Has anyone ever told you never to touch a baby bird if you find one on the ground? It’s commonly said that humans shouldn’t touch baby birds because their mo...

Birds have amazing voices. We hear them sing often in spring, trying to attract a mate or defending their nests. They can chirp, call or have a long song. Wh...

Have you ever looked out the window on an otherwise clear day and wondered where the fog suddenly came from? Or only been able to see the school bus heading ...

The idea that lightning won't strike the same place twice is a dangerous myth. Lightning can — and does — strike the same place more than once. To understand...

You don’t always need screens or stages to see a great show. In fact, sometimes you need the opposite. No electronics and no lights, just you and the dark, s...

Have you ever seen a woodpecker hammering away at a tree? The constant sound can be awe-inducing or annoying, depending on what you are doing at the time. Th...

Is a frog a reptile or an amphibian? How about a snake or a salamander? Reptiles and amphibians share some similarities, so which species belong to which cla...

Walking around your neighborhood, school yard or forest preserve, you might find evidence of animals even if you don’t actually see them. Some leave behind f...

Have you ever heard that moss only grows on the north side of trees? It’s an old myth that probably started as a way to help people navigate in a forest. It’...

Have you ever seen a photo of a kangaroo with a joey — a baby kangaroo — in its pouch? Isn’t it cute? Kangaroos aren’t the only animals with those pouches. A...

Illinois has voted on many different symbols over the years. Most of these were voted on by schoolchildren. A symbol is something that represents something. ...

Has anyone ever told you you’ll get warts on your hands if you pick up a frog or toad? If it sounds a little far-fetched, that's because it is. No amount of ...

Close your eyes and picture these animals: a squirrel, a coyote, a deer and a beaver. These animals are all different sizes, eat different things and live in...

We don’t often see caterpillars in late fall or winter, but woolly bear caterpillars are an exception. These fuzzy brown- and black-banded caterpillars are o...

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has been preserving and restoring habitats and protecting the diversity of species in this county for more than 9...

Have you ever heard your teacher or parents say, “It must be a full moon,” as an explanation for your (or your classmates’ or siblings’) unusual behavior? Fo...

If you could hop in a time machine and travel back to 1720, you would see black bears roaming around Illinois. These animals were special to the Potawatomi a...

Have you ever visited the Field Museum and stood in awe of the huge dinosaur skeletons on display? The most famous of the museum’s dinosaurs, Sue, a Tyrannos...

Do you love all the different seasons? Do you enjoy jumping in a pile of leaves in fall, sledding down a snow-covered hill in winter, smelling fresh blooming...

Owls are majestic but also mysterious, not often seen because they are most often active at night. The darkness of the night gives them good cover when they ...