Illinois Innovation – World’s First Nuclear Reactor

Did you know the world’s first sustained nuclear reaction was achieved on a squash court beneath Stagg Field at the University of Chicago? The moment sparked the controversial age of nuclear power and also nuclear weapons.

A key moment in the Manhattan Project, the experiment in Chicago was designed to prove a scalable, sustained nuclear reaction was possible. With hundreds of people working on the project the reactor ultimately took two weeks to construct and on Dec. 2, 1942, the first nuclear self-sustaining chain reaction was achieved in 28 minutes.

The 49 scientists present at the reaction celebrated with Chianti wine drank from paper cups. Following the reaction, the reactor was transported to a forest preserve outside Chicago and disassembled. The scientists and equipment involved in the project were reorganized to pursue peaceful uses of atomic energy, becoming the nation’s first national lab, the Argonne National Laboratory.

Nuclear fission went on to be used in energy, weapons systems, chemistry and biological studies and many breakthrough medicinal applications. The use of nuclear fission in all of these settings presented world altering changes to how humans interact with the world.

August Artist of the Month: Alison Krauss, a Bluegrass legend

Every month here on I Like Illinois, we highlight a wide variety of artists and musicians, showcasing the diversity and uniqueness of our state and its role and impact in the music and creative industries. This month, we are highlighting a Bluegrass legend: Alison Krauss.

Born in Decatur in 1971, Alison grew up in the Champaign-Urbana area with an early influence of the banjo and acoustic guitar from her mother. From age five, she was given classic violin lessons until age eleven. Her mother, Louise, was a pivotal figure in her life, encouraging her to delve into the musical world at a young age as an artist and illustrator of magazines and textbooks herself.

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National Roller Coaster Day ─ Six Flags Great America

National Roller Coaster Day on Aug. 16 is a day to go out and celebrate by having your stomach drop and hands go up on some of the thrilling rides Illinois has to offer. This year we highlight Six Flags Great America. This amusement park in Lake County has 16 roller coasters and is among the top 20 in most visited amusement parks in North America!

Let’s start with the brand new Wrath of Rakshasa. This ride is the steepest and most inverted dive coaster in the world. Towering ominously at an impressive 180 feet, this dive coaster invites you to ascend into the shadows before surrendering to a heart-stopping 171-foot drop at a record-breaking beyond-vertical 96 degrees that feels like a descent into the abyss. As the world’s most inverted dive coaster, Wrath of Rakshasa sends you into a whirlwind of five inversions that will test your limits and leave you breathless. It reaches speeds of nearly 67 miles per hour as you race through the demon’s lair, soaring through 3,239 feet of steel track.

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Centralia Hot Air Balloon Fest

Centralia Balloon Fest is an annual three-day hot air balloon event that takes place on the third full weekend of August in Centralia. The event is held at Foundation Park, a 300-acre nature park.

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