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Glioblastoma: This Cancer is Not a No-Brainer
This past summer, you probably heard the word “glioblastoma” popping up quite frequently in news reports upon the decline and death of American politician John McCain. McCain was diagnosed with the...
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Behold…The ISC Blog is Now “Science Unsealed”
To Our Loyal Readers, 2018 was an exciting year for the Illinois Science Council blog. We shifted from publishing articles whenever we had time to bringing you fresh content, every Monday (and even...
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What Your 23andMe Results Mean for Your Health
Last year, the genetic testing company 23andMe announced they will start testing for mutations in the BRCA genes, the ones that predict whether a woman will develop breast cancer, with surprising...
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Using Science to Step Up Your Cocktails
In the midst of the cocktail revolution, there’s no shortage of online recipes for aspiring home mixologists to shake or stir at the end of the day. However, outside of (often long) lists of (often...
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Gasping for Air in the Colorado Rockies
Last year, my friends and I went hiking in the awe-inspiring mountains in Denver, Colorado. The five of us are all active people, but certainly not elite athletes. As we left the car and glanced out...
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Surprising Uses for Gemstones
From diamond rings to sapphire earrings to garnet necklaces, people have gotten into the habit of wearing and cherishing gemstones. Maybe it’s their rich colors, their sharp facets, or the way the...
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Three Ingredients for a Perfect Cocktail
While there is an exception to every rule, most bartenders recognize that there are really two types of cocktails: sours and bitters. These flavors temper the taste of alcohol, as most people don’t...
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Immunity: How Vaccines Keep You Healthy
“It’s just like riding a bike!” We usually say this when we’re trying out a task or a skill that we may have learned long ago, and have not used for a while, but can still execute like no time has...
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Why Chicago Set Records with Another Polar Vortex
For those of us here in Illinois, the end of January this year was mind-blowingly frigid. Wind chills dipped as low as minus 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of the upper Midwest, and in Chicago it...
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How Cameras Work: From Lens to Sensor
Everyone has a digital camera on their phone these days, but you, the aspiring photographer, might be thinking it’s time to summon the courage and upgrade to a higher-end camera. But if you browse the...
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Redrawing the Battle Plan Against Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
Emily Collins has spent her life under the shadow of recurring bacterial infections. She spent a significant part of her childhood in the hospital, she took time off from her studies at her university,...
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Let’s Talk Quantum—A Revolution in Communication
If you reach into your back pocket or bag, a small device likely hides in the depths. Perhaps you’re holding it right now, using its screen to read these words. Of course, I’m referring to the cell...
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Science Unsealed is Hosting UChicago Science Writers!
The Illinois Science Council is delighted to partner with the University of Chicago Center for Teaching to bring students’ science writing texts to Science Unsealed. In February 2019, Science Unsealed...
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I Can Steal Your Data in Less Than 10 Minutes (With a Privacy-Back Guarantee)
It’s estimated that companies and governments will spend over $124 billion dollars this year on security measures to protect your data. But with a disguise, the right piece of specialized equipment...
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The Space Dust In Your Backyard Can Change the Course of History
Every day, a fine sprinkling of dust covers your city or farm, landing across the roof of your house or onto the hood of your car. Some of it may settle in your hair, or onto the vegetables you eat in...
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The Moving Cells that Make Our Pups the Pups They Are Today
What makes dogs so doggy? You might have noticed that your dog has traits, like floppy ears, a curly tail, speckles or patches, or a cute, short nose, that make it look pretty different from the wolf...
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A DIY Guide to Building a Quantum Computer
Imagine a computer that doesn’t use electrical devices to process information but instead uses individual atoms. These computers, called quantum computers, have the potential to solve all kinds of...
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The Truth about Cannabidiol (As Far as We Know)
“CBD.” Perhaps you’ve seen these letters shining bright, in green neon, on a store window in a seedy part of the city, fronting a shop with glass vials and trinkets lining the shelves and creepy men...
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How Soon Will We All Have Hydrogen-Powered Cars?
Hydrogen-powered cars are a promising technology. They are clean, could potentially be powered by renewable energy, and plus, they just sound like the future, right? Hydrogen-powered cars, also known...
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The Strange History of Antidepressants
Ironically, despite the horrors of war, armed conflict has a way of advancing medicine. Gruesome injuries sustained on the battlefield provide opportunities for surgeons to experiment and test new...
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