Blog Post

Why Are Tornadoes So Unpredictable?

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By Summer Seligmann, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

Last month, the all too familiar scenes of uprooted trees, flipped cars, and wrecked homes played out in the southern states. Over 10 tornadoes touched down in Texas in a single day, damaging thousands of homes before the storm headed to Louisiana and Mississippi. 

On average, 1,200 tornadoes hit the United States each year. Even though tornadoes are somewhat frequent events, meteorologists have a hard time predicting them. 

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Blog Post

GMOs without the GM!

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By Laura Tran, C2ST Intern, Rush University

Genetic engineering can be used to produce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like weather-resistant crops, modified yeast or bacteria that produce insulin¹, and even animal organs suitable for human transplantation². GMO crops offer several advantages such as improved yields, enhanced nutritional value, and resistance to drought, frost, or pesky insects. However, making genetically modified food can be time-consuming and costly. Recent technology may be the solution to circumventing these issues.


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Blog Post

The Midewin in the Midwest

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By Summer Seligmann, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

Just outside of Chicago in Wilmington, Illinois, there’s a place called Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie where you can see native wildflowers, grassland birds, and bison (yes, bison). Midewin is the largest protected grassland reserve in the greater Chicago region, and the first ever designated national tallgrass prairie in the United States.. Midewin and other preserves like these are crucial in protecting our wildlife, biodiversity, and to preserve natural spaces for generations to come. 

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Event

The Science of Star Trek: Things Are Only Impossible Until They’re Not

Star Trek is a story of exploration that has fascinated us for more than 50 years.

The myriad writers, directors, artists, and technicians responsible for pop culture mega franchises like Star Trek, Star Wars, and the Marvel Universe are arguably some of the most creative of our time. But how do these imagined tech advances and innovations hold up IRL and the ever-ready-to-pick-it-apart nerd community? And can physics and science (as we currently understand them) explain the phenomena seen in the franchise?  This is where the scientists come in! 

The Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST) will discuss the theme of human exploration and show that, although we cannot change the laws of physics, we have come a long way in understanding them and, perhaps, to applying our knowledge to changing the present and future! C2ST is joined by Trek enthusiasts Dr. Voula Saridakis of the Museum of Science and Industry and Dr. Dirk Morr of the University of Illinois at Chicago. They’ll go over just how much science there is in the science fiction of Star Trek and give us a look at some real scientific discoveries inspired by Star Trek!

Blog Post

Seeing the Stars like Never Before With The James Webb Space Telescope

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By Summer Seligmann, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

NASA recently sent the James Webb Space Telescope into space. Shaped like a giant honeycomb, the Webb Telescope is one of the most advanced space observatories ever made. It will allow astronomers to see far back into the universe’s history – all the way to the infant galaxies that formed after the Big Bang. 


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