Stories by Meredith Francis

Muckraker journalist Upton Sinclair started a national movement for food safety after the publication of his 1906 novel, The Jungle, although that wasn't his aim. “I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach,” he said. 

Chicago improv team Improvised Jane Austen improvises stories set in Jane Austen’s world using the themes, characters, and language of the beloved author. 

Clifford the Big Red Dog and his pal Emily Elizabeth are returning to PBS KIDS for more larger-than-life adventures with new animation, songs, and more.

It already feels like winter in Chicago, so it’s time to break out the mittens, lace up the skates, and fill your mug with hot cocoa­­—though not necessarily in that order. Here are just some of the things you can do around Chicagoland this holiday season.

Before our clocks fell back and sprung forward, there were dozens of time zones in the United States. Chicago, once a major railroad hub, played a key part in standardizing time across the country.

In 1919, James Henry Breasted founded the Oriental Instiute with what was at the time "a radical idea," that scholars should look toward the ancient Middle East to understand western civilization. Now, 100 years later, OI is celebrating its past by looking toward its future.

As both of Chicago's airports look toward the future of air travel, here's a look at the ups and downs of Midway's past. When it was the world's busiest airport, Chicagoans would flock to watch airplanes take off and land in the airfield.

Leaders, actors, musicians, and athletes have all made their way to Sesame Street to offer up some teachable moments, as well as some plain fun ones. Big names like James Earl Jones, Johnny Cash, and Michelle Obama have all joined the gang to lend their talent. 

More than 550 people from 36 countries have traveled to space. Beyond household names like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, dozens of Americans became celebrated "firsts" and set records, like the farthest distance travelled from Earth, the first person enrolled in a Native American tribe to travel to space, and the most number of days spent in orbit.