Tag College of Letters & Science
Bridging the divide between math and biology
As a mathematician who has navigated the field of biology for nearly a decade, mathematics professor Julie Mitchell has some sage advice for those who choose to follow. Never hesitate to ask a “dumb” question. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know something. Meanwhile, show some bravado. Read More
Deep-sea drilling expedition off Japan seeks earthquake, tsunami causes
Harold Tobin is interested in deep scientific questions, whose answers lie thousands of meters underwater. The UW–Madison geologist studies deep oceanic earthquake faults, which extend miles into the Earth’s crust below the seafloor, to learn what causes earthquakes and tsunamis. Read More
Beowulf expert says Hollywood makeover may do justice to epic poem
The epic poem "Beowulf" has all the elements for a Hollywood film: action, monsters and classic battles of good vs. evil. But it also features a "monastic" hero with little sex appeal whose story is told in Old English, a combination that wouldn't exactly fill seats with movie fans. Read More
Tool-wielding chimps provide a glimpse of early human behavior
Chimpanzees inhabiting a harsh savanna environment and using bark and stick tools to exploit an underground food resource are giving scientists new insights to the behaviors of the earliest hominids who, millions of years ago, left the African forests to range the same kinds of environments and possibly utilize the same foods. Read More
Computer scientist forges new line of defense against malicious traffic
Paul Barford has watched malicious traffic on the Internet evolve from childish pranks to a billion-dollar "shadow industry" in the last decade, and his profession has largely been one step behind the bad guys. Read More
Computer scientist fights threat of ‘botnets’
Computer scientist Paul Barford has watched malicious traffic on the Internet evolve from childish pranks to a billion-dollar “shadow industry” in the last decade, and his profession has largely been one step behind the bad guys. Viruses, phishing scams, worms and spyware are only the beginning, he says. Read More
New classes explore environmental film’s mobilizing power
Gregg Mitman believes in the power of a well-told story. This semester the professor of history of science is teaching two new courses on the environment from a cinematic perspective: a class on environmental film in history and a hands-on production class in documentary storytelling. Read More
A glimpse into Kirk Douglas: Film center shares online collection
Kirk Douglas was Spartacus. But that's not all. The iconic, dimple-chinned movie star was also a powerful producer who blazed a trail and took command of his own acting career in the new era of American filmmaking that followed the demise of the Hollywood studio system. Now, letters, photos and other documents Douglas donated to the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research are available through a new Web site that tells the story of his career both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Read More
Researchers underscore limitations of genetic ancestry tests
Although many people rely on commercially available genetic tests for insights into their ancestry, consumers should be aware of significant limitations in such testing, according to a group of researchers commenting in today's issue of the journal Science. Read More
Training program readies social workers for the field
For the right person, it's the best job in the world. That's the inspiration for a UW–Madison training program that covers the cost of a master's degree for social work students who commit to working in Wisconsin's public child welfare system for one or two years. Read More
Study: Nutrient pollution drives frog deformities
High levels of nutrients used in farming and ranching activities fuel parasite infections that have caused highly publicized frog deformities in ponds and lakes across North America, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder. Read More
New book looks at public perception and media treatment of GMOs
Although the vast majority of Americans are blithely unaware, the United States and its system of food production is irreversibly hitched to modern biotechnology. In short, most people unwittingly and regularly consume food that was produced through genetic engineering. Read More
Professor finds the modern in the medieval
Chris Kleinhenz retired from the Department of French and Italian after nearly 40 years of leading students through Dante’s “Divine Comedy” — including Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise — and showing them why the medieval text matters. Read More
Exhibits reveal famous patrons of the arts also loved science
Medici enthusiasm for science as well as art during the three centuries the family reigned over Florence and Tuscany is now on display at UW–Madison. Read More
Invasive species spreads to Vilas County lake in Wisconsin
The spiny water flea, a small but aggressive aquatic invasive species, has made its way into another of Wisconsin's lakes, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers reported last week. Read More
New book analyzes candid community conversations on race
Katherine Cramer Walsh woke up one morning seven years ago to hear a radio advertisement promoting a community-based conversation about race in Madison. Read More
‘Glass menagerie:’ Museum unearths exotic stash of glass sea creatures
An ordinary mid-summer stroll through Noland Hall in 2005 led Paula Holahan to an extraordinary discovery: box after box filled with a sea of intricate glass sculptures of marine invertebrate animals. Read More
Fifty years and counting: The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study
Lee Schoenecker doesn't recall filling out a survey 50 years ago about his plans after high school, yet this long-forgotten event has stayed with him ever since. Because of it, the retired urban planner has spent many more hours being surveyed both by telephone and written questionnaire. He recently provided a sample of DNA. Even his wife and siblings have become involved. Read More
Mother-of-pearl: Classic beauty and remarkable strength
While the shiny material of pearls and abalone shells has long been prized for its iridescence and aesthetic value in jewelry and decorations, scientists admire mother-of-pearl for other physical properties as well. Read More
Jets from neutron star rival those made by black holes
A team of astronomers led by a UW–Madison scientist has found that neutron stars produce jets of energy and matter that rival those produced by black holes. Read More