Continuing our science and technology encore week, we spoke with Illinois scientists and doctors about their research on working to prevent life-threatening food allergies. Also, a new generation of evangelical Christians is hoping to move the needle on climate change action within their congregations, including at Wheaton College. Plus, we spoke with researchers about gravitational waves detections that helped shed light on entire populations of black holes.

We're continuing this week with some of our favorite past segments related to science and technology. Nature versus nurture is one of the oldest debates there is. But the answer might actually be neither. That’s because researchers at Northwestern have found experiencing poverty actually has an effect on your DNA. Plus, figuring out what’s true or false online can be tricky for everyone, but it turns out, older Americans are especially vulnerable to misinformation on social media. Also, in a world of never ending buzzing and alerts, research suggests that in order to get the full benefits of nature, you have to leave your devices at home.

All this week, we're revisiting some of our favorite science and technology conversations. Scientists at Argonne National Labs created a sponge that’s being used to clean up oil spills off on the Pacific coast. Plus, there are millions of rural households still don’t have high-speed internet, which can make life harder for those in the farming business. And, for tens of thousands of Americans, living with sickle-cell disease can be excruciatingly painful and even deadly. But gene therapy advancements have given a handful of patients hope for a symptom-free life — and even a cure. Also, companies have brought virtual translators directly to patients getting medical treatment whose first language isn't English.

The Ellnora Guitar Festival brings in artists from around the world and also from right here in central Illinois. On Friday morning, we recorded a special edition of The 21st at the University of Illinois' Krannert Center For The Performing Arts, hosted by musician, journalist and former 21st producer Sean Neumann.

A group of middle schoolers in Kewanee have made a claymation film for their art class. It follows 10-year-old asylum seeker Estrella on her way from El Salvador to the U.S. Plus, beginning this school year, Illinois students will be required to participate in active shooter drills. But some parents worry the drills may do more harm than good. And, last month, Weight Watchers released a weight loss app targeted at kids as young as eight years old. It caused a public outcry. We’ll discuss how we should talk about health and food with kids. 

Public health agencies in Illinois are starting to incorporate climate change into what they do. Plus, what happens when police confiscate your property, even if you weren't ever charged with a crime. We'll also learn why Rep. John Shimkus is retiring after more than 20 years in Congress, and talk about whether location-sharing apps like Find My Friends can be creepy, useful, or both.

An investigation by ProPublica and NPR Illinois recently found that the University of Illinois may have helped preserve the reputations of sexual harassers. We spoke about how the U of I handles sexual misconduct allegations, and how some people want the process to change. Plus, some descendants of Black civil rights leaders in Chicago want the public to know more about their family members while also protecting them at the same time. And, a road in southern Illinois more than two miles long closes until the end of October every year to make way for migrating snakes. Also, we learned about Illinois’ newest invasive species, the jumping worm.

On this special Labor Day encore episode, we talked about one of the largest earthquakes recorded in the US that happened in the Midwest in 1811. So how likely are earthquakes in the Midwest today? Plus, conspiracy theories have been part of our politics for a long time. These days, belief in those theories are part of why our country is so divided. We learned how that happened. Also, what’s the difference between feeling stressed and experiencing burnout? And, how can understanding that difference help challenge stigma around mental health? 

We're sharing a special rebroadcast of our hourlong show from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. First, we talked with the museum's executive director about how they're celebrating Illinois' Bicentennial. Also, we learned more about the official bicentennial beer from Hand of Fate Brewing Company and heard music from the "Dulcimer Guy," Mike Anderson. Plus, we talk with the some of the participants in the museum's art contest. 

We revisit our conversation with historian Marsha Barrett and Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Kogan on last year's 50th anniversary of the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Plus, more than seventy years ago this month, British India was divided into separate states - now known as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. This came to be known as Partition. We revisit our conversation with Rohini Ramkrishnan, Digital Archive Manager with the 1947 Partition Archive. And,  the story of a remarkable African-American man who, starting in 1895, helped black students at the U of I succeed and thrive at a time when they weren’t even allowed to live in the dorms.

We revisit the story of the first American town founded by African-Americans—New Philadelphia, Illinois. Plus, our in-person tours of the Lincoln Memorial and the Lincoln Cottage in Washington, D.C.

This week, we're revisiting some of our favorite history conversations. Today, we hear about a photography book highlighting members of the American Legion. Plus, the people behind a production of the play 'Hit The Wall,' which explores the 1969 Stonewall Riots. And, the backstory of 'sundown towns' throughout Illinois and the country.

On the heels of the Trump administration's plans to potentially detain migrant children indefinitely, we hear from an Illinois Wesleyan professor who interviewed migrant children at the border and saw their living conditions firsthand. Plus, a new report describes a toxic work environment at the office of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. We also hear about changes to the Child Care Assistance Program, and talk with author and Oak Park native Claire Lombardo.

Students have been paying more and more for room and board—and that cost often gets left out of conversations about lowering tuition and debt. Plus, what's behind an uptick in Hepatitis A cases in Illinois. We also talk with the lawmaker behind Illinois's new requirement that insurers cover EpiPens, and learn why colleges are turning to alcohol sales as one strategy to boost attendance at sporting events.