Science

Wisconsin's 'Grand Experiment' With GMO Corn

WisContext

Farmers' use of transgenic corn over the past 20-plus years is putting pressure on ecosystems, in part by making some weeds more resistant to herbicides.

Series: Renewable Energy In Wisconsin

Wood Heating Could Spark Economic Opportunities In Wisconsin

Scott Sanford

UW-Extension

The early fall is the best time of year to do some planning for winter and keeping homes warm, and some may want to consider converting to wood energy, given Wisconsin’s great timber reserves.

New Birds Nesting In Wisconsin, DNR Survey Finds

Brady Carlson

Wisconsin Public Radio

Wisconsin's bird populations are changing in some unusual ways, according to new findings published by the state Department of Natural Resources.

Series: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Invasive Stink Bug Moves In On Homes — And Crops — In Wisconsin

Christelle Guédot

UW-Madison

Janet van Zoeren

UW-Extension

With the advance of the brown marmorated stink bug across the United States, Wisconsin researchers are working to detect when and where their populations will reach nuisance or agricultural pest levels in the state — leading to the first official report of them on on agricultural crops in Wisconsin in early October.

Series: Local Food Science

A Brief Introduction To Fermentation In Wisconsin

Scott Gordon

WisContext

Food scientists around Wisconsin are building on a growing interest in fermentation to help both craft brewers and multinational mega-breweries improve their beers. But their work isn't just about the state's alcoholic beverage producers.

Series: The Yahara Watershed

What Has Your Ecosystem Done For You Lately?

Scott Gordon

WisContext

The condition of the natural world is inextricably bound with the choices humans make. "Built" environments and "wild" areas do not exist distinct from each other; rather, both interact through complex relationships.

Transforming Energy Will Require A Biomass Movement

Tim Baye

UW-Extension

In spite of their rich history, biologically derived sources of energy like wood, grass, dung and alcohol have failed to ignite the public "buzz" of the other renewables: solar, wind or even geothermal.

Series: The Yahara Watershed

Series: Phosphorus In Wisconsin's Land And Water

The Cyanobacteria Stalemate In Wisconsin's Lakes

Scott Gordon

WisContext

One organism, exploding in population, thrives at the expense of others in its ecosystem. That's essentially what happens when a toxic algal bloom spreads a slimy, stinky trail across a body of water.

Series: The Yahara Watershed

Series: Phosphorus In Wisconsin's Land And Water

Four Visions Of Change For The Yahara Watershed

Kristian Knutsen

WisContext

The year 2070 may sound like an impossibly distant date from the vantage point of 2016, but it's as near into the future as John Glenn's first orbit of the Earth is in the past.

Safety, Learning, Love And 'Pokémon Go'

Anne Clarkson

UW-Extension

With such a fast rise to fame, understanding the long-term effects of Pokémon Go on kids is impossible. However, what is known about other technologies can help predict how to make the use of new media, like Pokémon Go and other social platforms, a safe and positive experience for kids and parents.