What kinds of technology are involved with helping reduce and reuse food waste in an urban food production setting? Plant Chicago’s Farm Technology Coordinator, Eric Weber, will discuss some of the projects being explored at The Plant, and how they fit into the larger world. These projects focus on various parts of the circular economy as it relates to food production, from the actual production of food to the energy used in both production and processing, as well as how to handle the waste products generated. Read more…

In the past decade, we’ve heard a lot about the innate differences between males and females. So we’ve come to accept that boys can’t focus in a classroom and girls are obsessed with relationships: “That’s just the way they’re built.” Read more…

The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) is pleased to host a national dialogue on gender at the nexus of innovation and entrepreneurship with emphasis on the health and medical sciences sector. Building on the momentum generated from two previous Summits, the AWIS National Summit will center on how we, as a society, can fuel innovative solutions to global challenges facing all our citizens. Read more…

Addiction is one of the most common forms of mental illness in the world. Tens of millions of Americans, and over a quarter of a billion people worldwide, have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Everyone who has watched a loved one suffer from addiction wonders, “Why are they acting like this? Why can’t they stop?” And people with addictions wonder the same things about themselves. Many people think of addiction as a moral failing, or as a conscious choice—neither belief is supported by scientific evidence.

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Cannabis abuse during adolescence increases the risk of developing psychosis and prefrontal cortex (PFC)-dependent cognitive deficits later in life. The CB1 cannabinoid receptor has long been known to mediate the psychoactive effects of cannabis, yet the mechanisms underlying such vulnerability remain unknown. Here, I will discuss data from my lab and others showing that long-lasting deficits in prefrontal functions can occur following repeated exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence. Read more…

The Earth has warmed by almost two degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. This seemingly small increase in global warming explains why much of the land ice on the planet is starting to melt, the oceans are rising at an accelerating pace, and weather extremes are becoming common. Climate researchers have vetted the overwhelming science-based evidence and conclude that human activities associated with the release of greenhouse gases are the primary culprit. Read more…