Illinois Featured Content

Professor Kate Clancy. Photo by L.B. Stauffer

U of I professor investigates abnormal menstrual periods after COVID vaccine

Apr 20, 2021 10:30 am

Chicago Tribune (April 20) Kate Clancy experienced abnormal menstruation following her inoculation and wanted to document experiences of others. They expected 500 respondents; so far, more than 25,000 people have responded.

illustration features dictionary definition of the word 'blacklist'. Getty Images

Everyday words and phrases that have racist connotations

Jul 7, 2020 11:00 am

CNN (July 6) Illinois professor of linguistics, anthropology Krystal Smalls says the word 'uppity' suggests a Black person is 'too big for their britches or demonstrates a sense of dignity or autonomy they are not supposed to possess.'

The 'Great Refusal': Illinois residents quitting their jobs in record numbers

Nov 8, 2021 12:00 pm

State Journal-Register (Nov. 8) U of I's Robert Bruno says the trend in part is a response to how workers were treated early in the pandemic. 'You throw in the vulnerability that exists with the delta variant, and you’re getting...a kind of mass collective action.'

COVID-19 vaccines tested in clinical trials, despite bogus social media claims

Jan 19, 2023 10:15 am

FactCheck.org (Jan. 18) 'Sasha Latypova’s argument is a classic example of a causal fallacy,' says U of I law professor Jacob S. Sherkow. 'It’s bogus as a matter of law, as a matter [of] logic, and a matter of fact.'

The neuron-based computer. Photo by Andrew Dou, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

80,000 mouse brain cells used to build a living computer

Mar 17, 2023 11:00 am

New Scientist (March 16) A computer built by U of I researchers uses tens of thousands of living brain cells and can recognize simple patterns of light, electricity. The work could eventually be incorporated into robots that also use living tissues.

A brief history of Project Gutenberg

Mar 15, 2023 12:00 pm

500 years after Gutenberg began using his printing press to publish books for the masses, U of I student Michael S. Hart uploaded the text of the Declaration of Independence to the nascent internet, signaling the beginning of the e-book age.

'Sassy' the sasquatch statue at Herod, Illinois

Illinois man claims to have seen the mythical creature Bigfoot northwest of Springfield

Dec 21, 2021 11:30 am

Chicago Tribune (Dec. 20) 'I believe this guy saw something' says anthropologist Paul Garber. 'I just think the visual evidence alone is what we have. The other kind of physical evidence that would be consistent with ape behavior is what (is missing).'

What’s the recovery rate for COVID-19 in Illinois? It’s complicated

May 28, 2020 11:15 am

Chicago Tribune (May 27) Six weeks ago, the people being tested were very sick people due to the low availability of testing, says U. of I. professor Nigel Goldenfeld. With more testing, the calculated recovery rate should increase.

Kamala Harris (right) with her younger sister, Maya. Photo courtesy of the Harris family

Kamala Harris has little-known childhood connection to Illinois

Aug 1, 2024 8:45 am

Chicago Tribune (July 30) When Kamala Harris was a toddler, her family moved to Champaign, where they lived for a year in the late 1960s. Her parents, fresh out of their Ph.D. programs, had both secured jobs at the U. of I.

stock image of salt on a black background. Andrei Berezovskii / Getty

MSG is finally getting its revenge. It could be the secret to eating less salt

May 11, 2023 10:45 am

The Atlantic (May 11) – MSG may amplify saltiness by increasing salivation, letting sodium molecules wash over the tongue more freely, says Aubrey Dunteman, a graduate student in food scientist at the U. of I.

Illinois' early supercomputer that inspired HAL from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’

Apr 27, 2015 2:00 pm

Fusion (April 25) - Conceived at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the 50s and 60s, the room-sized behemoth was the most powerful number-crunching machine of its time.

People report unexpected side effects after COVID vaccination. It's normal

Apr 23, 2021 11:45 am

Time (April 22) Scientists have not confirmed the vaccines can cause menstrual changes, but stories collected by Professor Kathryn Clancy show that vaccination side effects can be more varied than what’s often discussed.

2020 graduate Annie Czerwinski poses on UIUC’s campus in lieu of an in-person graduation ceremony. This year, as colleges invite 2020 graduates back for in-person commencements, last years graduating students like Czerwinski will be returning for these ceremonies. Photo provided by Ms. Czerwinksi

Illinois universities plan in-person commencements — and 2020 grads are invited, too

Apr 27, 2021 1:30 pm

Chicago Sun-Times (April 27) Annie Czerwinski will travel to Urbana from her home in Homer Glen 'with my parents and sisters and my boyfriend, and they will watch me walk across the stage. Even if it is just for 15 minutes, I am really excited.'

Foellinger Auditorium anchors the south end of the Main Quad at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

New ranking reveals Illinois' top public universities

Jun 14, 2023 2:00 pm

WMAQ-TV (June 13) In the rankings by Niche, the only school that received an A-plus in Illinois, and was ranked the state’s top public university, was the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Fruits of the Osage orange tree. PHOTOGRAPHS BYANNE FARRAR for National Geographic

The odd history of the Osage orange tree

Nov 24, 2021 10:15 am

National Geographic (Nov. 23) Jonathan Baldwin Turner promoted both land grant universitites - and Osage orange trees. He was convinced that 'God designed Osage orange especially for the purpose of fencing the prairies.'

Oscar winner Tom Hanks: I'm a 'man whose brother is a tenured professor in entomology at Illinois.'

May 1, 2017 12:15 pm

"I said, 'Well, I'm Tom Hanks.' And they said, 'Yeah, and your brother is Dr. Larry Hanks.' So I was like the famous guy's brother...And it rattled me."

Cahokia Mounds aerial photo via cahokiamounds.org

Why was the ancient city of Cahokia abandoned? New clues rule out one theory.

Apr 13, 2021 11:00 am

U. of I. archaeologist Caitlin Rankin has likely ruled out the hypothesis that flooding caused by timber overharvesting made the ancient city of Cahokia increasingly uninhabitable.

Home for sale in Naperville, IL. Photo by Rich Hein/Sun-Times

Stuck on ‘pause,’ housing market braces for virus’s impact

Apr 24, 2020 2:00 pm

Chicago Sun-Times (April 23) 'It depends on how long the lockdown lasts and the effect it will have on people.' When, asks Illinois' Geoffrey Hewings, '...are people going to feel comfortable going out looking at homes?'

Cochineal bugs are covered in white wax while infesting cacti, but a hard pinch will reveal the carminic acid that’s abundant in their bodies. CREDIT: PASCOPIX / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

A red dye laboriously made from bugs moves to the lab

Mar 29, 2022 10:00 am

Knowable Magazine (March 29) 'In addition to making the carminic acid, we will be able to make a bit of change as well. We could do better colors and maybe better biological activity,' says U of I microbial engineer Yong-Su Jin.

Take a look inside a tornado created by supercomputer

Mar 16, 2017 10:15 am

Gizmodo (March 14) - A team from University of Wisconsin-Madison used Illinois supercomputer Blue Waters to visualize the inner workings of tornadoes and the supercells that produce them.

Pinto Bean the squirrel, in preserved form. Photo credit Joseph Lee Spencer

The return of Pinto Bean, the piebald squirrel

Mar 29, 2023 12:30 pm

WBBM-AM (March 28) Named Pinto Bean by students, the squirrel was piebald - it had distinctive patches of gray and white fur. The squirrel was stuffed, mounted on a tree branch and is now on display in the Forbes Natural History Building.

President-elect Joe Biden departs a news conference after introducing his nominees and appointees to economic policy posts Dec. 1 in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo by Andrew Harnik)

Biden has promised an education secretary with public teaching experience

Dec 4, 2020 2:15 pm

Education Week (Dec. 3) – Potential picks include Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones, known for efforts to increase enrollment of low-income students; and Illinois alum Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Pols review congressional maps. Photo by SAGA Communications

2022 will be a year of change in Illinois politics

Jul 13, 2021 3:00 pm

WTAX-FM (July 12) Delaying Illinois' primary to June 28 will allow for Census-delayed congressional map. Professor Brian Gaines says the new date won't really benefit any candidate. But the map, drawn by Democrats, are a different story.

Hugh Hefner. Photo by Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times

Illinois alumnus Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine, died Wednesday

Sep 28, 2017 10:45 am

Chicago Tribune (Sept. 28) At Illinois, Hefner doubled up on classes and graduated in two and a half years with a bachelor of science degree in psychology

Illinois professor Sheldon Jacobson. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

Second wave of coronavirus infections could hit campuses hard

Apr 21, 2020 9:15 am

Wisconsin State Journal (April 18) The first wave of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has most severely impacted large, densely populated cities. Midwestern university towns are poised to be epicenters for the second wave.

Chemistry professor Marty Burke in a lab

U of I launches rigorous saliva-based testing strategy

Aug 19, 2020 10:45 pm

CNN (Aug 19) Co-creator Professor Marty Burke interviewed on innovation that will allow the U of I to test 50,000 students and staff twice weekly - and how it may be made available much more widely.

image of a Wayfair.com warehouse by John Taggart for The New York Times.

‘Fast furniture’ is cheap. And Americans are throwing it in the trash

Oct 31, 2022 11:00 am

New York Times (Oct. 31) Many Ikea beds and Wayfair desks are designed to last about five years, says U of I professor Deana McDonagh. 'I relate to fast furniture like I do to fast food. It’s empty of culture, and it’s not carrying any history with it.'

hand in latex glove hold Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

New COVID-19 guidance calls for all Illinois college students to be vaccinated

Jul 21, 2021 3:15 pm

Chicago Tribune (July 20) U. of I. spokesperson Robin Kaler says masks were required during summer school, but will be optional in the fall for those vaccinated. 'Science is showing us that vaccines are the best way to protect our students.'

1970s-era McDonald's ad featuring African American dad and son

Black-owned ad agency reflects on popular 70s TV commercials

Mar 1, 2021 11:15 am

WLS-TV (Feb. 28) 'In the 1970s if you saw African Americans in a TV advertisement – which is still a relative rarity, but especially for a company like Coca-Cola or McDonald’s – it was done by Burrell advertising agency,' says advertising professor Jason Chambers.

uncredited image of dollar and dice via Illinois Times

A proposed change to Illinois' income tax is mired in conflicting rhetoric

Oct 15, 2020 12:15 pm

Illinois Times (Oct. 15) Opponents say the tax change would lead to higher income taxes across income levels. U of I's David Merriman says that's probably not so. 'Changes to personal income tax rates just aren’t that common.'

technologist monitors COVID testing equipment at the UIC Hospital. Photo by Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune

U of I plans to end COVID testing requirements for vaccinated students

Apr 30, 2021 10:15 am

Chicago Tribune (April 29) Those who share proof of vaccination will be exempt from the testing requirement to gain access to campus buildings. 'We are simply following science and CDC guidance,' says spokeswoman Robin Kaler.

Rob Garite, a convicted murderer now out of prison, seeks a better life via a college education

Jan 26, 2016 1:45 pm

Chicago Tribune (Jan. 22) - If he succeeds, it will be due in large part to Rebecca Ginsburg, a U. of I. professor of education policy and co-founder and director of the Education Justice Project

The Old Farmer’s Almanac and Farmer’s Almanac have different predictions for this winter

Aug 19, 2016 2:45 pm

CBS Chicago (Aug. 18) Meteorologists say the Farmer’s Almanac is less than 50 percent accurate. Illinois Professor John Walsh says the Old Farmer’s Almanac’s is roughly 52 percent accurate.

Invasive ‘jumping worms’ find their way to Illinois, wreaking havoc on soil

Aug 15, 2019 11:45 am

WGN-TV (Aug. 14) There are so many in the Chicago area that scientists are calling it an invasion. “They’re exotic. Not natural. Invasive species and widespread in that region of Illinois,” says Illinois' Chris Evans.

visitors view 'Open Casket' at the Whitney Museum. Photo by Benjamin Norman for the New York Times

What would Emmett Till's mother say? The painting of Till’s mutilated remains at the Whitney Biennial

Mar 29, 2017 9:15 am

New York Times (March 28) Illinois journalism professor Christopher Benson speculates on the 'missing voice' of Mamie Till-Mobley on the controverial painting, 'Open Casket' by Dana Schutz

Illio (student yearbook) photo of student getting menengitis vaccine

Remembering U of I's meningitis deaths: Another time when mass vaccinations were needed

Dec 21, 2020 1:30 pm

WLS-TV (Dec. 18) In 1991, the death of a student from bacterial meningitis scared the campus community. A second Illini student died within days. Officials faced a tough decision - whether to quarantine the campus, send students home or vaccinate.

Five Illinois state universities have castle-like buildings inspired by former Gov. John Altgeld

Aug 17, 2015 10:45 am

The Pantagraph (Aug. 16) - The building named for Altgeld on the Illinois campus has taken many names and purposes since its completion in 1897.

Turning Point founder: How conservatives can win the battle on campus and why it matters

Oct 11, 2018 12:30 pm

Chronicle of Higher Education (Oct. 10) Charlie Kirk's book begins with his appearance at Illinois, with protesters chanting 'Charlie Kirk is a jerk!'

Biggest donation in U of I history: Alumni give $150 million to its business school

Oct 26, 2017 2:15 pm

Crain's Chicago Business (Oct. 26) Madison Industries founder, CEO Larry Gies and his wife, Beth Gies, both graduated from Illinois.

Claudio Hetz has been cleared of scientific fraud but will implement measures to improve the quality of his group’s research.Credit: CONICYT

Despite 'poor precedent,' top neuroscientist found not guilty of scientific fraud

Oct 14, 2021 11:00 am

Nature (Oct. 13) University of Chile neuroscientist Claudio Hetz's behavior resulted in untrustworthy work, even after an intervention. U of I scientific ethics expert C.K. Gunsalus says the case reflects 'a reckless disregard for scientific integrity.'

Students mingle on the Quad of the University of Illinois college campus in Urbana-Champaign in 2011. Leigh Trail | Shutterstock.com

Illinois college campuses make plans for in-class learning this fall

Mar 30, 2021 10:15 am

The Center Square (March 29) U. of I. has announced plans to restore in-person learning for the majority of classes. And a paper co-written by U. of I. business faculty shows that rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 is a key to reopening campuses.

The Amazon distribution center’s toppled south wall on Dec. 11, a day after a tornado struck the facility. Six people died, all on the south side of the building. (Drone Base/Reuters)

Collapse of central Illinois Amazon facility points to need for building code reviews

Dec 16, 2021 12:00 pm

Washington Post (Dec. 16) Warehouses’ giant open walls don’t rely on vertical perimeter supports to resist wind load, says U of I's Frank Lombardo. 'The connection between the roof and walls can fail, and at that point, essentially nothing is holding up the wall.'

Gymnast Brandon Ngai may be the youngest person to hold an MBA from an elite college

Apr 19, 2019 11:30 am

A gymnast and native of Sacramento, California, Brandon Ngai is finishing his first year at the Gies College of Business at Illinois. If all goes well, Ngai will have an MBA, a bachelor’s in engineering and three NCAA championships under his belt in 2020, making him the youngest person to hold an MBA from an elite college. He is the youngest athlete ever to win an NCAA championship, in the pommel horse – and his coach says he is good enough to go on to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

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