When disease-causing microbes find their way in Wisconsin’s water supply, Sharon Long uses the tools of microbiology to spot them-and find their source.

No way around it: Dairy farming means putting up with a lot of crap. But what if dairy’s biggest headache became its most reliable asset? It’s happening on one Wisconsin farm.

Extremeophilic microbes have learned how to deal with
near-boiling temperatures and other brutal conditions. To microbiologists, that makes
them fascinating—and useful.

Do probiotics really work? A former skeptic weighs in.

Living closer to nature is the new American Dream, but are we loving nature to death? One CALS lab is showing just how far we’ve pushed the boundaries between us and the wilderness—and what it may cost us.

Overuse of corn has clouded the image of America’s biggest crop. Can genetics help reshape corn’s future?

CALS research hopes to make a difference in world poverty.

Professor Dietram Scheufele says scientists often aren’t connecting with the public about the value of their work. And that’s not good news.

When 16-year-old Susannah Gilbert got the chance to read her DNA, it changed nothing about her life. And everything.

Turf experts are aiming to make golf courses more environmentally friendly. But first golfers may need to change their course.

Scientists are probing the complex relationship between our DNA and our diets to unravel the root causes of obesity. But for those seeking a simple solution to the worldwide fat epidemic, their answers may be hard to swallow.

Meet the diatom: a tiny ocean plant with a knack for drawing. Scientists have big ideas for these little algae–but first they have to figure them out.