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Protons and plants, bottom quarks and butterflies

WICN Public Radio ran a story about how science and nature don't have to be strange bedfellows and, in Illinois, protons and prairies actually work together.

Fermilab in Illinois is America's premier research facility for studying high energy physics and contains North America's largest proton accelerator. Why would a cutting edge particle physics institution also have a staff ecologist? The reason is that besides everything else that goes on at Fermilab, since it was constructed it also has meticulously restored the long-grass prairie on its grounds and keeps track of the animals, birds, butterflies and plants that now inhabit the facilities grounds.

Listen to the interview