Science and Technology — It's Fun, You'll See!

By Margaret Lyons in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 3, 2007 6:35PM

A jury of science professionals unveiled their picks for the top ten most important scientific achievements in Chicago history. The list, from most to least important:

1. The first controlled nuclear reaction
   
2. The invention of the first portable cell phone
   
3. The development of hormone treatment of prostate and breast cancer
   
4. The invention of magnetic recording
   
5. The discovery of malaria treatment
   
6. The creation of the modern skyscraper
   
7. The proof of the existence of the top quark
   
8. The isolation of chromosome abnormalities in cancer
   
9. The development of carbon-14 dating
   
10. The discovery of how the body makes insulin

Congratulations, Maroons; most of these are affiliated with the University of Chicago (numbers 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 and 10).

This is all part of Chicago Science in the City 2007, a citywide program that encourages all of us to explore and to delight in the beauty of science. The City's hosting a shitton of events of the next few weeks, including a lecture tonight at Uncommon Ground about viruses that cause cancer, a Lego engineering class on Saturday (sadly, for 4th and 5th graders; we are all about a grown-up one next year, CSitC), a robotics workshop for teens and adults, and a bunch more cool stuff. Lots of it is geared to the kiddies, but plenty of it — like a science of gender lecture or discussion about the science of dance — are definitely for an adult crowd.

Why yes, the headline is a shout-out to an '80s PSA.