Janet Davison Rowley was a world-renowned human geneticist at the University of Chicago. The first to discover a link between cancer and genetics, she received many top prizes, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of … [Read more...]
Embracing the Mystery of Einstein
When I was eight years old, my mother handed me a slip of paper with an Einstein quote: “He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would … [Read more...]
Ann Arbor: Michigan’s Silver Lining
While much of Michigan struggles in a failing economy and faltering job market, it seems as if a crystal bubble protects Ann Arbor, population 113,934. To believe that, however, would be an insult to the city’s people. Everyone in this clean, … [Read more...]
Finding peace on Amish roads
At 6 a.m., my consciousness is somewhere between REM sleep and reality. The click, click, click sounds in my dream are getting louder, while blended smells of coffee and baked goods seep into the storyline. My senses begin to align, and I … [Read more...]
Art in the Kentucky Woods: Berea Craft Festival
As I ascended the brow of the hill from the hayfield parking lot, I suspected I was in for a weird walk in the woods. I soon realized it would be wonderful, too. The winding gravel path was lined with white canopies shading artisans, perched for as … [Read more...]
Edifices Rex
Americans tend to have a fondness for small towns, idyllic places where life is simpler, easier and friendlier. The reality is that such picturesque small towns have largely disappeared in recent decades, their unique identities dissolved by urban … [Read more...]