We learn how workers in Wisconsin are looking to bolster family farm income via employment in surrounding communities. Then a pediatrics professor shares research on social media and youth. And two members from the Wisconsin band Bizhiki discuss their new album of Indigenous music.
November 29, 2024
Research
Breakthroughs in bioplastics may be coming
Despite recycling efforts, plastic accounts for 20% of the material in Wisconsin landfills and does not breakdown. But what if more of our plastic was biodegradable? Working on that is Erica Majumder, an assistant professor of bacteriology at UW-Madison, who joins us.
UW researchers hope to identify how the body processes different types of meth
Methamphetamine is typically associated with recreational drug use. But Heather Barkholtz, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, said the drug also has a place in medicine.
Higher Education/System
UW-Oshkosh may outsource its bookstore to save money. But doing so will cost students more
The next casualty stemming from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s budget crisis may be the campus bookstore.
The store is one of three left across the UW System that is not run by a third-party chain. Outsourcing the operation would save some money in the short term but likely increase costs for students and lead to poorer service on campus, according to a recent report by a university task force. The report raised the question of whether there would be any long-term financial benefit to the switch.
Community
10-story student apartment building would go between 2 Downtown landmarks
The 10-story apartment building that Trinitas Ventures of Lafayette, Indiana, plans to build at 619 and 699 W. Mifflin St. would add hundreds of student beds near the UW-Madison campus, where housing is in high demand.
Health
What is vertical oscillation and how can it affect running performance?
‘If you have a very low vertical oscillation, below 5cm, that can be very inefficient – and if you run with a lot of vertical oscillation, above 10-12cm, that can also be very inefficient,’ notes Bryan Heiderscheit, a professor in orthopaedics at the University of Wisconsin Madison.
UW Health to be the official medical provider for LOVB Madison
UW Health will be the official medical provider for LOVB Madison, a new Madison professional volleyball team.
Athletics
Wisconsin football game vs Minnesota today could be coldest at Camp Randall in 60 years
On Friday, the Wisconsin Badgers will face off against Minnesota in the annual battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.
Not only is the showdown at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison important for the Badgers — they need to beat the Gophers to become bowl-eligible — it’s also expected to be the coldest game at Camp Randall in decades.
Opinion
UW needs to invest in students’ mental health
UW-Madison would greatly benefit from a program similar to Carroll’s Wellness Advocate initiative. 43% of UW students were positive for significant symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to the university’s 2022 Healthy Minds survey.
Business/Technology
How to avoid Black Friday sale scams: Red flags, tips for safe shopping
AI-powered schemes can also have the typical telltale signs of a scam, Allen Monette with the University of Wisconsin-Madison says. Things like something pressuring you to act immediately and unusual requests for sensitive information unexpectedly can tip you off that it is not real.
Disposable personal income rose at a faster pace in October than the month before
There are some factors that could limit spending next year: Menzie Chinn, a professor of economics and pulic affairs at the University of Wisconsin, said delinquency rates have been rising and some consumers don’t have a lot of savings to fall back on.
“Those have been largely depleted, particularly among those income groups that are, let’s say, at median or below median income,” he said.
UW Experts in the News
Wisconsin Innocence Project co-director discusses victories and next steps
Manuel Cucuta was released from prison on Monday, November 25th, 2024. The Wisconsin Innocence Project will be representing him as he seeks to fully overturn his conviction. Professor Christopher Lau is the co-director of the Innocence Project. He sat down to speak with WORT about the group’s recent successes and what comes after.
Wisconsin farmers push for Farm Bill to be passed
“Passing a farm bill or extending the current Farm Bill is really seen as a necessity,” Andrew Stevens, an assistant professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW-Madison said.
Cost of Thanksgiving dinner in Wisconsin is down 2% from last year
“Food prices are not where they were before the pandemic, and I don’t expect they ever will be,” Andrew Stevens, an assistant professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW-Madison said.
Explainer: What are bomb cyclones and how do they form?
A bomb cyclone’s winds can reach hurricane force – 74 miles (119 km) per hour – and stronger. These storms tend to form during winter and can spawn copious amounts of precipitation. They have life spans of about a week during which they grow to peak intensity over roughly four to five days and then dissipate over the last two, according to Jon Martin, a professor of meteorology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
What does Donald Trump mean for housing in Madison, and Wisconsin?
“Regardless of who got elected, we would have said that there’s these deep structural crises in the housing system. And there are some really thorny trade-offs involved,” said Kurt Paulsen, a professor of urban planning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “And you cannot just cut your way to housing affordability.”
Obituaries
‘He was the guy’: How Rudy Martzke invented the sports media beat
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Martzke graduated from the University of Wisconsin and worked for a few newspapers and ABA teams. (He liked to tell people he helped hire Bob Costas at the Spirits of St. Louis.) Eventually, he ended up at the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, New York, before moving to the D.C. area to help launch USA Today.