Category Science & Technology
Tuberculosis genomes portray secrets of pathogen’s success
By any measure, tuberculosis (TB) is a wildly successful pathogen. It infects as many as two billion people in every corner of the world, with a new infection of a human host estimated to occur every second. Read More
Discovery of new enzyme could yield better plants for biofuel
For nearly a decade, scientists have thought that they understood how plants produce lignin - a compound that gives plant tissues their structure and sturdiness, but can limit their use as a source of biofuels. Read More
Swimming through complex bodily fluids gets simpler
It's an uncomfortable truth of life that our bodily fluids are chock full of microscopic swimming organisms - maybe even more uncomfortable to researchers that those little swimmers do laps faster than the theories describing their motion would allow. Read More
First, fishing. Then, volleyball. Serious fun at Trout Lake Station
Angling for perch at sundown is just one of the perks of Wes Matthews’ summer research job at Trout Lake Station in Wisconsin’s north woods. Another is donning scuba gear and diving for lost equipment. The most important task, though, wouldn’t appeal to everyone. “Basically, I study what fish had for lunch,” says Matthews. Read More
Essential mechanism of symbiosis found in Hawaiian squid
Experiments at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a small squid that glows in the dark have uncovered a complex conversation that allows the newly hatched squid to attract the glowing, symbiotic bacteria that disguises it against predators. Read More
New gene repair technique promises advances in regenerative medicine
Using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University have created an efficient way to target and repair defective genes. Read More
WID researcher locates “virtual eyes” to enhance 3D experience
3D movies are a popular trend this year, with countless films opting to include features that make viewers feel as though they are a part of the action. But what if 3D technologies in movies were not just a feature, but an entire, encapsulating experience? Read More
Recent sightings: Baldwin talks tech
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin meets with UW–Madison researchers and representatives from Isomark, a company commercializing a Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation-licensed technology to detect patient infections sooner than is currently possible. Read More
UW-Madison Day at the Wisconsin State Fair is Aug. 7
August in Wisconsin means one thing: the Wisconsin State Fair. UW–Madison will again have a featured presence at the annual event on Wednesday, Aug. 7. Read More
Yin awarded inaugural Hartmann Prize in Auditory Neuroscience
Dr. Tom C.T. Yin was awarded the inaugural William and Christine Hartmann prize in Auditory Neuroscience, given by the Acoustical Society of America at its recent meeting in Montreal. Read More
Exotic lone star tick making a home in Wisconsin
It's shaping up as a summer like no other for ticks across Wisconsin - including the strongest contingent yet of a bloodsucker new to the state. Read More
Hormones may usher abused girls into early adulthood
During the sort of tense situation that makes palms sweat and voices quaver, children and young adults are typically awash in cortisol, a stress hormone that sounds an alarm and prepares the body for fight-or-flight responses to danger. Read More
Norsetter retires after distinguished federal relations career
Rhonda Norsetter arrived on the UW–Madison campus as a student in 1964. Nearly 50 years later, she leaves as one of the most respected federal relations officers in American higher education. Read More
Seminar explores role of proteins in health and disease
The Human Proteomics Program at UW–Madison and the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute on Aug. 1 will present the Wisconsin Human Proteomics Symposium: Targeted Proteomics and Systems Biology in Health and Disease. Read More
App makes smartphone users ‘king or queen’ of weather satellites
Not long ago, Liam Gumley found himself in a meeting sitting between frustration and inspiration. Read More
Hackathon links humanities and sciences
Jillian Sayre contends that Herman Melville’s whaling ship Pequod and its encounters with other boats at sea may have toted meaning beyond the characters onboard. Read More
Protecting our Pollinators
Bees, so crucial to our food supply, are dying off at alarming rates. CALS researchers are taking a close look at everything from the microbes in their hives to the landscapes they live in to identify in what conditions bees thrive. Read More
Study puts troubling traits of H7N9 avian flu virus on display
The emerging H7N9 avian influenza virus responsible for at least 37 deaths in China has qualities that could potentially spark a global outbreak of flu, according to a new study published today (July 10, 2013) in the journal Nature. Read More
Delving into a climate puzzle with the push of a button
As University of Wisconsin–Madison graduate student Jen Kaiser settles into life in Smyrna, Tenn., this summer, her days develop a rhythm. She wakes up early, checks the weather forecast, and heads to Sewart Air Force Base. Read More
Study suggests some fishing regs aren’t in line with fishing reality
A new study by University of Wisconsin–Madison Center for Limnology researchers says that when it comes to managing sport fisheries, regulations aren't in line with the reality of some fishing trips. Read More