WILL-AM

Weather Realness

Dust storms are unusual in Illinois, but they can be dangerous. We talk about the dust warning we received earlier this week and how it happened.

Weather Realness

While wildfires aren’t common in Illinois, they do occur twice every year. We take a deeper look at the wildfire season in our state and how they’re changing under climate change.

The 21st Show

Nathan Jones, an emergency room doctor from Springfield, Illinois, was part of NASA’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA. It was the first of a series of missions to simulate life on Mars.

He was one of four crew members living in isolation on earth at the Johnson Space Center from June 25, 2023 – July 6, 2024.

The 21st Show

When the four astronauts of Artemis II orbited the moon, it was the culmination of work by countless thousands of people — including some based here in Illinois. We’ll talk with an aerospace engineer who dreamed of space as a boy (and still does), and the head of a company whose work with NASA dates back to Apollo.

The 21st Show

The book "Eve" explores human evolution with a particular focus on the female body and its author joins the program today.

The 21st Show

As President Trump criticizes Pope Leo for his position on the Iran war, it begs the question if religious leaders should be vocal about political issues.

The 21st Show

Cardinal Blase Cupich discusses Pope Leo's first year at the Vatican, how it feels for Illinoisans and Americans to see a pope speaking their language in a familiar accent, as well as how the pope has handled political issues specifically in regard to war. 

The 21st Show

The United States is celebrating 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. There’s an oral history project underway in connection with that milestone. It’s meant to document the stories of Illinoisans and how they think about American values like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
 

The 21st Show

From immigration enforcement to investigations by the Trump administration, a number of legal cases are currently going on in Illinois. A reporter who covers legals affairs around the state has the latest updates.

The 21st Show

Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi discusses the Iran war, the U.S. House of Representatives voting to pass a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security minus Border Patrol and ICE, and what's next for him after he leaves office next year.