Category Science & Technology
New way to make yeast hybrids may inspire new brews, biofuels
About 500 years ago, the accidental natural hybridization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast responsible for things like ale, wine and bread, and a distant yeast cousin gave rise to lager beer. Read More
Cosmic Radio Bursts yield first clues about their origins
With the help of the world’s largest steerable radio telescope, a team of researchers that includes a University of Wisconsin–Madison physicist has produced the first detailed portrait of a Fast Radio Burst — a brief but highly energetic pulse of radio waves from unknown sources in the distant universe. Read More
Researchers forge primitive human leukemia cells in lab
By generating cells with the properties of primitive human leukemia cells, researchers have established a model for studying chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem cells, potentially leading to better treatment options. Read More
‘Live from Paris’ will connect Wisconsin with UN climate conference
Faculty and state business leaders in Paris to attend COP21 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) will connect to campus via video conferencing for a live discussion. Read More
UW-Madison remains highly ranked in research spending despite shrinking revenue streams
The University of Wisconsin–Madison held its fourth place ranking in research expenditures among U.S. universities, despite a continuing erosion of federal and state funding, according to a new survey by the National Science Foundation. Read More
AAAS honors five UW–Madison engineers and physicists as fellows
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society, has elected five UW–Madison faculty members as fellows based on their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science. Read More
UW-Madison storage ring designated as historic site
The world's first dedicated source of synchrotron radiation, an electron storage ring named Tantalus, has been designated an historic site by the American Physical Society. Read More
UW-Madison bioethicist co-chairs gene editing study
R. Alta Charo, a professor of law and longtime student of the regulation and ethics of biotechnology, was named co-chair of a study committee established Nov. 12 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to look into the implications of a faster, easier and more precise method for "editing" genes. Read More
Antibody targets key cancer marker; opens door to better diagnosis, therapy
University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers have created a molecular structure that attaches to a molecule on highly aggressive brain cancer and causes tumors to light up in a scanning machine. In mouse models of human brain cancer, their tag is easily seen in a PET scanner, which is commonly used to detect cancer. Read More
UW neuroscientists describe brain chemicals that create PTSD response
A new study by University of Wisconsin–Madison neuroscientists shows how stress chemicals reshape the brains of rodents, research that could lead to better treatments for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read More
Drug protects fertility and may prolong life in chemo-treated mice
A University of Wisconsin–Madison physician and her research team have shown that a heart medication can prevent ovarian damage and improve survival in adolescent mice after chemotherapy. The treatment also increased the number of their healthy offspring. Read More
Moving fast to study nitrate in the Mississippi, algae in Mendota
The Mississippi River has long had its explorers. From de Soto to Marquette, Lewis and Clark to Clemens, the fourth largest river in the world has for centuries inspired enchantment. Read More
Minuscule, flexible compound lenses magnify large fields of view
Drawing inspiration from an insect's multi-faceted eye, University of Wisconsin–Madison engineers have created miniature lenses with vast range of vision. Read More
Radiolab’s Soren Wheeler to be fall Science Writer in Residence
Soren Wheeler, an author and senior editor at Radiolab, has been named UW–Madison’s fall 2015 Science Writer in Residence. Read More
UW–Madison engineers reveal record-setting flexible phototransistor
Inspired by mammals' eyes, University of Wisconsin–Madison electrical engineers have created the fastest, most responsive flexible silicon phototransistor ever made. Read More
Divorce rate doesn’t go up as families of children with disabilities grow
Couples raising a child with developmental disabilities do not face a higher risk of divorce if they have larger families, according to a new study by researchers from the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Read More
Sprouting a new future for Wisconsin’s red and white
At a family farm where over 2 percent of the world’s cranberries are grown, Wisconsin’s state fruit sat in two bowls available to guests. Read More
Scientists: Harnessing microbes could help solve hunger, health, chemical and energy problems
Tim Donohue, a UW–Madison bacteriology professor and director of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, joined 17 other scientists from around the world and representing a wide range of disciplines today (Oct. 28, 2015) to lay out a case for an organized approach to harnessing the power of microbes to tackle many of the world’s most pressing problems. Read More
150 respond to call for innovative research proposals
UW–Madison’s latest research initiative — UW2020: WARF Discovery Initiative — has received an overwhelming response from researchers eager to jump-start their innovative projects. Read More
Researchers embrace and reap benefits of Electronic Lab Notebooks
In the fall of 2014, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers gained a new option for storing and organizing experimental data, notes and procedures: the campus Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) system. Since then, nearly 100 labs across campus have begun to use it. Read More