blog posts

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  Tracking a forest’s recovery one year after storm

  Aug 1, 2018 10:00 am

  In February, 2017, a tornado swept through this part of the Shawnee National Forest. There are few canopy trees left standing and invasive understory plants have taken over

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  Govindjee's photosynthesis museum

  Jul 9, 2019 8:00 am

  Plant biology professor emeritus Govindjee, who has made key contributions to the scientific understanding of photosynthesis, is also an archivist and historian of photosynthesis research.

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  Celebrating our diversity through food

  Sep 28, 2020 9:30 am

  'My background is not a gauge of my worthiness or an obstacle to communication but an amalgamation of experiences and culture that I can share with my colleagues,' writes undgrad student Yi-Ying Tung.

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  Hunting a creature that hunts me

  Aug 20, 2021 1:15 pm

  When I reach the trap...I see that it’s covered in ticks. Hooray! Quickly though, I realize that I’ve introduced my own CO2 to the scene, along with the added attractant of my body heat. Suddenly, I become the local target of choice for the ticks.

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  Exploring the remnants of an ancient forest

  Sep 2, 2021 4:15 pm

  Hundreds of researchers have made use of these two woodlands over the decades, and these and other natural areas owned by the U. of I. are vital to training students in ecological research.

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  Vivifying ikebana: Japanese flower arranging

  Oct 21, 2022 9:15 am

  Tamar learned jiyuka, or freestyle arrangement, which encourages contemporary artistic expression using simple design principles to create miniature arrangements highlighting the theme of kokoro, or heart, mind and spirit.

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  Finding an ancient Maya city in the jungles of Belize

  Aug 7, 2018 8:45 am

  'The site is impressive, with monumental buildings and a temple that rises 30 meters above our heads. ...the west side of the temple platform is a sheer 10-meter drop'

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  Taking a cicada road trip

  May 27, 2021 9:30 am

  'Every night, we quietly lurk in the dark at the edge of the lawn to listen for the rustling of dried leaves as the cicadas come out of their burrows. It’s a bit creepy, but also stunning...'

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  Building a prairie and watching for bees

  Aug 6, 2020 8:45 am

  Two years ago, Professor Alexandra Harmon-Threatt built this outdoor labby planting more than 80 prairie species here. Her mission is to attract ground-nesting bees. She is here to see which bees are showing up. But that’s not all she’s after.

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  Will Schneider: My path to Illinois

  Apr 6, 2020 2:00 pm

  'Illinois has historically played a large role in shaping our understanding of child maltreatment, and I believe that we can alter the trajectory of generations of children to come.'

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  Gathering data to save a rare turtle

  Aug 13, 2020 9:45 am

  'Our goal is to learn as much as we can about (Blanding's turtles). Knowing...how many Blanding’s turtles remain – in the context of the turtle community as a whole – will help in the development of viable conservation and recovery plans for them.'

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  Rediscovering a path to the Milky Way

  May 6, 2020 11:00 am

  We’re here because it’s wet. Archaeologist Tim Pauketat, who has studied Cahokia 25 years, wants to see it flooded. Watching how the water flows here will help unlock some of the secrets of this place, he says.

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  Nurturing a tropical paradise in the heart of the Midwest

  Mar 10, 2023 9:00 am

  The U of I Plant Biology Greenhouse and Conservatory houses more than 200 species and 60 families of tropical and subtropical plants selected for their botanical interest or economic importance.

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  Vet Med: Saving an endangered breed of donkey

  Jun 3, 2022 10:45 am

  Numbers of Baudet du Poitou donkeys have dwindled to only 300-400 worldwide. A breeding effort is underway at Illinois to expand their numbers and help save the breed from extinction. Photos by Michelle Hassel.

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  Rocks, moss and muddy tree roots

  Apr 15, 2018 12:30 pm

  Campus staff member tells of finding inspiration for her art on a trip to the Great Smokey Mountains. 'I have one goal in mind,' she writews. 'I want to see something extraordinary.'

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  Professor Esther Ngumbi: My path from the Kenyan coast to Illinois

  Mar 23, 2020 9:45 am

  'I grew up on the Kenyan coast... My parents were teachers, but their income was not enough to sustain us and send us to school. So, we also farmed. I got up early every day to work on the farm before school.'

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  Unearthing an uncommon, burrowing snake

  Oct 12, 2020 9:30 am

  Kirtland’s snakes were once widespread in Illinois, but now are listed as a threatened species. With more than 99% of Illinois’ natural prairies lost to agriculture and urban development, these snakes struggle to maintain their current populations.

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  Catching bats for conservation

  May 18, 2021 11:00 am

  'With all the intimidation and preparation leading up to this night, I had built the bats up to be something dramatic – even fearsome – in my mind, but sitting there in my hand, the bats are smaller and sweeter than I anticipated. They are fuzzy.'

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  Connecting a virus to cancer – in sea lions

  Mar 31, 2021 9:45 am

  'To say the images made us pathologists excited is an understatement. It was a eureka moment that was a long time in the making.'

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  Preserving Illinois forests, one landowner at a time

  Apr 28, 2023 10:15 am

  Illinois Extension forestry and research specialist Christopher Evans describes leading the first field day of a Beginning Forest Landowner Program to give landowners the experience, skills and connections needed to better manage their forests.

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  Spooky Spaces at U of I: The steam tunnels

  Oct 28, 2022 10:30 am

  You can't go inside them - they're dangerous and you'd be arrested - but the steam tunnels under the campus serve important functions. Plus, the old brick tunnelways produce weird noises that complete their creepy image.

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  Petroglyphs: Preserving the Past in 3D

  Mar 7, 2019 1:45 pm

  Archaeology team uses a portable 3D scanner to recreate the details of a hand petroglyph from a site overlooking the Mississippi River in Monroe County, Illinois.