A west suburban forest preserve is dispatching an army of freshwater mussels to clean up contaminated waters. “They may be small, but they have enormous beneficial effects on the lives of other organisms,” said one staff member.

An update to our March story about bald eagles returning to Cook County.

For migrating birds, Chicago can be a dangerous place. But scientists, architects and volunteers are now teaming up to make the city a leader in bird-friendly design. The story is told in WTTW's online series “Urban Nature.”

Cook County Department of Public Health officials are reminding residents that bats become active this time of year, which means the possibility of exposure to rabies is increasing.

With nearly $300 million in federal funding on the chopping block, leaders from across the Great Lakes region will convene next month in Chicago to address lead poisoning, oil pipelines and other threats to the area’s waters.

New technology lets police investigate whether drivers were using their cell phones moments before an accident. Could it curb texting while driving?

A study co-authored by Northwestern University climate expert Daniel Horton outlines a framework for measuring the impact of global warming on extreme weather events. 

According to organizers, an estimated 60,000 people attended the March for Science Chicago, making it the largest of those that took place Saturday in 400-plus cities worldwide. But some area institutions did not officially support the event.

Disaster scenarios near and far are daily considerations for a group of local scientists and engineers. We meet two members of the Global Security Sciences division at Argonne, nicknamed the Doomsday Squad.

The rally, march and expo is projected to be among the largest of those taking place Saturday in 400-plus cities worldwide.

Shedd Aquarium’s dolphin calf Kukdlaa celebrated his first birthday with positive results from a physical checkup. And with cake, of course.

A spill last week at a U.S. Steel site in Northwest Indiana released an unknown amount of a potentially carcinogenic chemical into a Lake Michigan tributary, prompting the closure of three beaches at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Just in time for Easter, a reindeer named Bunny gives birth to a male fawn – the first reindeer born at Brookfield Zoo since 1980. 

A Field Museum researcher is among a global group of scientists who have discovered an early dinosaur that reshapes our understanding of dinosaurs’ evolution. 

With an eye toward Earth Day, Shedd Aquarium has launched a campaign encouraging people to switch from single-use plastic straws to reusable or biodegradable alternatives.

As artwork by a Chicago artist orbits the Earth aboard the International Space Station, a medley of professionals will explore how technology and artificial intelligence have shaped their industries.