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Author: gbump

Underground Antarctic Observatory Unlocks New Era of Ghost Particle Astronomy

CNET

These ghosts, as Justin Vandenbroucke of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an IceCube team member put it, are fit to solve two major mysteries in astronomy. First off, a wealth of galaxies in our universe boast gravitationally monstrous voids at their centers, black holes reaching masses millions to billions of times greater than our sun’s. And these black holes, when active, blast jets of light from their guts — emitting enough illumination to outshine every single star in the galaxy itself. “We don’t understand how that happens,” Vandenbrouke simply summarizes.

Report: Dobbs decision could decrease abortions in Wisconsin by 20%

The Capital Times

The cessation of abortion services in Wisconsin — triggered by the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — could result in a 20% reduction in abortions throughout the state, according to a recent report from University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

Whatever happened to the common cold vaccine?

Popular Science

“Considering there are more than 100 types of A and B rhinoviruses,” notes Yury Bochkov, a respiratory virus specialist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, “you would have to put all 100 types in one vial of vaccine in order to enable protection” against just A and B rhinoviruses. Add in all the C rhinovirus types (more than 50), then cram in RSV’s virus types (more than 40), and that same vaccine would have to be packed with more than 200 strains. Even then, it would only offer protection against about two-thirds of all common colds. “That was considered the major obstacle in development of those vaccines,” Bochkov says.

Save Countless Human Lives. Vaccinate Birds.

Rolling Stone

The trick is to develop a bird vaccine that works for a long time even as the virus mutates. Adel Talaat, a professor of pathobiological sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is developing a so-called “nanovaccine” that blends tiny particles of several different bird flu strains.

Liberals rage after New York Times reports on Biden’s ‘verbal fumbles’: ‘Trying to destroy us’

Fox News

University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Mark Copelovitch blasted Haberman and Baker for the piece. He tweeted, “1. ‘Excuse me,’ he said, ‘the war in Ukraine.’ 2. Beau very well may have died of brain cancer due to Iraq burn pit exposure. 3. ‘More pronounced’…were you not alive in the 1980s/90s/00s to hear Biden?”He continued, saying, “4. Most of them haven’t been gaffes” and added, “5. Grow up.”

‘It’s impacting everyone’: Voters, clerks adjust to new election rules after litigation surge

Wisconsin State Journal

In state courts across the country, there were 143 election-related lawsuits in 2018, 203 in 2020 and 272 in 2022, according to the preliminary findings of UW-Madison law professor and State Democracy Research Initiative co-director Miriam Seifter along with staff attorney Adam Sopko.

“An election litigation deluge may undermine voter confidence in the electoral system,” Seifter and Sopko wrote in media outlet The Conversation. “Litigation over every detail of the election process lays the groundwork for false narratives or subsequent challenges to the validity of an election.”

Letter | UW privatization of vaccine effort a bad idea

The Capital Times

It is ironic that a biomedical powerhouse such as UW is doing this. Contracts often provide overly targeted responses that are too little, too late, and miss many people, allowing the virus to mutate and spread. Let’s not repeat the mistake of responding to the pandemic with the bare minimum, or even less. This contract is a missed opportunity to keep capacity in-house at UW, and to innovate, helping the rest of the state: the Wisconsin Idea.

Letter | What happened to sifting and winnowing?

The Capital Times

Dear Editor: The article “UW-Madison event featuring conservative speaker Matt Walsh leads to graffiti, protest,” Oct. 24) makes me wonder what has happened to the proud tradition of “fearless sifting and winnowing” at the university.

Cathy Ann Rasmussen, PhD

Wisconsin State Journal

Cathy dedicated her career to advancing groundbreaking technologies from laboratory to patient, first as a pivotal member of the pioneering team at Stratatech in Madison, WI, and later as Executive Director of the Forward Bio Institute at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She was a leader in regenerative medicine and a mentor to many throughout her life.

Wisconsin hospitals made $4 billion last year, face financial test this year, report says

Wisconsin State Journal

UW Health, which is building a $438 million, six-story clinic on Madison’s Far East Side, benefitted from the positive financial picture last year.

UW Hospital had the highest net income of the state’s 152 reporting hospitals, with $429.1 million, for an operating margin of 9.1%, according to WHA. The hospital also had the highest net income in fiscal 2020, with $201.5 million, for an operating margin of 5.1%.

UW-Madison offers students free meals, free housing or $5,000 to move out of dorms

Wisconsin State Journal

Returning students who wanted to stay in the dorms were offered an alternative — a free 10-meals-a-week dining plan or a $5,000 housing stipend to live off campus, University Housing Director Jeff Novak said. Alternatively, they could live for free in the university’s Eagle Heights apartments, located on the Far West Side near Picnic Point, about 2.4 miles from Bascom Hall.

Campuses are increasingly unsafe for Jews (opinion)

Inside Higher Ed

In August, nine student groups at the University of California, Berkeley, voted to refuse invitations to speakers who support Israel or Zionism, effectively banning the vast majority of Jews. In September, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, someone chalked on campus grounds: “zionism is racism” and “zionism is genocide” and that campus “Zionist” organizations have “blood on their hands,” explicitly naming Chabad and J Street. The Students for Justice in Palestine chapter on campus released a statement maintaining this was perfectly acceptable discourse.

Fox Host Larry Kudlow Keeps Shamelessly Promoting His Own MAGA ‘White House in Waiting’

The Daily Beast

However, Kathleen Culver, director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that while “this would clearly be a conflict of interest for a business or financial reporter, I doubt Kudlow’s audience views him as that and I don’t recall his laying claim to being a journalist.” She added that Kudlow is clearly a “commentator and is being transparent with his audience about an entanglement that could be seen as a conflict.”

UW-Madison releases statement after Adolf Hitler costume seen on State Street

WKOW-TV 27

“UW-Madison is aware of an incident Saturday related to City of Madison Halloween celebrations,” university spokesperson John Lucas said. “UW-Madison stands against antisemitism and all forms of bigotry and discrimination. The incident took place off-campus. While we are still in the process of learning more, to the best of our knowledge, the individual involved is not affiliated with UW-Madison.”

UW-Madison economics graduate students speak out against sexual misconduct

Capital Times

“Unfortunately, we have also become aware of accusations made against members of our own faculty,” the UW-Madison graduate students wrote in a statement issued Friday evening. UW-Madison did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The letter, signed by 167 UW-Madison graduate students in economics, says those allegations could discourage potential students from networking with top economists.

Sami Schalk connects Black health and activism in new book

Capital Times

Her new book, “Black Disability Politics,” takes inspiration from organizations like Black.Seed, which are led by Black disabled people, Black women and Black queer and transgender people. In her book, she hopes to reclaim a legacy of disability justice work in Black liberation movements, which has historically been overlooked or dismissed.

What happens if a ballot is damaged or improperly marked?

The Washington Post

In many cases, it’s done by bipartisan teams of poll workers, said Barry Burden, a political science professor and director of the Elections Research Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison. That’s not the case everywhere, though it’s common that it’s performed by at least two people — even two staff members — said Jennifer Morrell, a partner at The Elections Group, which works with election officials to improve processes.

Students rip ‘woke’ colleges for Halloween ‘offensive’ costume warnings: ‘Don’t think that’s their place’

Fox News

Schools such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ohio University, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Michigan are all encouraging students to choose a Halloween costume that does not appropriate another culture.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a webpage dedicated to “Halloween cultural awareness” which states that students should avoid “racist, crude, or culturally insensitive” costumes.

5 Nontoxic Houseplants That Are Safe For Any Space

House Digest

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are among the most popular houseplants, and they are nontoxic to children, dogs, and cats. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, these plants can tolerate some neglect and grow well in almost any home environment. Perfect for beginners, spider plants make beautiful hanging greenery and are available at nearly any garden center. Not only are they pretty and easy to grow, but these plants are also efficient at improving the air quality in your home by removing air-borne toxins like formaldehyde and carbon monoxide

This Halloween, choose your costume wisely

Wisconsin State Journal

Artist Dakota Mace is leading the development of a curriculum dedicated to cultural appropriation within the Center for Design and Material Culture at UW-Madison. The curriculum examines what cultural appropriation may look like through design as participants explore larger themes of privilege and intent versus impact. Mace, who is Navajo, hopes this work encourages others to consider the stakes of cultural appropriation.

13 Foods And Drinks You Have To Try In Houston

Tasting Table

It’s hard to believe that hard cider almost disappeared in the U.S. In a time we like to call the “golden era of hard cider,” 18th-century American colonists were known to offer a glass of the stuff to house guests (via New England Historical Society). Sadly, Prohibition led to the chopping down cider-specific apple trees, devastating the industry for decades, according to the University of Wisconsin. The industry started to pick up again in the 1980s. Thanks to a massive resurgence in all things craft alcohol, the industry’s market value will nearly quadruple by 2027 (via Market Data Forecast).

Arthur Olson Obituary (1923 – 2022)

madison.com

Arthur worked for the University of Wisconsin in Madison about 30 years, and most of that time was spent as a lab technician at the Biochemistry Pilot Plant helping students set up their growth of different microbiology (ex. yeasts and algae) in large growth chambers.