Amur leopards are critically endangered, with fewer than 100 estimated remaining in the wild.

What does the Chicago Park District owe its community of volunteer natural area stewards? Some say a little respect, and maybe a heads up if the district is going to mow down acres of native plants.

Just as piping plover season was beginning to wind down, volunteer monitors in Waukegan have been called back into action, with four captive-reared chicks released on a Lake County beach earlier this week.

The plan says to combat “radical climate dogma,” a number of restrictions — including clean air and water laws — could be lifted, aligning with Trump’s “American energy dominance” agenda and his efforts to undercut clean energy.

A Chicago City Council subject matter hearing reignited calls for an ordinance mandating bird-friendly building design requirements. “We know how to solve this, and for some reason we just haven’t,” said one speaker.

“My kids grew up smelling dead animals and rotting fish,” said Ljiljana Radocaj, a mother and resident of the 10th Ward. “It’s the most horrific smell — you can’t even describe it. You can just run from it.”

Aster was one of four chicks hatched barely a month ago by Blaze and Pepper. It was the pair's second season breeding on a Waukegan beach.

Temperatures are expected to soar between 92 and 97 degrees. High humidity will make it feel more like 105 to 115 degrees, the weather service said.

A group of 287 scientists and current and former NASA employees has issued a declaration lambasting budget cuts, grant cancellations and a “culture of organizational silence” that they say could pose a risk to astronauts’ safety.

A collision observed between two black holes, each more massive than a hundred suns, is the largest merger of its kind ever recorded, according to new research. Gravitational waves were predicted by Albert Einstein in 1915 as part of his theory of relativity, but he thought they were too weak to ever be discovered by human technology.

Thirty years ago, a heat wave settled over northeast Illinois. By the time the heat relented, 739 people had died and the city was using refrigerated trucks as makeshift morgues.

Drought and intermittent cold spells likely played a role in the rough start, according to experts.

President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans earlier this month curtailed federal tax incentives for the solar energy industry and for individuals and companies that purchase solar panels.

“This year, the names represent iconic Chicago landmarks woven into the city’s fabric and known to all visitors of our beloved city and community,” Chicago Piping Plovers said.

Researchers studied specimens of small mammals in the Field Museum’s collection to explore the ways animals are adapting to urbanization.

The National Weather Service is warning of an ongoing threat for flash flooding in the Chicago region through Saturday.