Art and science in the time of Cajal: How paying homage to neuroscience’s founder helps scientists frame new research
By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports “Undoubtedly, only artists devote themselves to science.” – Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 1900 interview Art and science may seem like complete opposites to some. But for Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the father of modern neuroscience, blending the two led him to groundbreaking discoveries about the human mind. Growing up in […]
Madrid’s Cajal Institute fosters collaboration among international neuroscientists
By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports A Japanese postdoctoral fellow, two Spanish doctoral candidates, an Italian undergraduate and an American journalist walk into a neuroscience research institute in Spain. It’s 2 p.m. and the Cajal Institute’s break room is abuzz with the sounds of scientists eating packed lunches, discussing the latest episode of Game of Thrones […]
How to celebrate Madrid’s San Isidro Festival
Text and photos by Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports Madrid’s San Isidro Festival is a multisensory experience filled with music, dance, historical and religious folklore, poetry, food and drink. On May 15 and the days leading up to it, Madrileños (residents of Madrid) honor the patron saint of their city, San Isidro (Saint Isadore) with events […]
Dads who exercise may pass down cognitive benefits to their offspring
Mouse study shows offspring of active fathers are better at learning and remembering By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports Men, if you want smarter kids, it may be time to hit the gym. When it comes to baby-bearing, women often get the brunt of the responsibility, especially before a child is born. But new evidence shows […]
Scientists explore using bacteria as building blocks for alternative fuels
Researchers at Northwestern University’s Jewett Lab use E. coli and other strains to innovate new renewable compounds By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports At Northwestern University’s Jewett Lab in the Center for Synthetic Biology, researchers aim to create sustainable chemicals and materials out of existing organic compounds. Using cell-free metabolic engineering, they isolate the structural components […]
Puerto Rican superhero wrestles hurricanes and empowers her culture in comics
By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports SAN JUAN – The typical comic book thriller culminates with a superhero fighting an evil villain. In Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez’s “La Borinqueña,” the title character fights not a mere villain but, rather, a hurricane. An art director, designer, and most recently a graphic novelist, Miranda-Rodriguez created La Borinqueña, a female Afro-Boricua […]
The battleground in suburbia: Illinois’s 6th Congressional District
By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports The congressional race is tightening in Illinois’s 6th District as Democrats vie for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Incumbent Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) is fighting to keep his seat against Democratic contender Sean Casten. If elected, this would be the clean energy executive’s first time holding public office. With […]
With new storms surging, Puerto Ricans still feel lasting scars from Hurricane Maria
By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports In the aftermath of Michael, the most catastrophic hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland in 26 years, Americans are still healing from the destruction a year ago in Puerto Rico. NASA reports that warmer ocean temperatures due to global warming are a factor in adding energy to hurricanes and maintaining […]
Grassroots organization helps Chicagoans in need experience their periods with dignity
By Valerie Nikolas Medill Reports Homeless and impoverished women in Chicago can stress less about their periods, thanks to a local organization that provides them with feminine hygiene products. The Chicago Period Project brings together local volunteers and community organizations to help homeless and in-need people experience menstruation with dignity. The Chicago Period Project (CPP) […]
