Top Stories

Origin Stories: Bluetooth

Here follows a story so surreal it's hard to believe it's true: Once upon a time the King of Denmark was Harald Blåtand, or Harald I. His family's rule was more like a dynasty. Born in 910CE (or...
Read More
+

What's in a Name?

Imagine a new flu virus is sweeping the country. You’re a public health communications expert at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s your job to improve public safety by increasing...
Read More
+

Is It Possible to Be Infected With a Tumor?

There is a deadly contagion decimating the population of an island off the coast of Australia. Upon infection, it multiplies rapidly, producing gruesome lesions that cause certain death within months...
Read More
+

The Electron Microscope: A Window into the Nanoscopic Universe

I sit in the pitch-black room, twisting the knobs on the control pad of the electron microscope. I’m using this device to hunt for cells. Looking through the eyepiece, I work to bring the shadowy...
Read More
+

Science in Action: The Field Museum Discovery Squad

Standing in Stanley Field Hall at the Field Museum, volunteer Sarah Tulga holds out a bone to two girls with their mother. Sarah is giving her usual spiel about T. rex and their tiny arms. The bone...
Read More
+
.
.
.
.
.

Topics

LEGOS
Chemistry Lesson from a LEGO Architect
By: Lawrence Crosby
May 14, 2017
Have you ever wondered how people build such crazy structures with LEGOs? Rube Golderberg machines... Read More
Thermoelectrics: Harvesting Energy from Heat
By: Puikei Cheng
Apr 29, 2017
The discovery of fire was a turning point in human history for many reasons. Fire offered portable... Read More
Navigating Reality: The Way-Finder in Your Brain
By: Xiaojun Agnes Bao
Apr 15, 2017
What’s the difference between an Uber driver and a licensed driver of London’s venerable black taxi... Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Blog

Slick Details: Sprucing Your Hair with Water
By: Alane Lim
May 7, 2017
When I was a kid, I discovered that wetting my hair made for easier combing. Most mornings, I was afraid that... Read More
CRISPR: Dissecting Human DNA
By: Namratha Sastry
Apr 29, 2017
The cut and paste keyboard commands (Ctrl/⌘ X and Ctrl/⌘ V) may seem like commonplace instructions to most... Read More
From Color to Atom – X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy
By: Daikang Yan
Apr 23, 2017
Almost everyone loves fireworks. When admiring the brilliant colors exploding in the sky, have you ever... Read More
How It Works: Microwave Ovens
By: Alane Lim
Apr 8, 2017
When an oven bakes you can feel the heat, and on a stovetop you can see the flames emanating from the surface... Read More
MORE BLOG POSTS

Helix Magazine

is a publication by Science in Society, a Northwestern University office for science outreach and public engagement.

Follow Us

SiS Initiatives

Learning Sustainable Design: Eco-Stars

In partnership with the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN), SiS has developed a new after school curriculum, called Eco-Stars, focused on sustainability and recycling. Using a design thinking approach, the curriculum guides middle school students at Bateman Elementary as they...

MORE INITIATIVES