Science

Ever wonder why basketball shoes make that iconic high-pitched squeak? Applied physicist Adel Djellouli explains the surprising "shoe quakes" happening under your feet and how his research into rubber friction could actually help us understand massive earthquakes.

Skywatchers across Chicago can catch a rare six-planet alignment this weekend, according to Michelle Nichols of the Adler Planetarium, with a lunar eclipse set to follow on March 3 and more celestial events expected throughout the spring.

President Donald Trump announced his is instructing federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing files related to unidentified aerial phenomena. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is reviewing the materials. 

After comments from former President Barack Obama reignited debate over extraterrestrials, President Donald Trump says he will direct agencies to release government files on UFOs and possible alien encounters.

Paul Sereno, a professor at the University of Chicago, led a team that discovered Spinosaurus mirabilis in Niger’s central Sahara. The species is named for its distinctive scimitar-shaped crest. 

At Cape Canaveral, NASA is performing a full “wet dress rehearsal” for Artemis II—fueling the rocket and running a complete countdown test—as engineers work to resolve prior hydrogen leak issues before setting an official launch date.

Did you see it? More than 128 people across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin reported spotting a fireball in the sky Tuesday night. The American Meteor Society helped explain what it was. (Credit: © Britt Pulpulaan via the American Meteor Society)

A fireball meteor lit up the night sky across several Midwest states, with sightings reported in Chicago, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. 

Viral videos of coyotes in Chicago have people on alert. Wildlife expert Stanley Gehrt from The Ohio State University explains why sightings spike in February and what dog owners should do to stay safe.