How Climate Change Fuels the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases
by Elizabeth Walsh | Science of the Outdoors
With July of this year, 2023, being the hottest on Earth yet recorded, there are increasing concerns about how climate […]
Shedding Light on Lampenflora
by Roo Weed | Science of the Outdoors
Deep inside Belize’s Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave, I discovered a pallid seedling on the bank of a subterranean river. […]
How Climate Change Affects Our Forests
by Collin Schreur | Science of the Outdoors
You may remember from science class that plants take up water and carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to make glucose for […]
Aquatic Invaders Threaten the Great Lakes
by Collin Schreur | Science of the Outdoors
If you live near the Great Lakes, there is a good chance you’ve heard of the fish menace known as […]
Road Trip for Soil: Examining How Bacteria Influence Locoweed Distributions
by Matthew Scott | Science of the Outdoors
Have you ever been on a road trip and noticed a new type of tree appear outside your car window, […]
The Monarch Butterfly Population is in Decline – But You Can Help!
by Erika Hasle , Izabella Redlinski | Science of the Outdoors
There is a psychological phenomenon that makes it difficult for humans to notice slow changes. Our brains adjust to the […]
The Urban Water Cycle Needs an Energy Overhaul
by Kristen Witte | Science of the Outdoors
It starts two and half miles offshore (1,2). Five cylindrical stone structures called “cribs” gulp water from the vast expanse […]
The Push: Human Migration and Mosquito-Borne Disease
by Kristen Witte | Science of the Outdoors
By 1985, it was too late. Researchers detected a type of mosquito called Aedes albopictus, native to Southeast Asia, in […]
Soiling our Soil: Soil Erosion and Its Impacts
by Erin Hourihan | Science of the Outdoors
What do the foundation under your house, the salad you ate for lunch and the plants at your favorite park […]
Want to Protect the Environment? Keep Your Cat Indoors
by Ben Marcus | Science Around the House , Science of the Outdoors
Our environment is facing a crisis. No, I’m not talking about the runaway carbon emissions that are ruining our climate. […]
Playing Nice with Fungi: Using Crops to Build Healthy Soil
by Lucas Chamberlain | Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
Soils have a PR problem. Think about it: Does dirt excite you? Are you energized by earth? For many of […]
Who Cares About Climate Change Anyway?
by Alyssa Gilbert | Science of the Outdoors
You might be worried about the future of our planet. It may seem like there is no good news about […]
Frog Toxins + Community = New Strategy to Curb Rampant Opioid Epidemic?
by Laura Swain | Science of the Outdoors , Science Within Us
In the opening scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones makes a narrow escape through dense jungle while […]
Can Plants Learn? Here’s Some Evidence
by Ege Yalcindag | Science Around the House , Science of the Outdoors
When I was in fifth grade, I took care of a light pink flower that sat by the windowsill in […]
The Dangers of Dog Breeding
by Ben Marcus | Science of the Outdoors , Science Within Us
Which dog breed is the strongest and healthiest of them all? Is it the Border Collie, with its elegant coat […]
Blue Sky at Night, Martian’s Delight: The Atmosphere of Mars
by Mary Woods | Science in Space , Science of the Outdoors
Imagine you’re standing on the rocky, rust-pink surface of Mars. You’ve just finished a hard day’s work helping to build […]
The Art and Science of Sound in The Sea
by Lindsay Olson | People in Science , Science of the Outdoors
On a muggy day in June of 2018, after two and a half weeks at sea, the Research Vessel Endeavor’s […]
A Day in the Life of a Garbage Scientist
by Lauren Wisbrock | People in Science , Science Around the House , Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
As I stood, gazing intently down near my feet, I felt the water flow past my knees. Even with my […]
The Science of Prairie Burning
by Dana Simmons | Science of the Outdoors
Fire is one of the most destructive forces that can wreak havoc on our communities. Forest fires and house fires […]
On a Small Island in Indonesia: The Last Dragons on Earth
by Ben Marcus | Science of the Outdoors
Halfway across the Earth, nestled deep within the Indonesian archipelago, lie two small, tropical islands unlike any others on the […]
Piping Plovers: Conservation in Action
by Erica Dix | Science of the Outdoors
You may have heard that some little birds, the Piping Plovers, are making big waves at Montrose Beach this summer […]
Liquid Rocks and Where to Find Them
by Dana Simmons | Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
Summer in Illinois can feel unbearably hot, but how hot is that exactly? At 80ºF, Illinoisans can be found enjoying […]
Be a Superhero with Biomimicry
by Dana Simmons | Science of the Outdoors , The "TEM" of STEM
Have you ever wanted to build a suit that gives you superhuman capabilities? What would you do if you could […]
Why Chicago Set Records with Another Polar Vortex
by Nathan Baskin | Science of the Outdoors
For those of us here in Illinois, the end of January this year was mind-blowingly frigid. Wind chills dipped as […]