Illinois Featured Content

100 years after the world's worst influenza pandemic, an expert on the flu virus and how it adapts discusses the severity of influenza today and how the flu shot works

The annual Carbon Budget Project report found that the global COVID-19 pandemic restrictions caused a record drop in CO2 emissions for 2020, says Illinois atmospheric sciences professor and report co-author Atul Jain.

Renowned atmospheric sciences professor Don Wuebbles writes about unnatural disasters and the link to climate change.

'Anything over 140 meters in diameter could cause major damage to cities or coasts, so any NEO with orbits that cross Earth’s orbit is classified as a potentially hazardous object.' The one we'll see this weekend is 160 meters.

Illinois wildlife biologist Tara Hohoff says the hypothesis that bats tranfered the novel coronavirus to humans has given them a bad rap, and public fears of exposure to bats are on the rise. 

Climate change is likely to intensify the negative effects of flooding, erosion and development on cultural sites across Illinois, says Illinois State Archaeological Survey research archaeologist Andrew White.  

Direct college admissions can benefit both students and institutions, promoting access for first-generation and underrepresented students and boosting enrollment, according to Professor Jennifer Delaney.

"Because future climate projections exhibit 'more extreme extremes,' drought recovery times will be critical for assessing ecosystem resilience."

'...post-pandemic, people don’t want to work at low-quality jobs anymore. With employers everywhere looking to quickly rehire, workers have some leverage and they’re using it to temporarily stay out of the labor market in certain industries.'

The annual Carbon Budget Project report found that global fossil carbon dioxide emissions in 2021 are set to rebound close to their pre-COVID-19 levels, says Illinois atmospheric sciences professor and report co-author Atul Jain.

Last month, the Midwest experienced record-breaking cold. If the climate is experiencing unprecedented warming, how can we still have such frigid cold? Atmospheric sciences professor Don Wuebbles explains

Tick-borne illnesses like ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are on the rise in Illinois, and outdoor workers like farmers are at higher risk than those who spend more time indoors. 

'What better time to be talking about the successes that are actually taking place in classrooms than right now? This is a great case of what promise we hold as educators.' 

The controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture gets a well-deserved bad rap, says U. of I. law professor and criminal law expert Kenworthey Bilz.

'As racial resentment increases, support for All Lives Matter increases and support for Black Lives Matter decreases. This relationship persisted even when we controlled for factors such as political conservatism,' says study leader Stewart Coles.

The new vaccination requirements for the federal workforce will likely be upheld by the courts, but the OSHA mandate is on shakier legal ground, says labor relations expert Michael LeRoy.

Nonprofit newsrooms are providing a significant new source for news as many newspapers face cuts and closures, says journalism professor Brant Houston, who co-founded of the Institute for Nonprofit News.

The ultrawealthy aren’t breaking the law in avoiding taxes, but public outrage over their financial legerdemain could prompt legislators to consider an annual wealth tax, says tax policy expert Richard L. Kaplan.

The issue of unaccompanied migrant children at the southern U.S. border has embroiled the previous three presidential administrations because there’s no easy solution to the problem, says law professor Lauren Aronson.

Astronomy professor Leslie Looney on what will it look like on – and off – the 'path of totality.'

'The drone-strike killing of Suleimani was unprecedented... No country has used a drone to try to kill a state political or military leader, and the U.S. has not killed a foreign military leader since World War II.'

The week leading up to Halloween (October 24 - 31) is Bat Week -- a great time to look at what's causing significant losses of migratory bats and what can be done, even by a single homeowner, to help them thrive.

With the scheduled Brexit vote cancelled for Dec. 11, Gies College of Business professor Candace Martinez says, 'Uncertainties are everywhere. This is uncharted waters, to be sure.'

Illinois political science professor Kostas Kourtikakis explains some of the forces behind 'Brexit' and why it’s so difficult to achieve.

Sara Benson, expert on copyright law, talks about a pending U.S. Supreme Court case that will determine the legality of a state copyrighting its own laws – potentially making it illegal to republish them.

Birthright citizenship was enacted as part of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and no president has the authority to eliminate or modify a constitutional amendment, says immigration law expert Michael LeRoy.

Professor Michael LeRoy, an expert on immigration and employment law, discusses the implications of President Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship

Cybercriminals are already using ChatGPT to create malware and facilitate fraud. While that is concerning, it does beg the question, just how easy would it be for anyone to create malware with ChatGPT?  

In most cases, an employer could require a COVID-19 vaccination. It might seem like a violation of an employee’s personal freedom, but “No one has a legally enforceable right to a specific job,” says Professor Michael LeRoy

African Americans descended from enslaved ancestors are working to trace their family histories and are finding a new sense of identity rooted in specific ancestral lineages and homelands, says anthropology professor LaKisha David.

Acquiring new medical knowledge and assessing health are not as objective as people think, and historical beliefs about racial differences continue to cause problems in medical practice and scientific research, said U of I history professor Rana Hogarth.

A coronavirus-abbreviated Major League Baseball season will open amid the backdrop of significant labor tension between owners and players, says U. of I. labor historian Daniel A. Gilbert.

Professor Katy Huff, formerly the assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy talks about the technical, logistical and policy challenges NASA’s effort entails.

Taking large or multiple doses of the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin can cause a toxic overdose, and humans should not take forms intended for animal use, says Illinois veterinary medicine expert Dr. Jim Lowe.

On Feb. 6, a team led by U of I pathobiology professor Ying Fang diagnosed a pet dog in Chicago with the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. This is the first dog in Illinois to test positive for the coronavirus.

Any legislative action on comprehensive immigration reform will face significant headwinds in the Senate, says Lauren R. Aronson, director of the Immigration Law Clinic at Illinois. 

No provision of the Constitution prohibits it, but the threat of impeachment should function as a check on the president's clemency powers, said law professor Jason Mazzone

Technology can be our friend in sustaining close relationships now lacking face time during COVID-19, but it depends on how we use it, says communication professor John Caughlin.

Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel, who is retiring in December, discusses his career, climate change and the recently released National Climate Assessment

Professor Julie Dowliing says not having a citizenship question will improve response rates, but more than a year of news coverage about this topic will have an impact.

How other nations deal with abortion reveals what the U.S. might face in the near future, and U of I sociologist Cynthia Buckley says the U.S. is not prepared to deal with a likely increase of unwanted and unplanned births.

'There aren't many things that the U.S. public agrees on, but this seems to be an exception. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all feel like they're being overcharged,' says consumer economics professor Maria Kalaitzandonakes.

The 2024 Paralympic Games begin in Paris on August 28. U. of I. head coach of wheelchair track and road racing  Adam Bleakney will be coaching for Team USA. All nine of the U.S. wheelchair racing athletes have a connection to Illinois.  

A citizenship question on the 2020 census could add to existing undercounts, says an Illinois professor who serves on a Census Bureau advisory committee

Julie Bobitt, director of the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences program at Illinois, talks about the state's Opioid Alternative program and the feasibility of cannabis as a pain management alternative.

Many businesses are closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and some building managers have shut off water and air conditioning to conserve resources. That could cause a problem.

Education policy experts Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope talk about how redesigning online courses could reduce costs and broaden access.

Illinois political scientist Brian Gaines discusses the impact of the pandemic during a pivotal election year.

Social media provides an international platform to share deepfaked content quickly and anonymously, so be especially wary of the content that you’re encountering on social media this political season.

News coverage of the Vietnam War did not have the effect on popular support that many believe, says a University of Illinois researcher.