, more of a tube — with Badgerloop, a 200-mph pod that levitates its passenger through an above-ground vacuum tube. Read More
Designer switches of cell fate could streamline stem cell biology
The ability to convert cells from one type to another holds great promise, and the new Wisconsin study could help speed research and bring the technology to the clinic faster. Read More
Weather satellite extends beyond mission, into classrooms
Teachers from around the country are taking their experiences from the launch back to their schools through a program spearheaded by UW–Madison's Margaret Mooney. Read More