Science

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SCIENCE

UW students train computers to play angry birds

By Suma Samudrala | Dec. 9, 2013

Artificial Intelligence is defined as the ability for a machine such as a computer to perform functions analogous to learning and decision making. This past summer undergraduates Anjali Narayan-Chen and Liqi Xu taught the computer how to play Angry Birds. Angry birds is a popular game where using a slingshot, the player shoots wingless birds to kill pigs. And like other games, there are several levels of difficulty, different sizes and colors of birds, and different obstacles. With each game, new birds and special abilities can be activated by the player.

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SCIENCE

Ask Mr. Scientist: Names of Vitamins

By Michael Leitch | Dec. 8, 2013

Dear Mr. Scientist,

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SCIENCE

UW student in finals of ‘Dance Your PhD’

By Nambirajan Rangarajan | Nov. 19, 2013

On a cold, windy Sunday afternoon in September this year, the ground floor lobby of Union South was filled with students discussing homework and munching pizza. However just two floors above, a dance group in the Northwoods room was getting their groove on. As the minutes ticked by, a crew member yelled, “Only five minutes to go, guys. Let’s shoot the final sequence.” A single take, and it was over!

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SCIENCE

Football players and flies taking hits for brain research

By Jacob Blitstein | Nov. 19, 2013

Have you ever had a concussion or any other head-related injury resulting in a permanent or temporary change in cognition? Concussions and other Traumatic Brain Injuries are one of the most serious public health problems in the United States. TBIs occur when a force to the head causes the brain to strike the inside of the skull resulting in swelling and sometimes even bleeding in the brain. These injuries are extremely common in falls, car accidents and many sports-related injuries.

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SCIENCE

Ask Mr. Scientist: Gas Issues

By Michael Leitch | Nov. 19, 2013

Dear Mr. Scientist,

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SCIENCE

UW challenges invasive species paradigm

By Jon Spike and Donald Radcliffe | Nov. 5, 2013

Invasive species are one of the most important issues facing aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems today. No self-respecting ecologist would say otherwise.

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SCIENCE

Future of regenerative medicine may include CRISPR gene repair

By Sam Karp and Suma Samudrala | Nov. 5, 2013

A step toward advancement in regenerative medicine by improving the commonly used gene repair technique was made possible by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University.

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SCIENCE

Ask Mr. Scientist: Real-life vampires and death scares

By Michael Leitch | Nov. 5, 2013

Dear Mr. Scientist,

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SCIENCE

Surveying the trees of Flambeau Forest

By Donald Radcliffe | Oct. 15, 2013

I spent a month this summer living in a cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

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SCIENCE

Rusty crayfish kept at bay in Wisconsin

By Brita Larson and By James Lanser | Oct. 1, 2013

Imagine an underwater army of crustaceous lumberjacks chopping down the kelp forests on the floor bed of lakes with their large pincers. This isn’t something out of a science-fiction movie. This is how the Rusty Crayfish, an invasive species from Ohio River Basin, essentially deforested Sparkling Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

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SCIENCE

Ask Mr. Scientist: Yellowed Books and Sea Monkeys

By Michael Leitch | Oct. 1, 2013

Dear Mr. Scientist,

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SCIENCE

Wisconsin Science Festival pushes understanding of science and art

By Nambirajan Rangarajan | Oct. 1, 2013

On most Saturday mornings, the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery building bears a deserted look. The long lines for coffee are missing, and most of the plush couches in the ground floor hallway are unoccupied.

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CAMPUS NEWS

NPR host Ira Flatow argues 'science is sexy'

By Megan Stoebig | Sep. 27, 2013

Ira Flatow, host of National Public Radio’s “Science Friday,” described how science has become “sexy” in America as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series at the Wisconsin Science Festival.

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SCIENCE

Future of renewable energy looks promising with new solar cells

By Nambirajan Rangarajan | Sep. 18, 2013

You’ve seen them on wristwatches, pocket calculators, traffic signals and maybe even on top of campus buildings  — futuristic-looking, sleek panels of metal facing the sun. Solar cells are becoming integral to our lives as the technology used to harness arguably the cleanest energy source available —the sun.

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SCIENCE

Plants eavesdrop as a means of defense

By Danielle Smith | Sep. 17, 2013

Imagine yourself in a situation in which you and everyone surrounding you are being attacked by an unknown predator. You hear signs of chaos all around you and your fight-or-flight instincts are gearing up to protect you from impending doom. You are just about to plan your miraculous escape when you notice your feet are stuck planted to the ground, and you are incapable of fleeing the scene. What would you do to protect yourself?

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SCIENCE

Ask Mr. Scientist: Magnetic Fields and Batteries

By Michael Leitch | Sep. 17, 2013

Dear Mr. Scientist,

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SCIENCE

Hair cells may be new hearing loss cure

By Zhengzheng Zhang | Sep. 3, 2013

Hearing is an essential function that enables people to take part in daily communication, appreciate music and nature, and enjoy their life.

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SCIENCE

Childhood stresses may trigger the later onset of anxiety in girls

By Danielle Smith | Sep. 2, 2013

When exposed to high-stress situations, the normal physiological reaction is for the body to release a hormone called cortisol, which prepares people for a fight-or-flight response to the stressor. However, according to a study done at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the laboratory of psychology professor Seth Pollak, this reaction does not occur in girls who experienced physical abuse in their developmental years.

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SCIENCE

Stem cell research shows promise of memory restoration

By Nia Sathiamoorthi | Jul. 9, 2013

You simply can’t remember where you put your keys. It’s fine, happens to everybody and you are just getting older. Good-humoredly, you even start calling yourself “absentminded.” Then, one day, you cannot remember your boss’s last name. You start forgetting the stores you’ve been to, where you went for vacation last year, or what your favorite meal is. You forget how to use the bathroom or when to eat, and the people you care about fade in and out of your memory.

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SCIENCE

Ask Mr. Scientist: Of insect repellent and transition lenses

By Michael Leitch | Jul. 9, 2013

Dear Mr. Scientist,