On July 12th 2022, NASA released the first five images taken by the powerful James Webb Space Telescope. After 17 years of construction and testing, Webb was launched into orbit in 2021 as a successor to the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. Built to create high-resolution images by detecting infrared light, scientists expect that Webb… Continue reading Looking 13 Billion Years into the Past is Just the Beginning
Category: Science
Wildfires can make their own weather!?!
After I finished my library degree, I had the privilege of living in southern Oregon for three of the most adventurous years of my life. Back then, wildfires were frequent, but they rarely turned into the monsters they can be today. Recently, the largest fire in Oregon, the Bootleg Fire, was said to be creating… Continue reading Wildfires can make their own weather!?!
The Science Behind Why We Wear Masks
Do you remember at the beginning of the pandemic when many were saying that masks don’t protect against Covid-19? At the time, based on a long standing myth in the physics, it was thought that the virus could not be airborne because the particles were too large to remain aerosol. Last summer, a group of… Continue reading The Science Behind Why We Wear Masks
Understanding Covid-19 Vaccines
This week, I was thankfully able to receive my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19. I am truly grateful to all of the scientists, and production and healthcare workers that made this possible. The Covid-19 vaccines that we now have available to us are nothing short of a scientific breakthrough and are a… Continue reading Understanding Covid-19 Vaccines
Smoke on the Prairie
The Moraine Valley campus is surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves. Most of us drive by without much appreciation of the open land. The amount of work that goes into sustaining these green spaces is staggering, not only financially but also the amount of strategic planning to keep these spaces viable for future generations. You… Continue reading Smoke on the Prairie
Covid-19 Vaccines: The Science & the Psychology (Video)
Faculty members discuss the biology, public health aspects, and the psychological factors around the Covid-19 vaccines in the United States. This panel is organized by the MVCC Library. Panel members include: Judy Corcoran, Nursing Laura Lauzen-Collins, Psychology Peter Porter, Biology The discussion is moderated by librarians Hannah Carlton and Troy Swanson. Don’t miss our 2020… Continue reading Covid-19 Vaccines: The Science & the Psychology (Video)
You’ve Heard of the Nobel Prize… But Have You Heard of the Ig Nobel Prize?
Sometimes research is funny. No, really! Using actual money and resources to study if roller coasters can help move kidney stones? Comedy GOLD. When research, either good or bad, is funny and thought provoking it can earn an Ig Nobel Prize. Organized by the Annals of Improbable Research, ten prizes in different fields have been… Continue reading You’ve Heard of the Nobel Prize… But Have You Heard of the Ig Nobel Prize?
Are There Really Farting Microbes on the Planet Venus? This is a Job for Research!
Maybe you were scrolling through a news feed today and saw some headlines about aliens on Venus, or at least this weird gas that maybe means aliens. Maybe you’re not sure what to make of that or even if it’s true. So we’ve got this library full of reliable news sources and books just waiting… Continue reading Are There Really Farting Microbes on the Planet Venus? This is a Job for Research!
De-stress with Nature
Spring is my favorite time of year. I love all the flowers, ornamental trees, and seeing everything turn green. I find spending time in nature definitely helps lower my stress level. This year, because of the pandemic, many natural areas are closed or restricted, but there are still many open. According to the Illinois Department… Continue reading De-stress with Nature
How Did the Outbreak Begin? Conornavirus Pandemic on Frontline
This is an important exploration of the pandemic from award winning documentary series. Frontline: Coronavirus PandemicSEASON 2020: EPISODE 16How did the U.S. become the country with the worst known coronavirus outbreak in the world? FRONTLINE investigates the American response to COVID-19 — from Washington state to Washington, D.C. — and examines what happens when politics… Continue reading How Did the Outbreak Begin? Conornavirus Pandemic on Frontline