Joel Patenaude

1 week ago | captimes.com | Joel Patenaude

The Henry Vilas Zoo stuck out its neck 18 months ago when it announced that construction of a $21 million giraffe exhibit would begin in the spring of 2025. Zoo officials now say the project won’t likely go out to bid until this summer, delaying the start of construction to next year potentially. The project’s revised timeline could also delay the return of Eddie, a nearly 16-year-old male giraffe transferred in 2023 to a Green Bay-area zoo to live with two other giraffes.

4 weeks ago | wpr.org | Joel Patenaude

Today's wearable fitness trackers do far more than count steps. The top models monitor heart rates, oxygen saturation, quality of sleep and even menstrual cycles. Several companies have spent decades making and improving these devices. One University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher says they are remarkably accurate as a result.

1 month ago | captimes.com | Joel Patenaude

In 1988, a motley crew of University of Wisconsin-Madison students and dropouts created the satirical newspaper The Onion — arguably, one of Madison’s greatest exports. In the decades since, monied interests tried to cash in on The Onion’s success, nearly killing the comedy in the process. But according to a new book, the joke’s on its old corporate overlords: The Onion has regained its independence and is as subversive as ever.

2 months ago | wpr.org | Joel Patenaude

Tens of millions of Americans suffer from hearing loss. Fewer than one-third of them seek treatment. Untreated hearing loss can take a toll on the mental health of those hard of hearing, according to Rachel Lee, a University of Wisconsin-Madison clinical associate professor and audiologist. "Hearing loss is associated with a lot of things, such as social isolation, which can lead to depression and anxiety.

2 months ago | wpr.org | Joel Patenaude

To keep roadways safe in snowy, winter conditions, the reliance on salt from one Wisconsin county to another. This for state officials trying to reduce overall usage of road salt and limit corrosion of infrastructure and its toxic effects on the environment and drinking water supplies. "Wisconsin is the only state that contracts out for snow removal," said Shannon Haydin, the stormwater runoff section manager in the Bureau of Watershed Management for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.