Curious City

WBEZ Chicago
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Curious City

Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Why is there an aviary at O'Hare Airport?

    A curious listener asked why he saw an aviary at O'Hare Airport. It turns out, it isn't an aviary at all — it’s a trap for an invasive species of bird.

    9 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    What happens to birds stuck inside the airport?

    Airplanes aren’t the only ones flying around at the airport. Birds often get stuck inside the terminal, and they can be a challenge to get out.

    7 min

  3. 21 NOV

    ‘Indigenous Chicago’ project shows the city has always been a Native place

    November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the history, culture and contributions of Indigenous people in our country. If you look around Chicago, you see echoes of Native American history in names like Washtenaw, Skokie and Wabash. But Indigenous history is often presented from a settler or non-Native perspective. Today, we get into a project out of the Newberry Library called “Indigenous Chicago.” Through art, education and collaboration, its goal is to change the dominant narratives about Chicago’s history with the overarching message: Chicago is, and always has been, a Native place. It all began a few years ago with conversations within the Native community. “One of the things we heard over and over again was this issue of invisibility,” said Rose Miron, director of the D’Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies. “Native community members found that there were far too many people who didn’t understand the long history of Chicago as an Indigenous place, but also didn’t realize that there was a large contemporary community here today.” “Indigenous Chicago” is a collaboration between representatives of tribal nations and includes multimedia art, oral histories, public programs, educational curriculum and an exhibition. Curious City’s Erin Allen spoke with curators Miron and Analú María López, the Ayer Librarian and assistant curator of American Indian and Indigenous Studies.

    20 min

  4. 20 NOV

    Without Native Americans, Would We Have Chicago As We Know It?

    Chicago histories usually start in 1830, but Native Americans were already settled in the region long before that. Curious City fills you in on what some history books are missing.

    13 min

  5. 14 NOV

    Bodegas, ‘The Bear’ and why family business is the ‘backbone of the economy’

    When you think of a family business, one of two images probably comes to mind: either the mom and pop shop around the corner or the dysfunctional family from “Succession.” But actually, “it could be anything,” says Jennifer M. Pendergast, family enterprise consultant and professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Last episode, we looked into the oldest family business in Chicago. And this got us thinking about family enterprise in general: Why do family members end up in business together? What happens when they do? Should they? Curious City’s Erin Allen sat down with Pendergast to talk about this, plus why she says family business is the “backbone of the economy.”

    20 min

  6. 13 NOV

    What’s The Oldest Family Business in Chicago?

    Tracking down the oldest family business in the city is not as easy as it seems. The city’s business records only go back to 2002. Time for a fishing expedition.

    8 min

  7. 7 NOV

    ‘So many connections:’ Chicago indicator species are trying to tell us something

    A Curious City listener wanted to know about the decline of frogs in our area. We looked into what’s been happening with these species over the last couple decades in Chicago. It turns out, frogs are some of the animals we call “indicator species.” How well or poorly they’re doing in their habitat can tell us about the health of our own. And they’re not the only ones; there are numerous plants and animals that serve as nature’s alarm system, so to speak. Erin Allen talks with conservation researcher, Dr. Allison Sacerdote-Velat, about the indicator species that are most vital to us in the Chicago area and why we should be paying attention.

    17 min

  8. 6 NOV

    “It’s Not Easy Being Green”: The Decline Of Frogs In Chicago

    Frogs have been on the decline in the Chicago area. The health of the frog population tells us a lot about the health of our environment.

    7 min
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About

Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.

Information

  • Creator
    WBEZ Chicago
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2024
  • Episodes
    530
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2015 Chicago Public Media
  • Show Website
    Curious City

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