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Portland Monthly

Science & Technology

onstage

5 Standouts from the TEDxPortland 2025 Lineup

Soccer star Christine Sinclair, a psychedelic psychotherapist, and a Laika animator are billed for the local TED offshoot.

04/21/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Public Health

Portland’s Fraught Fluoride History, Explained

The city has voted down fluoridation four times. How did we get here?

03/19/2025 By Erin Ross

Squash the Competition

How to Grow a Giant Pumpkin and Paddle It to Regatta Victory

A reigning champion of Tualatin's annual race spills his hard-won tips.

09/20/2024 Illustrations by Sam Island By Rebecca Jacobson

Fast Cars

Is Portland a Formula E Town?

We caught up with the crowd at the first-ever Formula E race in the Northwest, and learned electric car races smell better.

06/17/2024 Photography by Robb Farrington By Robb Farrington With Sam Stites

DIY

Yes, Portlanders Are Growing Tiny Forests Next to Their Homes

Goodbye, plant beds and street view. Hello, woodlands.

03/06/2024 By Heather Arndt Anderson Illustrations by klaus kremmerz

SMOKE OUT

Wine Taste Like Cigars? New Coatings May Save Grapes from Smoke

Scientists sprang into action after wildfire smoke tainted many 2020 harvests.

02/07/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Saving the World

This Is Oregon Scientists' Plan to Save the World

The radical proposal of Oregon State University researchers aims to avoid climate change via greater biodiversity and more forestlands—and a no-growth economy.

01/20/2024 By Zoe Sayler

Moon vs. Sun

An Annular Eclipse Graces Oregon Skies October 14

“Interesting but forgettable,” this is not the ring of fire Johnny Cash sang about.

10/05/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Under the Sea

Keiko's Legacy, 30 Years after Free Willy

After striking box office gold in the 1993 Oregon-shot film, the iconic orca made a huge splash in the world of marine mammal conservation efforts.

02/21/2023 By Sam Pape

Bookshelf

Review: Wolfish, on the Complicated Legacy of the Divisive Species

Mixing memoir, history, science, and the story of OR-7, Portland writer Erica Berry reminds us wolves are never very far away.

02/17/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

Popular Content

    Portland’s Fraught Fluoride History, Explained

    Wolf. Dog. What’s the Difference?

    How to Grow a Giant Pumpkin and Paddle It to Regatta Victory

    Keiko's Legacy, 30 Years after Free Willy

    Yes, Portlanders Are Growing Tiny Forests Next to Their Homes

    The Role of Social Media in Social Movements

Science

Look Up, Look Down, All Around—Hey, (It's an Oregon) Satellite

Students at Portland State University are making history by launching the first-ever made-in-Oregon satellite.

10/18/2021 By Karly Quadros

Technology

Portland-Based Tech Startup Sport Source Launches New App

Like an Airbnb of sports, it connects athletes, coaches, and more to gyms and sports facilities.

08/04/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Video Games

After Several Delays, Panic’s Playdate Finally Gets an Update

The new console includes a larger game roster, new accessories, and a no-code creation tool called Pulp. (And yeah, it still has the crank.)

06/08/2021 By Nick Campigli

Coronavirus

From Resource Base to Full-Fledged Nonprofit, the Portland Student Community Response Is Making Moves

A year in, the student-led nonprofit continues to evolve. Its latest tool: a vaccine text line.

04/21/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Coronavirus

What Is Herd Immunity, and How Do We Get There in Oregon?

Here's how many Oregonians need to be vaccinated for us to get back to "normal."

04/10/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Oregon Woman

Engineer and Scientist Arlyne Simon Wants to Inspire Children to Go into STEM

"I asked myself ... ‘What can I do to get more girls into science?’"

03/27/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Footnotes

LISTEN: Breaking Barriers in Science, Research, and STEM with Gail Stonebarger

An OHSU behavioral neuroscience graduate student talks about the hierarchal structure of research and the lack of mental health support for underrepresented communities within STEM fields.

03/26/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Health Events

NogginFest Looks Different this Year, but the 'Spirit of the Event' Hasn’t Changed

The annual celebration of art, music, and neuroscience, happening March 20, will be all virtual this time around.

03/18/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Podcast

LISTEN: Is Learning a Language Possible on the Duolingo App?

Host Gabriel Granillo and editor in chief Marty Patail discuss the popular language learning app—and whether it's possible to harness tech to connect with their heritage.

12/25/2020 By Gabriel Granillo

Design

How Oregon Is Fighting Wildfires with Technology

From night vision cameras to satellites to the humble iPhone, a look behind the scenes

12/14/2020 By Marty Patail

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Fall 2025

The New Willamette Valley

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