Science

Genetic Lessons Of Wisconsin's Elizabethkingia Outbreak

WisContext

The 2015-16 Elizabethkingia outbreak spanned at least 12 Wisconsin counties, and its hard to find a common thread among all of the victims. But genetic analysis shows that they were all exposed to the same novel strain.

Series: Local Food Science

How Discoveries And Accidents Led To Winemaking In Wisconsin

Samantha Nash

PBS Wisconsin

The wines produced in Wisconsin's unlikely climate are the result of centuries of selection, cultivation and hybridization of many grape varieties.

Series: Tick-Borne Diseases In Wisconsin

Deer Ticks And Lyme Disease: Quick Tips To Not Get Bit

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

Kristian Knutsen

WisContext

UW-Extension entomologist PJ Liesch said Wisconsin is "one of the hot spots of tick activity in the U.S." But, he stresses it's still possible to enjoy the outdoors.

Series: Tick-Borne Diseases In Wisconsin

Deer Ticks In Wisconsin And The Diseases They Carry

Kristian Knutsen

WisContext

One enduring myth about ticks is that these little bloodsucking creatures hang around on tree branches and leaves, waiting to drop down on an unsuspecting feast. Ticks don't dive-bomb their intended meals, but they do engage in behavior called "questing."

Series: Tick-Borne Diseases In Wisconsin

Lyme Disease Is Underreported In Wisconsin, But How Much Does It Matter?

Scott Gordon

WisContext

The Lyme disease incidence rate in Wisconsin has been well above the national average since at least 2005, and is rivaled by only a handful of other states. But these numbers don't represent a definitive count.

Series: Civic Science In Wisconsin

How To Get Started With Aiding Monarch Butterflies At Home

Samantha Nash

PBS Wisconsin

The Monarch butterfly is a vital pollinator across much of North America. But the species is facing some of the same environmental pressures afflicting other insect pollinators, and the number of monarchs overwintering at sites in Mexico is declining precipitously.

Series: The Opioid Epidemic In Wisconsin

The Toxicology Mysteries Posed By Synthetic Opioids

Toxicology labs like the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene are working to keep up with these unfamiliar opioids so law enforcement and health officials can better understand their impact and prevent their spread.

As Madison Schools Attempt To Limit Social Media Use, Students Push Back

Scott Gordon

WisContext

An effort to limit student use of social media in Madison public schools is turning out to be an interesting social experiment, and not entirely in the ways that school officials intended.

Series: Bullying and Cyberbullying

When High School Students Are Addicted To Social Media

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

Shared via

WPT

Several schools in the Madison area have shut down Wi-Fi for popular social media apps. Madison East High School Principal Mike Hernandez talks about this effort to see if disconnecting from social media would help students with their academic and personal performance.

Series: The Opioid Epidemic In Wisconsin

The Public Health Challenge Of Tracking Synthetic Opioids

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

Synthetic opioids are a powerful class drugs, and users can fatally overdose on them. As these substances become more common, public health workers are grappling with the difficulties of tracking their spread.