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 […]
Gasping for Air in the Colorado Rockies
by Dana Simmons Science of the Outdoors
Last year, my friends and I went hiking in the awe-inspiring mountains in Denver, Colorado. The five of us are […]
Never Mind the Ducks: Don’t Feed the Microbes!
by Gwendolyn Gallagher Science of the Outdoors
You may have noticed signs that say “Don’t feed the ducks!” when walking in local parks with ponds or lakes. […]
Living the Good Life in Uninhabitable Surroundings: How Microbes Adapt to Extreme Environments
by Ananya Sen Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
Our planet is home to a diverse array of habitats. These can range from cozy, nutrient-rich, temperature-controlled havens to deadly, […]
Does Climate Change Make Hurricanes Stronger?
by Nathan Baskin Science of the Outdoors
At 7:15 AM ET on Friday, September 14, 2018, Hurricane Florence made landfall along the coast of North Carolina as […]
Tardigrades: The Animals That Defy Nature
by Ananya Sen Science in Space , Science of the Outdoors
Picture an animal that can live anywhere: hot springs to solid ice, mountaintops to the deepest sea levels, spanning a […]
Finding Balance and Harmony in a Diverse Ecosystem
by Kate Proudfoot Science of the Outdoors
Front and center in the news today is the fact that climate change and various human activities are posing a […]
Eating Bugs: A Diet That’s Hard to Swallow
by Austin Lim Science Around the House , Science of the Outdoors
According to a common piece of folklore, you swallowed eight spiders in your sleep last year. Urban legend or not, […]
The Rhythm of Movement
by Austin Lim Science of the Outdoors , Science Within Us
“If you can walk, you can dance.” Within this traditional African proverb lies a hidden truth about our nature as […]
What Draws Us to Science?
by Kate Proudfoot Science of the Outdoors
What draws us to science? Oftentimes science gives us a glimpse of the vast workings of the natural world, showing […]
BEEing like a Magnet
by Austin Lim Science of the Outdoors
The human body is able to obtain information about our environment in unique ways. Our eyes convert photons of reflected […]
Truffles, Dogs, Pigs, and Us
by Dana Simmons Science of the Outdoors
Today, the truffle is one of the world’s most expensive and extravagant foods, reserved for foodies’ special occasions. They present […]
Why Do We Get Cold Weather When the Climate Should be Warming?
by Nathan Baskin Science of the Outdoors
While it’s widely understood that our planet’s climate is warming, there is a lot of confusion about how this influences […]
The Fate of the Flush: The Effects of Pharmaceuticals on Our Seas
by Ellis Moloney Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
Plastic pollution in our oceans, lakes, and rivers has gained vast media attention over recent months, and rightly so: approximately […]
Will Global Warming Stop the Snow?
by Laura Rico-Beck Science of the Outdoors
I bet you’ve heard it before, maybe in the news, from your uncle, or maybe from a skeptical friend. How […]
If You Go Down to the Woods Today: Conservation Genetics in a Nutshell
by Rachel van Heugten People in Science , Science of the Outdoors
Imagine a young family taking a stroll along a sun-speckled forest path. They take their time, admiring the scenery and […]
Did Life Begin in the Oceans?
by Ellis Moloney Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
The age-old question, “how did life begin?” has baffled humans for centuries. Many scholars have theorized about how life began, […]
Living Fossils Inspire Cures for Disease
by Camila Crnkovic Science Below the Surface , Science of the Outdoors
Long before humans, dinosaurs, or plants, some of the first creatures on Earth were primitive single-celled organisms that survived exclusively […]
How do Thunderstorms Form?
by Andy Mayka Science of the Outdoors
We have our next Ask a Scientist question, brought to us by Susan F., a 1st-grade teacher who wanted to […]
Do Caterpillars Have Tongues?
by Ben Marcus Science of the Outdoors , Science Within Us
Do caterpillars taste? Do they have tongues? Can you taste things without a tongue? -Annika F.
Improving the Soybean, One Gene at a Time
by Ben Marcus People in Science , Science of the Outdoors
Illinois is the United States’ top soybean-producing state. In 2014, Illinois farmers produced about 550,000 bushels of soybeans over almost […]
