Science & Nature
$50M airfield cargo expansion first phase of grander plan
The Rockford Airport Authority is not ceding Bell Bowl Prairie, an ancient prairie remnant that’s part of the airport’s nearly 3,000-acre property. In an interview with WTTW News, the authority reaffirmed its commitment to a $50 million expansion plan that would impact the five-acre prairie.
The National Weather Service is encouraging folks to get out and enjoy what could be the last day to reach the mid- to upper-60s in 2021.
Clocks turn back an hour this weekend as time reverts to standard at 2 a.m. Sunday. The switch means the sun will rise before 7 a.m. in Chicago — for a brief period, at least — but will set well before 5 p.m.
The use of chemicals to treat a grub infestation in Welles Park led some people to question whether there weren't natural alternatives. Why not let skunks take care of the problem? How about setting loose a flock of backyard chickens?
The first snow of the season has officially hit the ground in the Chicago region, with a trace amount recorded at Rockford on Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
A new report says we collectively understand women’s health far less than men’s health. That’s because just a fraction of research funds to study things like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and autoimmune disease go toward studying women -- even though they disproportionately face those diseases.
So little prairie still exists in Illinois, most residents of the state have never encountered this rare landscape. Here, then, is an introduction.
The cause of balding – in mice. The probe of a distant exoplanet. Tuskless elephants. University of Chicago paleontologist Neil Shubin returns to help us understand some of the latest science stories making headlines.
Scientists are warning of a looming climate catastrophe if countries continue to burn fossil fuels. The effort to invest in a sustainable future.
All those green tomatoes still on the vine are in for a shock as November kicks off with a string of overnight temperatures dipping below freezing, according to the National Weather Service.
COP26 is making global headlines as leaders from around the world meet to confront climate change. What exactly is this gathering and what makes it different from other summits?
Members of the coalition that sprung up to save Bell Bowl Prairie from demolition by the Rockford Airport are allowing themselves a brief victory lap to celebrate a temporary suspension of construction.
The annual Pumpkin Smash event encourages people to compost their gourds instead of trashing them. Dozens of sites across the Chicago region will be collecting jack-o’-lanterns and gourds on Nov. 6.
June beetle larvae are responsible for devastating a pair of North Side parks. The Chicago Park District is set to begin treating the infestation, but things could get worse before they get better.
The Natural Land Institute filed suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court to stop the Greater Rockford Airport Authority from tearing up the 8,000-year-old Bell Bowl Prairie as part of an airport expansion project.
In a dramatic 11th-hour turnaround, Chicago Rockford International Airport officials announced Thursday a change in plans affecting the 8,000-year-old Bell Bowl Prairie remnant. Construction slated to resume Monday has been suspended until further consultations with federal agencies are completed.