Topic: Science

A couple of federal agencies you probably haven't heard of keep track of what farmers grow, what Americans eat and how the country's entire food system operates. And the Trump administration wants them out of Washington, D.C.

In lieu of government research, a state with legal marijuana, like Colorado, is left to develop its own set of rules. That can leave cannabis growers largely on their own.

Animal waste and nitrogen-based agricultural fertilizers contribute to nitrate runoff, which ends up in creeks, streams, rain and, eventually, water systems. Nitrate, that mix of nitrogen and oxygen, can cause serious health problems if it’s too concentrated.

We are taking a closer look at what the legalization of cannabis could mean for Illinois. The State of Cannabis is a collaborative reporting effort by public radio stations across the state. This piece in the series looks at the potential health care considerations of recreational marijuana.

In today’s legal marijuana market, there is more than just a typical joint to get high. There are cookies, gummies, weed-infused drinks and more. But, there are few studies available in the United States that examine the long-term effects of these different products.

In this reporter roundtable, you will hear from three reporters who are covering this topic from different regions of the state.

University of Illinois anthropology professor Kathryn Clancy co-authored a study that found high numbers of young women in the field of physics reported experiencing sexual or gender harassment. 

As grassland and prairies gave way to farmland in the Midwest, habitats for some native birds disappeared. There’s a relatively new program in central Illinois looking to restore wetlands for migrating birds and help farmers at the same time.

A group of 16 Illinois organizations and agencies have teamed up to help the monarch butterfly survive. 

A parents’ group from the Chicago suburbs dropped its lawsuit that attempted to ban transgender students from using school restrooms and locker rooms associated with their gender identity, a move that supporters of transgender students say helps affirm the rights of  students across Illinois.