Ideas and discoveries

  • Computer display Computer scientists set on winning the computer virus ‘cold war’ May 24, 2007 First came the virus. Then came the antivirus software. Ever since, virus programmers have been escalating their technology, trying to stay one step ahead of the computer security engineers and vice versa.
  • Research examining a rain garden Study explores effectiveness of rain gardens May 22, 2007 Although many rain gardeners swear by prairie plants and other native species, vegetation plays a lesser role than other factors in how well rain gardens trap storm water runoff and coax it into the ground, according to a recent UW-Madison study.
  • Patient and doctor UW study to clarify safety, effectiveness of hormone therapy during menopause May 22, 2007 When is the best time in a woman's reproductive history to start hormone therapy? How does estrogen therapy affect a woman's cognition and mood? What is the most beneficial form of estrogen? These are just a few important questions that researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health hope to answer in a federally funded nationwide study, the first of its kind, on the effects of estrogen therapy with perimenopausal women.
  • Midwest News Index releases latest findings on TV political news May 21, 2007 A new University of Wisconsin-Madison study shows that political news stories on local television news outlets in five Midwestern states comprised less than two minutes of a typical 30-minute broadcast during the first quarter of 2007.
  • Portion of Lake Ripley map Students create new environmental strategy for Lake Ripley May 17, 2007 With the help of University of Wisconsin-Madison students, communities around Lake Ripley in southeastern Wisconsin are among the first in the state to use an innovative social strategy known as community-based social marketing, or CBSM, to deal with an environmental problem.
  • Pipette and petri dish UW establishes stem cell and regenerative medicine center May 17, 2007 In an effort to strengthen and sustain its leadership in the companion fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine, the University of Wisconsin-Madison will establish a new Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center.
  • Molecule model Decoding protein structures helps illuminate cause of diabetes May 15, 2007 Any photographer can vouch for the difficulty of capturing a clear picture of a moving target. When it comes to molecules, however, sometimes the motion is exactly what scientists want to see.
  • Student and parents on a campus tour New program to help parents of students stay connected May 15, 2007 Given the increasing desire for parental connection to their son or daughter’s college experience and more students wanting their parents involved, UW-Madison is launching a major upgrade of its communication efforts and support services for parents.
  • Cover of book Book explores history, causes of allergy and asthma epidemic May 10, 2007 Why is it that actions we think will improve a situation more often than not make it worse?
  • Aerial photo of farm Wisconsin’s rural life inspires a classical composition May 8, 2007 When Martha Glowacki asked rural sociologist Michael Bell to offer commentary about "Wisconsin's People on the Land," the art exhibition she co-curated for the Wisconsin Academy's James Watrous Gallery, she thought he might say something about the state's rural roots or its long history with agriculture.
  • Woman practicing yoga Meditation may fine-tune control over attention May 8, 2007 Everyday experience and psychology research both indicate that paying close attention to one thing can keep you from noticing something else.
  • Teaching assistant and student during a study session Changing the face of science education May 7, 2007 Through the UW-Madison Delta Program in Research, Teaching and Learning, new faculty and graduate students can find instructional resources and support that help them transition from full-time graduate researcher to faculty member.
  • Microscopic 20x view of a colony of undifferentiated human embryonic stems cells New technique dissects stem cells’ picky likes, dislikes May 4, 2007 Whether their goal is to create therapies or simply investigate how organisms develop, stem cell researchers face what is perhaps one of biological science's toughest assignments: keeping their tiny research subjects under control.
  • Satellite image of Lake Mendota Resident bacteria may help clean phosphorous from lakes May 2, 2007 UW-Madison engineer Katherine McMahon is integrating her expertise in wastewater engineering and in biological systems to study the bacterial community in different eutrophied lakes — two in Madison and one in China — to learn more about how those bacteria affect phosphorus cycling in the lakes.
  • Honey pot UW study tests topical honey as a treatment for diabetic ulcers May 2, 2007 Jennifer Eddy, a physician at UW Health’s Eau Claire Family Medicine Clinic and an assistant professor of family medicine at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, is conducting the first randomized, double-blind controlled trial of honey for diabetic ulcers.
  • Lab vials and science notes Survey examines Americans’ trust in science May 1, 2007 When it comes to forming opinions on controversial scientific issues, Americans show a strong deference to the views of the scientific community, according to a study co-authored by a University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher.
  • Woman sleeping Study puts us one step closer to understanding the function of sleep April 30, 2007 Sleep remains one of the big mysteries in biology. All animals sleep, and people who are deprived of sleep suffer physically, emotionally and intellectually. But nobody knows how sleep restores the brain.
  • Motion W in petri dish Arming the fight against resistant bacteria April 27, 2007 In 1928, Alexander Fleming opened the door to treating bacterial infections when he stumbled upon the first known antibiotic in a Penicillium mold growing in a discarded experiment.
  • Portion of information graphic from the story U.S. chemistry forecast: ‘Partly cloudy, chance of showers’ April 25, 2007 A report released this month by the National Academy of Sciences concludes that although the United States currently leads the world in most aspects of chemistry research, increasing international competition makes that position far from secure.
  • Center stages bio-education blitz in Madison schools April 25, 2007 The Center for Biology Education was recently honored by the Madison Metropolitan School District with a nomination for a distinguished service award.