COVID-19’s minimal climate impact highlights need for momentous action
By Liam Bohen-Meissner Medill Reports Global carbon dioxide emission dropped 7 percent worldwide due to a decrease in human activity after COVID-19 brought much of the world to a standstill. Despite this, the climate impacts of COVID-19 turned out to be negligible, with 2020 tied with 2016 as the hottest year on record. Global temperatures […]
Scientists applaud President Biden’s White House science team and commitment to science
By Shivani Majmudar Medill Reports President Joe Biden’s White House science team faces cascading crises as it takes command amid COVID-19, escalating climate change and crippling public doubts about science. But scientists across the country are confident the new administration is up to the challenge, especially under the leadership of science adviser Eric Lander, the […]
2020 warming trend may intensify infectious diseases, scientists say
Global warming may make infectious diseases such as COVID-19 more widespread, warn health and climate experts. They say increasing temperatures are changing disease progression and interaction among people in ways that make it hard to predict and prepare for future public health crises.
A Wisconsin border town faces challenges with a pandemic-driven increase in Minnesota late-night guests and crime spike
By Sam Stroozas Medill Reports “I believe in it, I just don’t think it’s that bad,” said a man waiting for entry into a packed and mask-less restaurant on Second Street in Hudson, Wisconsin on a busy Friday night. There were no parking spots left, groups strutted out of vehicles quickly at red lights; mask-less […]
Don’t blame the bats: Human activities increase pandemic risk
By Carlyn Kranking Medill Reports Some of the largest pandemics in history, including HIV/AIDS, Ebola and COVID-19, started in animals and then passed to humans. For the last century, about two viruses per year have passed, or “spilled over,” from animals to people. These diseases are known as “zoonotic.” But just because they come from […]
The two States of 2020 high school football
By Jake Bramande Medill Reports The stark contrast between dark and bright lights at Illinois border towns on fall Friday nights is a physical example of this country’s political divide in handling the pandemic. Just eight miles apart, Kenosha, Wisconsin, played high school football this fall, while Zion, Illinois, had their season postponed to the […]
Chinese international students experience backlash in both the U.S. and China
By Amy Ouyang Medill Reports Since the start of the global pandemic, Chinese international students studying in the United States feel their identity has made them a target of aggression in both the United States and in China. In the U.S., the assumed close association between the virus and China often leads to discrimination against […]
Museum of Science & Industry’s ‘Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light’ goes virtual
By Jade Nash Medill Reports Just days after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a city-wide stay-at-home advisory, the Museum of Science and Industry’s holiday exhibit “Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light” began virtual celebrations. At a press conference on Nov. 12, the Mayor advised Chicago residents to only leave their homes for work, […]
Queer Christian cover band reclaims church space
Queer Christian cover band reclaims church space by Caroline Love Medill Reports It started as an idea on Twitter. Now, it has 1.6 million views on TikTok. HERE’S THE PITCH: An all queer Relient K/Switchfoot cover band and we tour the country and put on shows for kids who were done wrong by their youth […]
Secret signals in sewage detect coronavirus outbreaks earlier
By Marisa Sloan Medill Reports Infectious disease expert Rita Colwell began her career studying fruit fly genetics. Over the next several decades, she added marine and medical microbiology to her repertoire, assisted NASA scientists with oceanographic work and became the first woman to direct the National Science Foundation. Now, like many researchers, she is tackling […]