Tag Research
Scientists hope to mimic nature’s dynamos
In the cosmos, all celestial objects - planets, stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies - have magnetic fields. On Earth, the magnetic field of our home planet is most easily observed in a compass where the needle points north.
Researcher studies monkeys in Africa to better understand virus evolution
Despite the importance of AIDS in human health, scientists still know very little about the diversity and ecology of AIDS-like viruses in nature.
Survey: Broad support for biofuels in Wisconsin, but clear partisan differences
Although almost two-thirds of Wisconsinites support the use and production of biofuels, less than half think the government should subsidize their development, according to a new study by University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers.
Digital revolution is happening outside the classroom
The way we learn is changing, but schools are having trouble keeping up. While technology dominates daily life and work, it still plays a limited role in public schools filled with students who are increasingly learning outside the classroom with help from cell phones, computers and video games, says Rich Halverson, a professor of educational leadership and policy analysis and co-author of the new book “Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology.”
Sand dunes reveal unexpected dryness during heavy monsoon
The windswept deserts of northern China might seem an odd destination for studying the heavy monsoon rains that routinely drench the more tropical regions of Southeast Asia.
Models begin to unravel how single DNA strands combine
Using computer simulations, a team of University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers has identified some of the pathways through which single complementary strands of DNA interact and combine to form the double helix.
UW-Madison researchers ranked among world’s top 20 universities
A recent assessment of the research impact of scientists at more than 4,000 universities around the world ranked those at the University of Wisconsin–Madison No. 20.
Wisconsin cautious about Obama health care plan; Milwaukee poised for reform
More Wisconsinites oppose President Barack Obama's health care plan than support it, according to a new poll that also shows a majority of Milwaukee County residents favor a mayoral takeover of the Milwaukee Public Schools.
Poll covers economy, state’s direction, 2010 election
Tom Barrett and Scott Walker have the early edge in hypothetical primary matchups in the 2010 governor's race, according to a new poll in which Wisconsinites also give high levels of support to President Barack Obama but express concern about the direction of state government.
Federal grants power research on computer games and learning
A research team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison recently won $4.5 million in federal grants to study computer games and learning.
Was mighty T. rex ‘Sue’ felled by a lowly parasite?
A new study, published today (Sept. 29) in the online journal Public Library of Science One, provides evidence that ‘Sue,’ the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex whose fossilized remains are a star attraction of the Field Museum in Chicago, was felled by a lowly parasite that still afflicts modern birds.
New Wisconsin Center of Excellence in Genomics Science established
The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) of the National Institutes of Health today (Sept. 28) announced an $8 million, three-year grant to establish a Wisconsin Center of Excellence in Genomics Science.
Capturing tomorrow’s satellite data with today’s instruments
A satellite that won't be launched into orbit until 2015 is already paying dividends for an advanced weather research project.
Smaller isn’t always better: Catalyst simulations could lower fuel cell cost
Imagine a car that runs on hydrogen from solar power and produces water instead of carbon emissions. While vehicles like this won't be on the market anytime soon, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers are making incremental but important strides in the fuel cell technology that could make clean cars a reality.
UW-Madison undergraduates make unwelcome discovery in Lake Mendota
On Sept. 11, a standard cruise on Lake Mendota's University Bay began for students in University of Wisconsin–Madison's Zoology 315, a course that introduces them to the study of lakes. With the sampling craft Limnos anchored about one-quarter mile offshore on a clear sunny day, four students pulled up a small net and began poking through its contents.
UW-Madison entomologist helps farmers deal with tricky crop pest
Historically, crop rotation has worked to keep the western corn rootworm in check in Wisconsin.
Study reveals dynamic Wisconsin climate, past and future
If the future scenarios being churned out by the world's most sophisticated computer climate models are on the mark, big changes are in store for Wisconsin's weather during the next century.
Research aims to cool runoff to protect coldwater streams
The ocean of stormwater that flows off of the sun-baked urban landscape is packing heat, and trout are starting to feel it.
Potato blight reveals some secrets as genome is decoded
Late blight caused the 19th century famine that sparked a wave of emigration from Ireland to the United States, but the disease has also infected tomatoes and potatoes this year. Potatoes, the world's fourth-largest food crop, were raised on 65,500 acres in Wisconsin in 2007. If a potato field is not treated with pesticide, late blight can destroy the crop in a few days.
Science and media disconnect? Maybe not, says a new study
The prevailing wisdom among many scientists and scientific organizations is that, as a rule, scientists are press shy, and those who aren't are mavericks.