Category Science & Technology
Satellite anniversary marks 50 years of studying climate from space
On Oct. 13, 1959, University of Wisconsin–Madison professors Verner Suomi and Robert Parent crouched in a bunker at Cape Canaveral, sweating through the countdown for the Juno II rocket perched on its launching pad 150 yards away.
High-speed genetic analysis looks deep inside primate immune system
Viruses such as HIV and influenza take safe harbor in cells, where they cannot be recognized directly by the immune system. The immune response relies on infected cells announcing the presence of the virus by studding their exterior with fragments of the virus lurking within.
Banded rocks reveal early Earth conditions, changes
The strikingly banded rocks scattered across the upper Midwest and elsewhere throughout the world are actually ambassadors from the past, offering clues to the environment of the early Earth more than 2 billion years ago.
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.
Industrial engineering professor provides national expertise on the driver distraction threat
University of Wisconsin–Madison industrial and systems engineering professor John Lee spoke about the dangers of distracted driving at a Washington, D.C., meeting on the topic held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The meeting included representatives from the Obama administration, U.S. Senate and automotive industry, among others, and was a chance for Lee to discuss his area of expertise: technology-mediated attention.
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.
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.
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.
Curiosities: Why is it that often foods with the least nutritional content taste the best to people?
It depends on how you define nutrition, says Franco Milani, an assistant professor of food science. The word “nutritious” may mean a food…
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.
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.