Tag Research
Health toll of climate change seen as ethical crisis
The public health costs of global climate change are likely to be the greatest in those parts of the world that have contributed least to the problem, posing a significant ethical dilemma for the developed world, according to a new study. Read More
Wildfire drives carbon levels in northern forests
Far removed from streams of gas-thirsty cars and pollution-belching factories lies another key player in global climate change. Circling the northern hemisphere, the conifer-dominated boreal forests - one of the largest ecosystems on earth - act as a vast natural regulator of atmospheric carbon levels. Read More
AAAS honors five UW–Madison members
Five University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty and staff members are among the 471 scientists, engineers, educators and communicators who have been selected as fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The awards are announced in the Oct. 26 issue of Science. Read More
Researchers examine world’s potential to produce biodiesel
What do the countries of Thailand, Uruguay and Ghana have in common? They all could become leading producers of the emerging renewable fuel known as biodiesel, says a study from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. 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
UW-Madison faculty contributed to global warming reports that led to Gore’s Nobel
University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty made significant contributions in developing the reports on the implications of global warming that led today (Oct. 12) to the awarding of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Read More
Study of bacterial communities may provide climate-change clues
A multidisciplinary group of UW–Madison and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers is studying the composition of bacterial communities in humic lakes (bodies of water containing high levels of decaying organic matter) and how these microorganisms respond to changes in their environment. Read More
A gene divided reveals details of natural selection
In a molecular tour de force, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have provided an exquisitely detailed picture of natural selection as it occurs at the genetic level. Read More
Primate study shows excess vitamin A can be stored during fetal development
A new University of Wisconsin–Madison study suggests that pregnant women who take some types of vitamin supplements or eat fortified foods may be passing excess vitamin A to their developing fetuses. Reported in the October issue of the Journal of Comparative Medicine, the finding could guide efforts to develop future formulations of vitamins. Read More
Smithies’ work at UW–Madison underpinned Nobel Prize in Medicine
The gene targeting work for which North Carolina biologist Oliver Smithies was recognized for the 2007 Nobel Prize in Medicine has a distinct Wisconsin flavor. Read More
Researchers identify key step bird flu virus takes to spread readily in humans
Since it first appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, the H5N1 avian flu virus has been slowly evolving into a pathogen better equipped to infect humans. The final form of the virus, biomedical researchers fear, will be a highly pathogenic strain of influenza that spreads easily among humans. Read More
Recent sightings: Research model
Photo: Bryce Richter Faculty and staff members view three-dimensional models of the latest building plans for the… Read More
Bioenergy research center gets early boost from U.S. Department of Energy
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) has received $6.67 million in start-up funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that will allow researchers to get to work on promising new sources of energy that may someday power our cars, homes, and businesses. Read More
‘Jumping genes’ could make for safer gene delivery system
A new nonviral gene delivery system using transposons, or “jumping genes,” provides a safer alternative to previous options, according to a publication by a UW–Madison molecular biologist and biological safety expert. Read More
Doping technique brings nanomechanical devices into the semiconductor world
With the help of a device capable of depositing metals an atom at a time in the materials used in computer chips, a team of University of Wisconsin–Madison engineers has successfully blended modern semiconductor technology and nanomachines. Read More
Study shows autism symptoms can improve into adulthood
Hallmarks of autism are characteristic behaviors - repetitive motions, problems interacting with others, impaired communication abilities - that occur in widely different combinations and degrees of severity among those who have the condition. Read More
Hormone-driven effects on eating, stress mediated by same brain region
A hormone system linked to reducing food consumption appears to do so by increasing stress-related behaviors, according to a new study. Read More
Study reveals possible genetic risk for fetal alcohol disorders
New research in primates suggests that infants and children who carry a certain gene variant may be more vulnerable to the ill effects of fetal alcohol exposure. Read More
$7.2 million grant to aid search for ALS stem cell therapy
With the help of a $7.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a team of University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers will explore the potential of stem cells and natural growth factors to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Read More