“It’s the same physical phenomenon as fiber optics,” says Pupa Gilbert at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She was not involved in the work. She does, however, study biomineralization (By-oh-min-er-al-ih-ZAY-shun). It’s how living things build structures out of minerals.
September 1, 2026
Research
Crime and safety
‘It’s definitely disheartening’: Students react to sexual assault on UW-Madison campus
Two men are in the Dane County Jail after police say they sexually assaulted someone on the UW-Madison campus.
Students on campus are soaking up the sun and relaxing before the fall semester begins Wednesday.
But a report of a sexual assault on campus has some students shocked.
The UW Police Department says it received a call just after 4 a.m. Saturday about a disturbance at Goodspeed Family Pier, near Memorial Union.
Agriculture
As older farmers retire, new ones find they can’t afford to buy in
D’Angelo, a UW-Madison graduate, has known since childhood he wanted to grow food for people and to do it on land he owned. He enjoyed working on his parents’ Christmas tree farm while growing up in New Jersey. But his parents, who never owned their own land, lost the farm when the landowner sold the property.
Athletics
Badgers enter season with extra $14.6M state taxpayer fund to pay players
When the Wisconsin Badgers take Lambeau Field on Sunday, the players will be earning a salary partially provided by state taxpayers. A law that Gov. Evers signed in April after passing through the Senate (17-16 vote) and Assembly (95-1 vote) has taken effect, which gives UW-Madison $14.6 million per year, and UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee each $200,000 per year. The universities are to use the money to pay off their athletic facilities, but it would then allow them to reallocate the money toward paying players.
UW-Madison Related
UW-Madison welcomes new students with W Project celebration
UW-Madison welcomed new first-year and transfer students to Camp Randall Stadium on Monday for the W Project celebration.
Students joined Bucky Badger and Interim Chancellor Eric M. Wilcots for campus traditions, a Fifth Quarter celebration and a recreation of the annual “W” photo.
The event also featured giveaways and an opportunity for students to learn Badger gameday traditions.