Science news from around campus
- Curiosities: Is it true that laughing is good for your health? Nov. 24
- Exhibit explores state of science at time of Darwin’s book “Science Circa 1859: On the Eve of Darwin’s Origin of Species,” opening Monday, Nov. 23, in the Department of Special Collections at Memorial Library, explores the state of science before Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking book arrived on the scene 150 years ago. Nov. 23
- Like humans, ants use bacteria to make their gardens grow Leaf-cutter ants, which cultivate fungus for food, have many remarkable qualities. Nov. 19
- Sweet corn story begins in UW-Madison lab This week, scientists are revealing the genetic instructions inside corn, one of the big three cereal crops. Corn, or maize, has one of the most complex sequences of DNA ever analyzed, says University of Wisconsin-Madison genomicist David Schwartz, who was one of more than 100 authors in the article in the journal Science. Nov. 19
- After mastodons and mammoths, a transformed landscape Roughly 15,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, North America's vast assemblage of large animals - including such iconic creatures as mammoths, mastodons, camels, horses, ground sloths and giant beavers - began their precipitous slide to extinction. Nov. 19
- Evolution institute named for pioneering UW-Madison geneticist A few days before the 150th anniversary of the "Origin of Species," Charles Darwin's epochal book on evolution, plans for a new evolution institute moved closer to final approval at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nov. 19
- UW-Madison receives $9.5 million Gates Foundation grant The University of Wisconsin-Madison has received a five-year, $9.5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to identify virus mutations that would serve as early warnings of potential pandemic influenza viruses. Nov. 19
- Warmer means windier on world's biggest lake Rising water temperatures are kicking up more powerful winds on Lake Superior, with consequences for currents, biological cycles, pollution and more on the world's largest lake and its smaller brethren. Nov. 16
- Study: Can meditation sharpen our attention? A new study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that people can train their minds to stay focused. Nov. 13
- FDA-approved drugs eliminate, prevent cervical cancer in mice Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health have eliminated cervical cancer in mice with two FDA-approved drugs currently used to treat breast cancer and osteoporosis. Nov. 9
- Now hear this: Mouse study sheds light on hearing loss in older adults Becoming "hard of hearing" is a standard but unfortunate part of aging: A syndrome called age-related hearing loss affects about 40 percent of people over 65 in the United States, and will afflict an estimated 28 million Americans by 2030. Nov. 9
- Fifty years of expanding girls’ horizons in science, math The Expanding Your Horizons program, a daylong conference designed to expose young women to careers in science, technology, engineering and math, has touched thousands of Wisconsin women during its 50-year history at UW-Madison. Nov. 3
- Middle East air-quality study bridges borders An unprecedented effort to collect air pollution data in the Middle East has united researchers in a region mired in conflict. Oct. 27
- Muscle mass maintenance under scrutiny When muscles are not pressed into service, they begin to lose mass. Oct. 27
- Curiosities: Is there a limit to how fast humans can be? Oct. 26
- New material could efficiently power tiny generators To power a very small device like a pacemaker or a transistor, you need an even smaller generator. The components that operate the generator are smaller yet, and the efficiency of those foundational components is critical to the performance of the overall device. Oct. 22
- Carbon nanotubes may cheaply harvest sunlight A new alternative energy technology relies on the element most associated with climate change: carbon. Oct. 19
- 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. Oct. 13
- 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. Oct. 11
- 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. Oct. 11
- 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. Oct. 9
- 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. Oct. 7
- UW-Madison climate competition offers up to $100,000 in awards Now in its second year, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Climate Leadership Challenge really means business. Oct. 6
- 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. Oct. 6
- 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. Oct. 5
- 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. Sept. 29
- 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. Sept. 28
- Curiosities: Why is it that often foods with the least nutritional content taste the best to people? Sept. 24
- Nobel Prize-winning chemist to give Bernstein Lectures Renowned chemist Ahmed Zewail will give two lectures as part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Richard B. Bernstein Lectures in Chemistry on Monday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Sept. 29. Sept. 22
- Department of Geography holds open house The Department of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will host an open house at Science Hall on Friday, Sept. 25, for alumni and friends of the department. Sept. 22
- 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. Sept. 17
- 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. Sept. 17
- 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. Sept. 16
- 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. Sept. 15
- 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. Sept. 14
- Public lecture on science, Judaism planned for Sept. 17 A free public lecture on the intersection of Judaic thought and science will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, at UW–Madison. Sept. 14
- 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. Sept. 10
- 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. Sept. 9
- 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. Sept. 9
- Historic Washburn Observatory prepares to reopen The Washburn Observatory, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's gate to the heavens, will open later this month following a careful two-year renovation that preserved its hilltop charm and historic significance. Sept. 3
- Monkeys get a groove on, but only to monkey music Music is one of the surest ways to influence human emotions; most people unconsciously recognize and respond to music that is happy, sad, fearful or mellow. But psychologists who have tried to trace the evolutionary roots of these responses usually hit a dead end. Nonhuman primates scarcely respond to human music, and instead prefer silence. Sept. 1
- UW-Madison's 'good ideas' get lift from stimulus funds The university has drawn more than $38 million in funding for more than 120 research projects and programs from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The work is spread across the range of academic disciplines, including public health, computer science, psychology, economics and engineering. Funding comes from agencies such as NSF, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Energy and the National Endowment for the Arts. Aug. 26
- Snaring bigger bugs gave flytraps evolutionary edge Carnivorous plants defy our expectations of how plants should behave, with Venus flytraps employing nerve-like reflexes and powerful digestive enzymes to capture and consume fresh meat. The evolutionary history of these botanical oddities is now a bit clearer, thanks to new work. Aug. 25
- Curiosities: Are there more food recalls now? Why? Aug. 24
- Slide show: Starry Night Aug. 24
- Wisconsin team grows retina cells from skin-derived stem cells A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health has successfully grown multiple types of retina cells from two types of stem cells - suggesting a future in which damaged retinas could be repaired by cells grown from the patient's own skin. Aug. 24
- A new 'bent' on fusion Success in cellular fusion - as occurs at the moment of conception and when nerve cells exchange neurotransmitters - requires that a membrane be bent before the merging process can begin, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have shown. Aug. 20
- Late blight pathogen spreads to state's potato crop The plant pathogen best known for causing the Irish potato famine - Phytophthora infestans - was just discovered in two commercial potato fields in two separate Wisconsin counties. Before this, the outbreak of late blight, as the disease is known, had been confined to tomato plants. Aug. 19
- New approach to wound healing may be easy on skin, but hard on bacteria In a presentation today (Aug. 19) to the American Chemical Society meeting, Ankit Agarwal, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, described an experimental approach to wound healing that could take advantage of silver's anti-bacterial properties, while sidestepping the damage silver can cause to cells needed for healing. Aug. 19
- Engineered protein-like molecule protects cells against HIV infection With the help of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and molecular engineering, researchers have designed synthetic protein-like mimics convincing enough to interrupt unwanted biological conversations between cells. Aug. 17
- Future angst? Brain scans show uncertainty fuels anxiety Anyone who has spent a sleepless night anguishing over a possible job loss has experienced the central finding of a new brain scan study: Uncertainty makes a bad event feel even worse. Aug. 17
- Curiosities: How big is space? Aug. 17
- Scientists make multiple types of white blood cells directly from embryonic and adult stem cells In an advance that could help transform embryonic stem cells into a multipurpose medical tool, scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have transformed these versatile cells into progenitors of white blood cells and into six types of mature white blood and immune cells. Aug. 11
- Curiosities: How long can bacteria live outside humans? Aug. 10
- GLBRC receives $8 million in Recovery Act funding The Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) has received $8.099 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide crucial support for plant cell wall imaging and sustainability research. Aug. 6
- Slide show: Tiny Art Aug. 5
- Curiosities: How many galaxies have humans discovered? Aug. 3
- Team discovers gene for age-related cataracts Participants in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's long-running Beaver Dam Eye Study have contributed to the discovery of a gene involved in cataracts in both aging humans and in mice. July 31
- Will a well-mixed, warmer lake doom invasive fish? The rainbow smelt, an invasive fish that threatens native species such as walleye and perch, may soon be feeling the heat - literally. July 30
- Stimulus funds begin to bolster UW-Madison research portfolio The University of Wisconsin-Madison's nearly $840 million research portfolio, one of the top three in the country, will become even larger as federal agencies begin to dole out new stimulus grants. July 29
- Curiosities: Does a dark-colored car heat up more in the sun than a light-colored car? July 27
- Curiosities: Why do cats hate water? July 27
- Curiosities: Why do onions make us cry when we cut them? July 27
- Curiosities: Are there more geese in Wisconsin than there used to be? July 27
- Faculty aim to strengthen technology, science education by blending them A group of UW-Madison researchers and Thermo Fisher Scientific scientists will bring together high school students and teachers to build and use diagnostic equipment that would not be out of place in university research labs. July 24
- Do Chicago’s suburbs hold the key to understanding West Nile virus? For a group of UW-Madison epidemiologists, the Chicago suburbs near Oak Lawn are proving to be the perfect laboratory for prying loose the secrets of West Nile virus, a pathogen carried by mosquitoes and birds that infects and sickens thousands of people each summer. July 22
- 'Motion picture' of past warming paves way for snapshots of future climate change By accurately modeling Earth's last major global warming - and answering pressing questions about its causes - scientists led by University of Wisconsin-Madison and National Center for Atmospheric Research climatologists are unraveling the intricacies of the kind of abrupt climate shifts that may occur in the future. July 16
- Study suggests H1N1 virus more dangerous than suspected A new, highly detailed study of the H1N1 flu virus shows that the pathogen is more virulent than previously thought. July 13
- UW-Madison researcher wins White House science award A University of Wisconsin-Madison bacteriologist and evolutionary biologist is one of the country's brightest young scientific minds, according to the White House. July 9
- Reduced diet thwarts aging, disease in monkeys The bottom-line message from a decades-long study of monkeys on a restricted diet is simple: Consuming fewer calories leads to a longer, healthier life. July 9
- Registration now open for Wisconsin Science and Technology Symposium The second annual Wisconsin Science and Technology Symposium, to be held July 23 and 24, will bring together science and technology researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors from across the state to help them share ideas and spark new collaborations. July 2
- Five big ideas to fill out Wisconsin Institute for Discovery portfolio Capping an intensely competitive process, five proposals from University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty have been selected to form the intellectual heart of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID). June 30
- Recent sightings: The science of fireworks June 29
- New MRI technique could mean fewer breast biopsies in high-risk women A University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineer and colleagues have developed a method that, applied in MRI scans of the breast, could spare some women with increased breast cancer risk the pain and stress of having to endure a biopsy of a questionable lump or lesion. June 29
- Sequencing effort to chart ants and their ecosystem Nestled within the twisting fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants exists a complex symbiotic web that has evolved over millions of years. Now, with the help of a major genomic sequencing grant from Roche Applied Science, scientists at UW-Madison will be able to analyze these interactions at the molecular scale. June 26
- Major study links malaria mosquitoes to Amazon deforestation In one of the most field-intensive efforts to explore the connection between malaria and tropical deforestation, a team led by Jonathan Patz, a specialist in the link between environment and health at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison, has established a strong correlation between the extent of forest destruction and the incidence of the Amazon's most dangerous malaria vector, the mosquito Anopheles darlingi. June 25
- Students help New Orleans wetlands A project led by students at UW-Madison and designed to restore New Orleans wetlands damaged by Hurricane Katrina recently took a major step forward. June 25
- Experts: Big Tobacco dead by 2047, possibly sooner President Barack Obama's signature on a bill this week to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory authority over tobacco was historic, and represents a step in the march to eliminate tobacco use in this country by 2047, two national tobacco experts said today (June 25). June 25
- Projected food, energy demands seen to outpace production With the caloric needs of the planet expected to soar by 50 percent in the next 40 years, planning and investment in global agriculture will become critically important, according a new report released today (June 25). June 25
- Chemistry professor reveals the science behind fireworks Come early to the Memorial Union Terrace this Saturday, June 27, to stake out a good seat for Rhythm and Booms and learn about the science behind the spectacle. June 24
- Carb synthesis sheds light on promising tuberculosis drug target A fundamental question about how sugar units are strung together into long carbohydrate chains has also pinpointed a promising way to target new medicines against tuberculosis. June 22
- Scientists and public differ on views about nanotechnology regulation When it comes to regulating nanotechnology - a burgeoning global industry with wide-ranging potential applications - a new study led by professors Dietram Scheufele at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Elizabeth Corley at Arizona State University (ASU) reveals that the views of U.S. nanoscientists differ from those of the general public. June 19
- Beating the radar: Getting a jump on storm prediction Satellite observation of cloud temperatures may be able to accurately predict severe thunderstorms up to 45 minutes earlier than relying on traditional radar alone, say researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center. June 16
- Zebra mussels hang on while quagga mussels take over The zebra mussels that have wreaked ecological havoc on the Great Lakes are harder to find these days - not because they are dying off, but because they are being replaced by a cousin, the quagga mussel. But zebra mussels still dominate in fast-moving streams and rivers. June 16
- Curiosities: Why do cats seem compelled to eat some plants, like my poor aloe, and ignore others? June 15
- UW-Madison to play key role in nuclear energy's comeback As the climate warms, energy supplies shrink and oil imports continue to rise, nuclear energy is suddenly set for a resurgence: Splitting atoms, which now provide 20 percent of American electricity, are being asked to play a bigger role in solving our never-ending energy woes. June 11
- Isolated forest patches lose species, diversity Failing to see the forest for the trees may be causing us to overlook the declining health of Wisconsin's forest ecosystems. June 9
- 'Galileo Under Wisconsin Skies' to celebrate astronomy at UW-Madison "Galileo Under Wisconsin Skies," a series of special events presented by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Astronomy July 19-22, will commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's telescope, the International Year of Astronomy and the renovation of Washburn Observatory at UW-Madison. June 8
- Looking for alien life at the ballpark On Friday, June 5, UW-Madison researchers are taking science to the ballpark to share their work with the crowd at the Madison Mallards' first Friday night game of the season. June 4
- UW-Madison researchers study salt's potential to store energy At UW-Madison, researchers see potential for storing heat in a mineral found on kitchen counters and restaurant tables worldwide. They're studying salt. June 2
- Culture, not biology, underpins math gender gap For more than a century, the notion that females are innately less capable than males at doing mathematics, especially at the highest levels, has persisted in even the loftiest circles. June 1
- Curiosities: Why do the blue eyes of babies often turn brown? June 1
- Special protein helps maintain an efficient brain The instruction manual for maintaining an efficient brain may soon include a section on synaptotagmin-IV (Syt-IV), a protein known to influence learning and memory, thanks to a study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. May 18
- Early Alzheimer's diagnosis offers large social, fiscal benefits Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease could save millions or even billions of dollars while simultaneously improving care, according to new work by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. May 18
- Buffering Wisconsin’s water quality with science Spring in Wisconsin heralds a new growing season. But the warming temperatures also bring heavier runoff from farm fields, carrying pollution and contaminants into the state’s lakes and streams. May 14
- Cancer researcher wins Shaw Award University of Wisconsin-Madison cancer researcher Jing Zhang received a Shaw Scientist Award last week from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to support her novel research on the roles cancer stem cells may play in the causes and treatment of cancer. May 14
- UW-Madison nuclear research and development earns major DOE support With more than $5 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding, University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers are leading 10 cutting-edge research projects that will advance next-generation nuclear energy technologies. May 8
- Songs raise awareness about aquatic invasive species A new initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is using music to raise public awareness about aquatic invasive species in the state. May 5
- Planet Trek offers chance to bike or walk through scaled-down solar system Dane County residents have a new way to appreciate the solar system, thanks to Planet Trek Dane County, which offers pedestrians and bikers a chance to discover the 11 biggest objects in the solar system at the correct scale of size and distance. May 1
- Thirty-plus medical inventions debut at undergraduate design competition On Friday, May 1, some 150 University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineering students will showcase 34 novel devices that address myriad real-world medical challenges. April 30