Researchers at the Illinois Natural History Survey are tracking ticks across Illinois and testing for pathogens like Lyme disease. 🦠 Their work helps map where disease risk is changing and informs public health decisions.🧵

The annual City Nature Challenge has rolled around again, and everyone's invited to join the effort to boost the Chicago region's standing in this friendly global competition. https://to.wttw.com/3OVLTyh

This month's Technology Acceleration Program newsletter covers a new poll on harmful chemicals, chemical manufacturing, plastic upcycling and more! 👉 Read the full issue from Illinois Sustainable Technology Center 📩 https://loom.ly/nM8iigc

Happening today!

👷 Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessment Researcher – Join Illinois State Geological Survey! Help evaluate potential environmental and geologic hazards and risks for IDOT infrastructure improvement projects! Apps due Apr. 22, 2026. 👉 https://loom.ly/7Jy3r5E

What were you like in the '90s? Well, scientists with the Illinois Natural History Survey have been collecting environmental data since 1997! Learn how that data helps with invasive species management with TJ Benson from @prairieresearch.bsky.social at https://go.illinois.edu/everydayenvironment

Blamed in part on climate change, the threat of water ponding in your yard or your basement is growing, a Sun-Times/WBEZ investigation has found, putting health, homes at risk.

Meet our panelists for the 8th annual Solving The World's Challenges panel, with the theme Invasive Species! To learn more about the event, each panelist, or to register to attend virtually, visit go.library.illinois.edu/FunkACESLibr...!

🌱 Research Experience for Undergraduates – Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Take part in a 4-week research program focused on the detection and diversity of phytoplasmas! Apps due: May 20, 2026. 👉 https://loom.ly/iD1JS3M

March brought wild temperature swings, shattered records, and much-needed rain across Illinois! 🌧️ Get the latest climate recap and spring outlook from @ilclimatologist.bsky.social at Illinois State Water Survey. 👉 https://loom.ly/0YvRBcs

Listen to a recent episode of @americanmedieval.bsky.social featuring special guest Sarah Baires from the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, exploring archaeology and Cahokia!

🐍 Seasonal Herpetological Technician – Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Assist with reptile and amphibian surveys throughout northern Illinois! Apps due Apr. 10, 2026 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/nyKlxKU

Five new #leafhopper species within the #genus Limassolla have recently been described and illustrated based on detailed analysis of male genitalia. Read the full study here: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1273.183175 @prairieresearch.bsky.social #newspecies #taxonomy

🌺 Botany Field/GIS Technician – Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Help survey and classify vegetative communities and assist with a seed dispersal study at Illinois Beach State Park! Apps due Apr. 10, 2026. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/vJelAt4

A few hundred feet off the shoreline of Kenwood and Hyde Park lives an underwater marvel few Chicagoans ever see: the remnants of a 400 million-year-old coral reef scattered with ancient fossils and the wreckage of the Silver Spray, a steamship that sank after striking the shallow bedrock in 1914.

“Parasites can harm their hosts, but they also teach us a great deal about how nature works.” – Arif Ciloglu, visiting parasitologist, Illinois Natural History Survey. 🦟 Get to know Arif 👉 https://loom.ly/xEhCsUM

🌨️ Winter is wrapping up! @ilclimatologist.bsky.social looks back at the season’s mild, dry conditions -- and what it could mean for Illinois’ spring climate outlook. Read the latest report 👉 https://loom.ly/tyyWAGU

🌎 Director of the Illinois 3D Mesonet - Join Illinois State Water Survey! Lead the creation of a first-of-its-kind, statewide, multi-sector environmental observing network. Apps due June 15, 2026. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/56cxSkQ

Christopher Dietrich, Illinois state entomologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey, weighs in!

Powerful storms brought deadly tornadoes to Indiana and Illinois this week, with large hail and severe rain striking south of Chicago. Here’s what you need to know when this kind of weather hits.

This week is National Groundwater Awareness Week! 💧 DYK about half of all Illinoisians rely on groundwater for their drinking water? The Illinois EPA monitors more than 1,000 community water supply wells across the state to help ensure communities have safe drinking water. 🌎

🐟 Stream and River Research Technicians – Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Assist with research projects evaluating stream communities in Illinois. Perfect opportunity for a current or recent undergraduate student. Apps due March 27, 2026. 👉 Apply now: https://loom.ly/P-eONnQ

Big news for sustainability and business! This month's Technology Acceleration Program newsletter covers free assessments for food biz, EV rebates, and more! 👉 Read the full issue from Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in the thread! 🧵

🦇 Bat Survey Field Technician - Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Help sample bats using acoustic surveys and mist-nets. Perfect for a current or recent undergrad in biology or natural resources. Apps due Mar. 20, 2026. 👉 https://loom.ly/mpow574

We’ve surpassed our $3,000 goal for the Traveling Science Center!! 🎉 Thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign so far. There’s still time to keep the momentum going before midnight 🧵

We’re getting closer to our $3,000 goal -- and every gift moves us forward. The Traveling Science Center travels delivers museum-quality science experiences directly to schools and communities across Illinois. Give here: go.illinois.edu/supportTSC

🗓️ Assistant to the Director - Join Illinois Sustainable Technology Center! Serve as the executive assistant to the Director of ISTC and manage meeting logistics. Apps due Mar. 17, 2026. 👉 Learn more and apply today: https://loom.ly/0iFXeiM

When the Traveling Science Center visits a school, curiosity takes over. 💡 Students explore biodiversity, invasive species, and learn how scientists study the environment that shapes our state. Your support helps make these experiences possible. Give today at go.illinois.edu/supportTSC

We’re off to a great start! 🥳 Support the Traveling Science Center so we can roll out to more communities across Illinois. Every $750 raised funds a full day of science programming at one school. 🧵

Get a behind-the-scenes from @news.illinois.edu at how scientists identify ticks collected from across Illinois. The Medical Entomology Lab at the Illinois Natural History Survey tracks ticks and tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease. 🧵

Orange & Blue Days is live. Our goal = $3,000. $750 covers one full day visit for a school. Support the Traveling Science Center and hands-on science learning across Illinois now through March 6. 🧵

Scientists at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center have developed and tested a new system for preventing excess nutrient run-off in farm fields. 👉 Read about how it works in the recent @news.illinois.edu story: https://loom.ly/HZlE50U

Here’s a look back at how our current snowfall compares with previous seasons.

We’re over 50% to our $3,000 goal — before launch! Can we take it to 100%? 🤩 Support the Traveling Science Center March 4–6 and help bring hands-on science to more Illinois schools.

As climate change intensifies wildfires and other extreme weather events, demand for native seeds is surging.

🐟 Visiting Scientific Specialist, Aquatic Ecology - Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Conduct Lake Michigan creel surveys and other fisheries research. Located in Zion, IL. Apps due Mar. 9, 2026. 👉 https://loom.ly/1Q_gjkU

We’ve reached 25% of our $3,000 goal — before launch. 🤯🤩 Thank you to our early supporters. Help us build momentum for the Traveling Science Center! March 4–6 | Learn how to give at go.illinois.edu/supportTSC

Big news for sustainability and business! This month's Technology Acceleration Program newsletter covers free sustainability assessments, ammonia synthesis, and more! Read the full issue from Illinois Sustainable Technology Center 📩 https://loom.ly/jWYRt1o

We're celebrating the Insect Fear Film Festival with the Entomology Graduate Student Association! Visit our exhibit showing media about insect-human hybrids and showing real insect hybrids! #IFFF43 To learn about the Festival, visit publish.illinois.edu/uiuc-egsa/if... @prairieresearch.bsky.social

Save the date: March 4–6. 🔶🔷 We’re launching a campaign to support the Traveling Science Center’s statewide impact. 👉 More soon: go.illinois.edu/supportTSC

🐟 Aquatic Field/Fisheries Technician - Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Assist large river ecologists in the collection of long-term river monitoring data throughout Illinois! Located in Havana, IL. Apps due Mar. 6, 2026. 👉 https://loom.ly/AsRCH7U

Want to hunt turkey in Illinois this spring? The Illinois Learn to Hunt program is offering FREE workshops covering regulations, decoys, turkey calls and more. 👉 Learn more and enroll at https://loom.ly/V_En4AQ

This year marks 20 years of the Traveling Science Center, a 320-square-foot museum on wheels! Since 2006, it's visited over 150 different and attended 200 community events in more than 30 counties across Illinois. 👉 Read about it at https://loom.ly/nfBWBZk

While tracking the sale of non-native amphibians in the United States, researchers at the University of Illinois uncovered several cases of illicit trade and smuggling.

Most of IL is in drought. Tell us how this is impacting you by submitting a Condition Monitoring Observer Report at droughtimpacts.unl.edu/Tools/Condit.... The reports are used by the US Drought Monitor and @ilclimatologist.bsky.social to better understand what is happening around the state #ilwx

🐟 Aquatic Field Technician - Join Illinois Natural History Survey! Assist in applied research in aquatic ecology and large river systems throughout the state of Illinois! Located in Oglesby, IL. Apps due Feb. 28, 2026. 👉 https://loom.ly/XehyeHI

Why did so much snow yield so little precipitation? The cold air limited the amount of liquid water in the snow. We had snow-to-liquid ratios of 20:1 last month, which is more like the champagne powder of Colorado instead of the normal Midwest slush. 2/2 See: mountwashington.org/snow-to-liqu...

January in Illinois was cold, snowy, and dry... thanks to abundant but powdery snowfall. Du Quoin had 19.5" of snow last month, which is 500% of their snowfall normal. Yet, Du Quoin was 2" drier than average last month with only 0.97" of total precipitation. 1/2 go.illinois.edu/scosummary

Today: -Alton's sinkhole is finally getting drained. We'll talk about what took so long. -Groundhog Day means a lot to Woodstock, Illinois, where the movie was filmed. We’ll talk about the city’s annual festival, and with actor Stephen Tobolowsky. It's all at 11: will.illinois.edu/am/willplayer

Chicago has seen its longest winter freeze in 19 years — but relief is coming. blockclubchi.co/3LPhRLf