I&D

• Location technology homes in on where stuff, people are Feb. 9, 2010 If you commute by mass transit in Madison or Chicago, Jignesh Patel can tell you, to the minute, when your bus will pull up to your stop. He can do this no matter the weather or traffic conditions.
• Stem cells: Science, economy edge religion at the polls Feb. 3, 2010 When it comes to stem cell research as a political issue, Wisconsin voters are more likely to be motivated by ideas of economic benefit and scientific progress than by religious objections, according to a new report.
• Can blocking a frown keep bad feelings at bay? Jan. 29, 2010 Your facial expression may tell the world what you are thinking or feeling. But it also affects your ability to understand written language related to emotions, according to research that was presented today (Jan. 29).
• Expectant mom’s flu exposure stunts baby’s brain development Jan. 25, 2010 For expectant mothers, catching even a mild case of the flu could stunt brain development in their newborns, according to a new study conducted in rhesus macaques.
• Air-quality improvements offset climate policy costs Jan. 22, 2010 The benefits of improved air quality resulting from climate change mitigation policies are likely to outweigh the near-term costs of implementing those policies, according to a new study.
• Poll: Many state anglers unaware of laws to prevent spread of invasive species Jan. 21, 2010 Many anglers in Wisconsin are unaware of laws designed to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species and protect the state's lakes and rivers, according to a recent statewide poll.
• In sync: Squid, glowing companions march in genetic harmony Jan. 19, 2010 Most humans are blissfully unaware that we owe our healthful existence to trillions of microbes that make their home in the nooks and crannies of the human body, primarily the gut.
• Diving milk prices cut state net farm income by more than half in 2009 Jan. 19, 2010 Times were hard for farmers across the country in 2009, but they were harder than average for Wisconsin farmers.
• The story continues off-screen for movies, TV shows Jan. 14, 2010 Even if you haven't seen "Avatar," you may have caught the movie's trailer on television, heard its characters are blue and 10 feet tall, or know it was directed by James Cameron of "Titanic" and "Terminator" fame. Based on those tidbits, you may have decided you're dying to see the blockbuster or you'd rather watch paint dry.
• UW-Madison scientists create super-strong collagen Jan. 12, 2010 A team of University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers has created the strongest form of collagen known to science, a stable alternative to human collagen that could one day be used to treat arthritis and other conditions that result from collagen defects.
• Regulatory network balances stem cell maintenance, differentiation Jan. 11, 2010 While much of the promise of stem cells springs from their ability to develop into any cell type in the body, the biological workings that control that maturation process are still largely unknown.
• Migratory birds bear brunt of climate-charged weather Jan. 11, 2010 As global climate change fuels more frequent and intense hurricanes and droughts, migratory birds, especially those whose populations are already in decline, will bear the brunt of such climate-fueled weather, suggest a pair of new studies.
• Study: Second cochlear implant can restore two important facets of binaural hearing Jan. 11, 2010 Cochlear implants are electronic devices that stimulate auditory nerves directly, bypassing damage in the inner ear, and thus restoring some hearing. Although cochlear implants have revolutionized the treatment of deafness, many users have trouble understanding speech, particularly in crowds.
• Property tax increases drive few elderly to move out of their homes Jan. 7, 2010 Few elderly homeowners are forced to move from their homes because of property tax increases, according to a new study from a University of Wisconsin-Madison public affairs researcher and economists at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
• Conservation areas threatened nationally by housing development Dec. 28, 2009 Conservationists have long known that lines on a map are not sufficient to protect nature because what happens outside those boundaries can affect what happens within. Now, a study by two University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists in the department of forest and wildlife ecology measures the threat of housing development around protected areas in the United States.
• Compound found to safely counter deadly bird flu Dec. 28, 2009 The specter of a drug-resistant form of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza is a nightmare to keep public-health officials awake at night.
• Depression saps endurance of the brain's reward circuitry Dec. 28, 2009 A new study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that depressed patients are unable to sustain activity in brain areas related to positive emotion.
• Stellar mosh pit, complete with crashing stars, resolves a mystery Dec. 23, 2009 For almost 50 years, astronomers have puzzled over the youthful appearance of stars known as blue stragglers.
• Dental delight! Tooth of sea urchin shows formation of biominerals Dec. 21, 2009 Some of the most common minerals in biology, including those in bones and shells, have a mysterious structure: Their crystals are positioned in the same orientation, making them behave as one giant crystal, even though they do not look like a faceted crystal.
• Surveying bird biodiversity from space? Dec. 16, 2009 A fundamental rule of wildlife ecology says that diverse habitats foster greater biodiversity: The Amazon has far more species than Greenland. But how do habitat and biodiversity relate in a state like Wisconsin, with its range of farms, forests, wetlands, cities, suburbs and highways?