Category Science & Technology

New imaging technique provides rapid, high-definition chemistry

March 21, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/21/11

Researchers find reduction in asthma attacks tied to seasonal allergies

March 16, 2011

Aging rates, mortality gender gap similar across primates, study finds

March 10, 2011

Humans aren't the only ones who grow old gracefully, says a new study of primate aging patterns.

UW-Madison to host Science Olympiad National Tournament on May 18-21

March 8, 2011

More than 6,000 students, educators and parents from around the country will visit the University of Wisconsin–Madison Wednesday-Saturday, May 18-21, for the 27th annual Science Olympiad National Tournament.

Discovery Town Center debuts Saturday Science Series for families

March 3, 2011

The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery Town Center will debut a new monthly series of free science exploration and education programs aimed at kids and families this Saturday March 5. Its first program, Leopold Discovery Day, invites learner of all ages to celebrate the life and discoveries of legendary University of Wisconsin–Madison environmentalist Aldo Leopold, known as the "father of wildlife management."

Ecological adaptation likely to influence impacts of climate change

March 1, 2011

Animals' capacity to adapt is a factor in how they are likely to respond to changing climate conditions.

Curiosities: Why, when I see wind generators on a windy day, are some rotating and others not?

February 28, 2011

There are several possible reasons why a turbine may be still even when the wind is blowing, says Giri Venkataramanan, a…

Insect hearing inspires new approach to small antennas

February 25, 2011

Ormia ochracea is a small parasitic fly best known for its strong sense of directional hearing. A female fly tracks a male cricket by its chirps and then deposits her eggs on the unfortunate host. The larvae subsequently eat the cricket.

Curiosities: How high can bugs fly?

February 15, 2011

“We can pick up insects at 5,000 or 6,000 feet,” says Phil Pellitteri of the UW–Madison insect diagnostic lab. “But wind is a big…

Ancient Mesoamerican sculpture uncovered in southern Mexico

February 14, 2011

With one arm raised and a determined scowl, the figure looks ready to march right off his carved tablet and into the history books. If only we knew who he was - corn god? Tribal chief? Sacred priest?

World phosphorous use crosses critical threshold

February 14, 2011

Recalculating the global use of phosphorous, a fertilizer linchpin of modern agriculture, a team of researchers warns that the world's stocks may soon be in short supply and that overuse in the industrialized world has become a leading cause of the pollution of lakes, rivers and streams.

Forums to focus on ethics of animal research

February 11, 2011

Three forums on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus will highlight the ethics of animal research, Eric Sandgren, an associate professor of pathobiological sciences, announced today.

Leafcutter ant genome reveals secrets of fungus farming ways

February 10, 2011

Leafcutter ants, signature denizens of New World tropical forests, are unique in their ability to harvest fresh leaves to cultivate a nutrient-rich fungus as food.

Darwin celebration expands to three days

February 9, 2011

Forget the finches and orchids. UW–Madison’s 2011 Darwin Day celebration is all about you, Homo sapiens.

Program merges dual interests in science and policy

February 8, 2011

Melding of mind and policy matters is all in a day's work for the graduate students in the Neuroscience and Public Policy program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Report assesses climate change impacts, adaptation strategies

February 7, 2011

A statewide collaborative of scientists and diverse stakeholders is proposing a multitude of measures to help protect and enhance Wisconsin's natural resources, economic vitality, and public well-being as the state's climate becomes warmer and wetter.

Art from above: Satellites see Wisconsin

February 7, 2011

Few know that the genesis of observing the Earth's weather from space is a Wisconsin idea.

Research shows how enzyme relevant to cancer forms and works

February 4, 2011

New induced stem cells may unmask cancer at earliest stage

February 4, 2011

By coaxing healthy and diseased human bone marrow to become embryonic-like stem cells, a team of Wisconsin scientists has laid the groundwork for observing the onset of the blood cancer leukemia in the laboratory dish.

Stan Temple: A life saving threatened species

January 27, 2011

As a UW–Madison wildlife professor, Stan Temple is heir to the outsized legacy of Aldo Leopold and, until his retirement, held the chair occupied by Leopold and his intrepid successor, Joe Hickey, the wildlife biologist whose work helped put the nails in the coffin of the insecticide DDT.