In our third episode, we talked about "Corn Sweat." We learned how it can make Midwest summers more uncomfortable, and sometimes more dangerous. If you have a weather or climate question for the scientists on this program, please leave a voicemail at 217.333.2141 or email weatherrealness@illinois.edu.

Who counts as a Midwesterner? No question about us in the Prairie State. But what the Dakotas or Colorado? We'll talk about a new poll.

A wide range of healthcare issues drew headlines in 2019, disrupting the lives of millions of Americans. Here are some highlights from Side Effects Public Media's coverage across the Midwest.

The University of Illinois says reporters at the NPR station in Springfield must tell them when people come forward with stories of sexual misconduct. That’s because these public radio journalists are, in fact, university employees. Plus, Americans say they’d rather die at home than at a hospital. But it’s much more complicated than that, especially when there aren’t clear plans for end of life care. And, a new exhibition at Chicago’s Newberry library sets out to answer the question, “What is the Midwest? using historic maps, journal entries and photos from the past 200 years. 

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?