5 things you need to know about ‘VIX,’ the Volatility Index
By Shen Lu Unlike emotional volatility, volatility in the stock market can be tracked and measured. Here are five basics of the VIX that you need to know.
Women traders carve path in male-dominated industry
By Shen Lu Trading has always been a male-dominated industry, but some women have made a career out of it. When Roma Colwell-Steinke, instructor at the Chicago Board Options Exchange Options Institute, started on the CBOE trading floor in 1991, she was one of the four females among 1,000 traders in the derivatives pits. Colwell-Steinke […]
The calm before the storm: Weather chasers gear up for the next tornado
By Puja Bhattacharjee Sean Waugh is building two mobile mesonets from scratch In the Research Vehicle Equipment Bay of the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, Okla. These mobile weather stations measure temperature, pressure, humidity and wind in any conditions. But old vehicles with low floors make it difficult to chase tornados and other severe storms across dirt roads […]
AfriCaribe brings Chicagoans together with Puerto Rican music and dance
By Alissa Anderegg On the last Saturday of each month, up to 200 Chicagoans gather in West Town to celebrate their community through song and dance. These musical gatherings called “bombazos” are held at the non-profit AfriCaribe. They give locals of all ages the opportunity to come together to take part in the traditional Puerto Rican music of […]
Mexican Children’s Day parade raises awareness of children’s rights
By Jiayan Jenny Shi More than 1,000 children participated in the 18th Chicago Día de los Niños/Celebrating Young Americans Parade in Pilsen on April 29. The parade celebrated Mexican Children’s Day and called for awareness of children’s rights. In addition to recognizing children’s importance, the theme this year is “Children’s Rights are DACA Rights” in […]
Sawdust carpets cushion Nicaragua’s streets on Good Friday
By Mariah Quintanilla Boaco, Nicaragua – Nicaraguans marched across colorful sawdust carpets alongside their savior in the final carrying of the crosses Friday during the Catholic Holy Week. The bright, fluffy carpets lined the lower main street of Boaco, a municipality in central Nicaragua with the slogan, “The city of two floors.” The “bleeding” crosses, […]
Northwestern and UIUC undergrads race to finish satellite for orbit
By Lily Williams Imagine NASA in action. A rocket, pushing off a landing base and away into the skies with titanic force, smoke and fire. An image of Earth, floating serene in the dark blanket of space. Tunnels and pipes and computers. Millions of wires zipping every which way. Lights blinking, code flying and scientists monitoring […]
Adding Sound: The difference ear implants can make
by Miles Painter Six-year-old Liam Powell’s life would be very different today had he not received cochlear ear implants. The device translates sound into electrical signals to be interpreted by his brain, allowing him to hear. At the age of three, Liam was diagnosed with profound hearing loss. This short documentary explores the impact the […]
Skokie animal hospital treats only exotic pets
By Puja Bhattacharjee Chicago Exotics Animal hospital opened its doors in November 2000 in Skokie, Ill. The clinic was started by Dr. Susan Horton who saw the need for an exotics-only practice. It caters exclusively to exotic pets like chinchillas, geckos, hamsters, bearded dragons and tortoises. The clinic has three full-time doctors, as many part-time doctors and […]
Palette & Chisel serves art community for 120 years
by Jingnan Huo Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts was started in 1895 by a group of Art Institute night students who needed a place to paint during the day. Each Sunday, the students would hire a model they could draw or paint in natural daylight. In 1921, the artists bought a run-down Italian […]
