Dr. Phyllis Zee, Chief of the Sleep Medicine at Northwestern Hospital, warned the audience at Horner Park on Wednesday, August 15, that we cheat sleep at our peril. Dr. Zee’s excellent presentation was the first instance of C2ST’s collaboration with the Chicago Park District in the “Science in the Parks” series. Watch the video here.
Dr. Zee explained that three scientists recently shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work in the early 1980’s identifying the genes and protein molecules that drive our twenty-four-hour biological clocks, often referred to as our “circadian rhythm.” Every cell in our bodies has the clock mechanism, and all these clocks are coordinated by the master clock in our brains. The mechanism interacts with light and dark. It keeps us awake and productive (usually) during the day and early evening, and puts us to sleep at night to rejuvenate our systems for another day.
This is the repository for all things C2ST. You can learn with videos of our past events, read articles concerning cutting-edge research and development in Chicago and elsewhere that will change our lives (generally one new article posted each week), check out C2ST in the news, and more! Use the Filter Media options below to browse C2ST’s content and discover something new!
By C2ST Staff
Continue reading “C2ST is pleased to announce our 2021-2023 Artist In Residence”
By C2ST Staff
The Midewin (pronounced mi-DAY-win) National Tallgrass Prairie is located about 60 miles south of Chicago on Historic Route 66. Many trails are available for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Midewin offers an expansive 30-mile trail system — 8 miles for hiking and 22 miles for multi-use — Open to the public free of charge. It is a hidden gem in our backyard that must be visited as it celebrates its 25th Anniversary. C2ST recently hosted longtime Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie volunteers Greg DuBois, Ron Kapala, and Christina L. Sammet, Ph.D., for a discussion that took us on a journey to explore restored wetlands, prairies, and observe wildlife.
Learn about the history and geography of this very special place less than an hour from the city in the videos below. Be sure to check out our transcript of Q&As that didn’t make it into the videos! Continue reading “The Midewin Prairie”
By Rowan Obach, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
Jonathan Pereira is the executive director of Plant Chicago, a nonprofit helping to cultivate local circular economies. The organization connects people from all across the food chain to help reduce waste and make sure as much of our waste is being reused as possible. Jonathan obtained a BS in Geology and an MEd in Science Education. He continues to work with local businesses to try and get as many individuals involved and educated about circular economies. I was able to learn more about him and his role in the following interview. Continue reading “Going Full “Circle” with Jonathan Pereira”
By Laura Tran, C2ST Intern, Rush University
For centuries, humans have always been fascinated with flight. We dream about it. We read about it in science fiction. We either watch it in film or we observe it in popular culture. Let’s face it, we have wing envy!
According to Yale Scientific¹, it is mathematically impossible for humans to fly like birds. In the equation for flight, there are four components: 1) lift (the upwards acting force), 2) gravity (the downwards force), 3) thrust (the forward acting force), and 4) drag (the backward acting force). A bird can fly because it is lightweight and has strong wing muscles, providing them with the appropriate aerodynamic capability. Simply put, birds can overcome gravity and take flight. Continue reading “The Pursuit of Flight”
By Rowan Obach, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
As you may have seen during C2ST’s recent virtual event, Argonne National Laboratory just celebrated its 75th anniversary. The event commemorated the progress the foundation has made since its founding as a peaceful nuclear reaction research lab, to its current status as the first national laboratory in the United States. One of the agencies they have been working closely with is the U.S. Department of Energy on green energy innovations. Continue reading “Argonne Seeks to ‘GREET’ Climate Change Head On”
By Rowan Obach, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
As the US continues to offer vaccinations across the country, many people remain skeptical. But why? According to the American Psychiatric Association, many individuals want to get the vaccine but are bombarded by misinformation and complicated science articles. This is being combatted by the VACCINES Act; a federally funded national messaging campaign to improve vaccination rates. Vaccines are a complicated mechanism, but by breaking them down and explaining them, we can all help remove the fear from COVID vaccinations. Continue reading “COVID Vaccines: The How, What, & Why of Production”
