A NOVA special called Big Bang Machine about the Large Hadron Collider airs at 9:00 pm Wednesday on WTTW11. Don Lincoln, one of the top scientists from the documentary, joins us to discuss the role of Fermilab -- located just outside of Chicago -- in the experiments at CERN in Switzerland.

• Rauner Sworn In as Illinois Governor

Bruce Rauner takes the oath of office as Illinois’ 42nd governor. Paris Schutz has more on what Rauner said during his inaugural address.

Should Chicago have an elected school board? The issue separates Mayor Rahm Emanuel from his challengers. And voters from 38 wards will have a chance to weigh in on Feb. 24 when they can vote on an advisory referendum. We take a closer look.

Whether it’s been 10 years or 30 years since they dropped out of high school, men and women who went on to serve time in jail or prison are finally getting their diplomas. We explain how programs like St. Leonard’s Ministries are getting help from Cook County to keep people out of jail and reduce violence.

Some may characterize the years following retirement as relaxing and blissfully uneventful. Author Chris Farrell challenges that interpretation with his book Unretirement: How Baby Boomers Are Changing the Way We Think About Work, Community and the Good Life. He joins us.

Lakland Guitars has made an impact in their 20 years in Chicago. Their instruments are played in U2 and the Rolling Stones. Chicago Tonight goes behind-the-scenes to find out what it takes to make an electric bass that can bring a bottom-heavy sound to a band's rhythm section.

We share what you had to say about the great pension debate and schools closing due to cold weather in tonight's viewer feedback.

• Springfield Special Session

Illinois lawmakers met in Springfield for a special session to decide how to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.

For the second day, Chicago Public Schools are closed because of cold weather, but not everyone agrees.

The shooting massacre at the Paris office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo has shaken the tenets of not only parody, but freedom of expression. Scott Dikkers is the founding editor of The Onion and served as editor-in-chief of the popular satirical news organization for 14 years. He joins us to discuss his experiences working in news satire, and how the deadliest attack France has seen since 1961 may affect the genre’s landscape.

Illinois still has one of the worst funded pension systems in the nation. But reform efforts seem to be at a standstill until the Illinois Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of a pension bill passed last year. The court is scheduled to hear arguments in March.