The Day Tomorrow Began: The Genesis of World-Changing Ideas

In 1890, the University of Chicago was founded on the belief that an empowering education must be rooted in the principles of free expression. This core belief states that it is not the role of the University to attempt to shield people from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable or even offensive. For more than a century, UChicago has protected the expression of all individual viewpoints and became a leading global advocate for the advancement of free expression beyond UChicago, including establishing the Chicago Principles in 2014, which have been adopted by universities and colleges across the country. Today, UChicago is building upon its historical commitment to free expression by launching the University of Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression ( ), which aims to promote the understanding, practice and advancement of free and open discourse throughout the University and beyond, while addressing present-day challenges. Learn more: Big Brains podcast: "Defendin

As World War II raged, a group of Manhattan Project scientists gathered beneath the football stands at the University of Chicago to work on a secret experiment that would radically reshape the 20th century. Led by Enrico Fermi, they worked feverishly to build a 20-foot-tall structure of graphite and uranium called "Chicago Pile-1," and on Dec. 2, 1942, achieved the first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. The breakthrough marked the beginning of the Atomic Age—and it would change everything from energy to medicine to the geopolitical landscape. It resulted in a devastating weapon, a new way to make electricity, a new blueprint for scientific research and the creation of the first national scientific laboratories, new tools to understand biology and a new global landscape. Learn more here: First nuclear reaction explained: Discover The Day Tomorrow Began here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for

In the late 1940s, a team led by Willard Libby, a chemistry professor at the University of Chicago and former Manhattan Project member, invented the scientific method known as carbon dating. Radiocarbon, or carbon-14 dating, measures the decay of organic materials to determine their age back to 60,000 years. Libby’s breakthrough discovery revolutionized the field of archaeology—allowing archaeologists to put together an accurate history of humans across the world. Today, scientists around the world use carbon-14 dating to make advancements in history, geology, climate change, human health and more. Learn more about how UChicago scholars' pioneering research and groundbreaking contributions continue to shape our world. Read more here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional th

In the mid-20th century, we knew very little about the causes of cancer. But one University of Chicago scientist became convinced that it involved a factor that had few suspected—and her discovery would fundamentally change the way we understand and treat cancer. In 1972, UChicago scientist and physician Janet Rowley took the first step towards a greater understanding of this complex disease. Poring over photographs of chromosomes taken from the malignant cells of leukemia patients, she noticed something odd: Two chromosomes had consistently swapped genetic material in each of the patients. In patient after patient, she found the identical genetic swap, known as a translocation. Today, scientists at the University of Chicago continue to build upon Rowley’s work. From advancing immunotherapy—a treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to detect and destroy cancer—to planning the city’s first freestanding clinical cancer center, UChicago continues to deepen our knowledge and devel

In 1920, Edith Abbott and Sophonisba Breckinridge founded one of the country’s first graduate schools of social work at the University of Chicago. There, they conducted social science research—a radical approach at the time—to get at the root causes of social issues. Today, the school is known as the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, and it is widely recognized as one of the country's leading social work schools. Students and faculty address our society’s most complex problems—child welfare, mental health and social inequity—to work toward a more just, humane society. Learn more about how UChicago scholars' pioneering research and groundbreaking contributions continue to shape our world. Read more here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking

For more than a century, University of Chicago scholars have developed groundbreaking theories that have redefined the field of economics—from ideas on monetary policy to human capital to efficient markets. More than 30 scholars affiliated with UChicago have won the top honor in economics—the Nobel Prize. Learn more about how UChicago scholars' pioneering research and groundbreaking contributions continue to shape our world. Read more here: Discover The Day Tomorrow Began here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. #UChicago on the Web: Home: News: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: University of Chicago on YouTube: /uchicago *** ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibili

In 1953, sleep scientists at the University of Chicago made a revolutionary discovery: REM, or rapid-eye movement, a stage of sleep that is important in dreaming, memory and emotional processing. Learn more about UChicago's pioneering work and what it meant to the science of sleep—a mysterious phenomenon that UChicago scholars continue to unravel today. Read more here: Listen to the podcast here: How sleep affects human health, explained: Discover The Day Tomorrow Began here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. #UChicago on the Web: Home: News: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: University of Chicago on YouTube: /uchicago *** ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility

In the early 20th century, a group of UChicago physicists conducted pioneering experiments instrumental to understanding the nature of quantum mechanics. Today, scientists at UChicago, Argonne and Fermilab are at the forefront of quantum science and technology—placing Chicago at the global epicenter of quantum research. Learn more about the potential of this groundbreaking technology in the latest installment of The Day Tomorrow Began. Read more here: Listen to the podcast here or on YouTube: •WhyQuantumTechWillChangeOurFuture:T... The quantum internet, explained: Discover The Day Tomorrow Began here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. #UChicago on the Web: Home: News: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: University of Chicago on YouTube:

A century ago, UChicago scholars argued a controversial idea: Western civilization had its roots in the ancient Middle East—not in Greece or Rome. Today, UChicago faculty from the OI and across the University continue shaping the study of early civilization through archaeological work and research on the world’s ancient languages. Learn more about Egyptologist James Henry Breasted, who formed the Oriental Institute (the OI) as a museum and interdisciplinary research center dedicated to the archaeological study of Western Asia and North Africa, and the UChicago research that bridges the ancient past to our lives today. Read more here: Listen to the podcast: Podcast on YouTube: •Theoriginsofcivilizationandthefuture... Discover The Day Tomorrow Began here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to chall

At age 19, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was the first to propose that stars were destined to collapse at the end of their lives. The idea was controversial, but his research eventually paved the way to the discovery of black holes. Today, UChicago scientists are conducting groundbreaking research on black holes and what they can tell us about the universe. Read more here: Listen to the podcast: Discover The Day Tomorrow Began here: ➡ Subscribe: About #UChicago: Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. #UChicago on the Web: Home: News: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: University of Chicago on YouTube: /uchicago *** ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please email digicomm@uchicag