Navigating back to school this year has been challenging to say the least. With switching policies and protocols, everyone is just trying to get through the fall one day at a time. Viewpoints speaks with two education experts about the biggest barriers to learning and what online education technology can really offer students.
Suffering from a travel bug that can’t be quenched this year? Chicago writer, Jessica Mlinaric believes that if you look hard enough you don’t have to leave your town or city to experience something new. We cover some of the interesting, historical sights around Chicago and how you can explore your own area.
Without inventors like Benjamin Franklin or visionaries like Elon Musk, the world would look a bit different. Both of these people and countless others followed their passion, but sometimes it can be hard to slow down and take a risk. Do you enjoy writing? Tinkering with tech? Creating music? Art? It’s never too late to forge a different career path or side hobby. We speak with Kickstarter co-founder, Yancey Strickler about some of the barriers to entry creatives face today and how to find support within a community.
Today, ex-government employee, Edward Snowden is recognized around the world for his role in leaking highly classified information about government mass surveillance. We explore the benefits and consequences of modern surveillance and how both private business entities and governments are acquiring information from millions of Americans.
All humans need some amount of rest – whether that’s five hours or eight. But how we sleep and the quality of that slumber can vary widely. We speak with sleep expert, Matthew Walker, a professor at California-Berkeley, who says getting restful sleep is the single biggest thing we can do to vastly improve our mental and physical health.
In the early to mid 1900’s, capturing a picture was cumbersome and complicated and took weeks to process the film. Then, Edwin Land, the creator of the Polaroid camera, came along and revolutionized the industry. Viewpoints speaks with author Ron Fierstein who profiles Land in his book, A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War.
Glass, wood, stone. These are some of the natural materials that are on the forefront of construction. Today, a greater number of architects and developers are not only thinking about profit and supply, but the additional - sometimes invisible - factors at play when it comes to new buildouts. These include the true benefits to humans, the environmental toll and the most practical designs that are symbiotic with nature. We uncover the modern perspective of ‘conscious construction’ this week on Viewpoints.
Millions of Americans have embraced plant-based meat like the Impossible Burger, but how do you feel about real meat that’s grown in a petri dish in a lab? If the taste, texture and smell exactly resembled meat that was traditionally farmed outside, would you eat it? Lab-grown, cell-cultured chicken, beef and pork is set to hit the mass market in just a few years. What’s the science and process behind this new technology?
While some of us still prefer pen and paper, many younger people are shifting to everything digital. And it’s not just for to-do lists or communication, but also using platforms like Instagram, Twitter or Facebook as a daily, reflective ‘online diary’. However, sometimes this vulnerability in such a public setting can lead down a slippery slope. We discuss the pros and cons of candidly sharing your life on social media.
In April, May and June of this year, 550,000 weddings across the U.S. were set to take place. As the threat of COVID-19 swept much of the U.S., many of these pre-planned weddings had to be rescheduled. Viewpoints speaks with Erika Hernandez-Fullerton, a recent bride herself and owner of a wedding planning company, to find out how couples in this predicament are making the best of this unusual situation.
Memorial Day is on Monday, May 25 this year. It is a day that we remember those who have served and lost their lives protecting this country. To honor our veterans, we highlight a unique story from World War II about the heroic men of the U.S. Air Force 44th Bomb Group.
When we think back to the biggest space accomplishments in history, many of us instantly remember Apollo 11 – the mission that landed humans on the moon. However, we seldom talk about Apollo 8 when astronauts successfully orbited the moon. Author and historian, Jeffrey Kluger joins Viewpoints to discuss why Apollo 8 was a vital foundational mission for space travel and what it meant to the future of NASA.
Have you pretty much watched everything on your list at this point? All four seasons of the AMC series Halt and Catch Fire are now available on Netflix. While you’ve probably never heard of the show, it’s definitely a binge-worthy watch.
With billions across the world staying home right now due to coronavirus, air pollution in many major cities has cleared making way for blue skies and new views of nature. This week, Viewpoints speaks with journalist and author Thomas Kostigen about the role of geoengineering in tackling another approaching global crisis: climate change.
Drones are already a multi-billion-dollar business and only set to grow in revenue over the next five years, reaching an estimated 63 billion by 2025. The unmanned aircraft systems can be applied to a wide breadth of tasks and are an essential resource during war, rescue and public health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewpoints speaks with two drone experts about innovation and security challenges facing the industry.
Imagine finding out at 54-years-old that the father who raised you wasn’t actually your biological dad. Novelist Dani Shapiro found herself in this position after she and her husband sent in an at-home DNA test to Ancestry.com and it came back with some unexpected results.
Today, body-worn cameras are a mainstay in many police departments across the country. While the new technology increases transparency, is it leading to better relationships between the public and police? How are innovations in the field - including the incorporation of artificial intelligence - changing officers’ day-to-day duties?
When life gets tough, or busy, or just complicated, it can be hard to find gratitude in the little things. We speak with two authors about the importance of taking small steps each day to bring back positivity and refocus in your life. This could mean something as simple as taking 15 minutes to do some deep-breathing, reading or catch up with a friend by phone.
Being a college or professional athlete is hard enough. Throw on top of that the constant commentary online and it can sometimes be impossible to look away from what people are saying. Two football players offer up their thoughts on the pros and cons of social media and how to stay focused and positive on and off the field.
Disney+ debuted this past fall to a lot of speculation about what another streaming platform could really add to the already crowded marketplace. We discuss its offerings and who might really benefit from its niche selection.
