I write regarding coverage of the efforts of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to demonize research at UW-Madison, using disconcerting images of a cat given a cochlear implant. Contrary to PETA’s claim, the experiments are important and relevant. In many fields, including auditory science, research on animals provides an essential scaffold on which we build knowledge that can then be translated into clinical applications. With cochlear implants, animal research is required prior to attempting any new invasive approaches in humans.
News
Conversation Starter? PETA’s Bus Ads on University of Wisconsin Hearing Research
As predicted, PETA’s ongoing campaign against scientific research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison continues, escalating this week with a striking advertisement on 100 Metro buses. The ad calls for an end to UW research aimed at better understanding how the brain processes sound. A central question is how sound arriving at both ears is combined to allow us to determine the direction of its source with respect to our body.
Invasive fish enters streams feeding Lake Michigan, but so far, so good
Invasive species are known for disturbing their new homes. Whether it’s the zebra mussels in the Great Lakes or garlic mustard in native woodlands, their rampant multiplication crowds out native species.
Invasive species spreads to Vilas County lake in Wisconsin
The spiny water flea, a small but aggressive aquatic invasive species, has made its way into another of Wisconsin’s lakes, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers reported last week.