Regulators plan to clean up the soil of several residential yards with high levels of brain-damaging manganese, but they have yet to finalize a plan for addressing homes with elevated levels of lead in the soil.
Stories by alex ruppenthal
Landmark Study Offers Data on Pregnancy in State Prisons
Mar 25, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
About 4 percent of women incarcerated in state prisons across the U.S. were pregnant when they entered jail, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Heat Waves, Heavy Rain, Flooding: Report Details Dangers of Climate Change in Great Lakes Region
Mar 21, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A first-of-its-kind report shows how climate change is threatening the Great Lakes, and how their ongoing transformation figures to impact the entire region.
Chicago Zoos Want You to Recycle Old Cellphones to Save Gorillas
Mar 20, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Mining for coltan, a mineral compound used to make cellphones and other small electronics, has displaced large numbers of Eastern gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
‘Blue-Green’ Chicago River Corridor Would Generate $192M Yearly, Analysis Shows
Mar 19, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Environmentally sensitive development of the Chicago River system would sustain more than 1,600 jobs per year while also improving water quality and recreational space, according to a new study.
With New Screening Process, City Shelter is ‘Fast-Tracking’ Cat and Dog Adoptions
Mar 15, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Chicago Animal Care and Control was so packed with cats late last summer that it sent out an urgent call for adoptions. Now, the department seems to have found a solution to one of its biggest challenges: overcrowding.
Better Business Bureau Warns of Spring Flooding Scams
Mar 14, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
With conditions perfect for flooding, the Better Business Bureau’s Chicago division is urging area residents to take precautions when hiring contractors to address flooding-related damages.
Northwestern Project Enlists ‘Earthquake Detectives’ to Study Seismograms
Mar 13, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
With the help of volunteers who classify sounds from recordings of seismic events, scientists could learn more about the conditions under which earthquakes occur.
Federal Bill Seeks Comprehensive Health Study on Petcoke
Mar 12, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Proposed legislation would require the federal government to examine potential health risks from exposure to petroleum coke, a solid byproduct of the oil refining process that had for years been stored in uncontained piles on the Southeast Side.
Humans Are Destroying Chimpanzees’ Culture, Study Finds
Mar 11, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The complex and relatively advanced cultures of chimpanzees are disappearing as human beings encroach on previously undisturbed areas of African forest, according to a new study involving researchers from Lincoln Park Zoo.
A Guide to Recycling Plastics
Mar 8, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
On average, people in the U.S. generate 220 pounds of plastic waste each year, even though much of those materials could be recycled. Here’s the lowdown on the types of plastic that can and can’t be recycled.
Lincoln Park Zoo Helps Save 1,800 Abandoned Flamingo Chicks in South Africa
Mar 7, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A severe drought earlier this year forced a large group of flamingos to flee a nesting site in South Africa. That’s when Lincoln Park Zoo and other wildlife conservation groups from around the world stepped in.
Study: Female Scientists Receive $40K Less in Federal Funding Than Men
Mar 6, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A new Northwestern study is the first to show that female scientists receive less money when applying for federal grants than their male counterparts.
Bill Would Let Illinois Cities, Counties Ban Coal Tar Sealants
Mar 5, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Children who are regularly exposed to coal tar-based pavement sealants are 38 times more likely to develop cancer, according to the environmental group the Sierra Club.
Giant Anteater Pup Born at Brookfield Zoo
Mar 4, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The unnamed pup, born Dec. 15, can be seen alongside his mom on select days in the zoo’s “Tropic World: Africa” exhibit.
Transportation, Jobs at Center of Ambitious Illinois Clean Energy Bill
Mar 1, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The Clean Energy Jobs Act aims to move Illinois to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050 while modernizing the state’s transportation sector and creating thousands of new jobs.
Records: CPD Used CIA-Backed Software to Monitor Social Media Accounts
Feb 28, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Chicago police have spent nearly $1.5 million on a social media monitoring software called Dunami since 2014, records show. The ACLU of Illinois has called on CPD to end its use of the "spying software."
Trash Removal Project Adds 7-Mile Stretch of Chicago River
Feb 27, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The Litter Free Chicago River project will soon include a stretch of the river from North Avenue to Foster Avenue, where the North Branch connects with the North Shore Channel.
Field Museum’s First Poet-in-Residence to Host Pop-Up Poetry Stations
Feb 25, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Poet Eric Elshtain is one of the museum’s newest additions, and he represents the institution’s latest effort at using art to change the way visitors interact with nature.
Southeast Side Facility to Stop Handling Bulk Amounts of Brain-Damaging Manganese
Feb 22, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Watco Transloading says it will no longer handle materials with high concentrations of manganese, a heavy metal used in steelmaking that can cause brain damage at high exposure levels.
T. Rex Check: Sue’s Arm, Leg Bones Examined in Attempt to Diagnose Past Injuries
Feb 19, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
What can CT scans tell us about the diseases or injuries Sue the T. Rex might have had? Scientists are hoping to determine just that, but needed to remove several bones Tuesday for testing.
Turtle With Rare Genetic Condition Adopted by Suburban Ecologist
Feb 18, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A rare yellow-hued Blanding’s turtle who called Chicago home has moved out to the suburbs, where she’s helping to spread the word about the plight of her endangered species throughout Illinois.
Valentino, a Baby Antelope, Born on Valentine’s Day at Brookfield Zoo
Feb 15, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A tiny African antelope that belongs to one of the smallest species of its kind in the world received a name befitting his Feb. 14 birthday.
Activists Denounce Mayor Emanuel’s Renewable Energy Plan
Feb 14, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announces a plan for transitioning Chicago buildings to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035. But community advocates say the plan ignores existing environmental threats in some parts of the city.
Illinois Defies National Trend by Adding 1,300 Solar Jobs in 2018
Feb 13, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The U.S. solar energy industry lost nearly 8,000 jobs last year, but Illinois was one of just eight states that saw a significant increase in solar jobs.
New App Developed at Brookfield Zoo Helps Optimize Dolphins’ Diets
Feb 8, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Unlike the industry serving health-conscious humans, there are no books, infomercials or 12-week programs to help dolphins optimize their diets. But there is an app for that, thanks to new research by animal welfare specialists.