Food has been a source of pleasure and nourishment for centuries, but in recent years it’s also become a source of discomfort. For example, today is national chocolate chip cookie day , but any one of the ingredients in a simple cookie could trigger a reaction because of an allergy or sensitivity.

A mysterious space rock will be on display at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium this month thanks to a donation from a well-known meteorite hunter named Tim Heitz . He brings with him a chance for the public to get its hands on a little piece of Mars- he’s bringing a little hunk of the red planet itself.

Referred to by some parents as the “most glorious time of the year,” back to school also means a tax-free weekend for Florida residents . Friday through Sunday there will be no sales tax on certain “back to school” items including school supplies, clothing, as well as bigger ticket items like laptops and other technology under $750.

The state of Florida is dotted with natural springs that have attracted visitors since long before they became 1950’s roadside attractions. And while many preservationists who study Florida’s springs focus on their ecology and the symbolism of a pure, pristine font; one author is connecting the social role springs have played throughout history for a more realistic look at their evolution and possibly their future.

Florida poet laureate Peter Meinke is bringing a night of poetry, stories, and song to Naples, accompanied by music from Southwest Florida composer and arranger William Dawson, Jr.

Since the advent of infant formula, the number of women breastfeeding their children has declined sharply , but in recent years, educational campaigns from the medical community and pushback from parents has seen more and more mothers switching away from powdered formulations. Lee Health is joining other organizations to promote breastfeeding through a Global “Big Latch On” campaign .

He's called the "Human Calendar," and he uses his math and memory skills to set world records in calendar calculations . Math whiz Yusnier Viera is coming to FGCU to share his passion for numbers and encourage a summer camp of Mathletes about the importance of using math to understand our world.

The Police Foundation is a national nonprofit tasked with improving policing through research, innovation, and science, and it may soon be offering help and a fresh set of eyes for the Fort Myers Police Department as it sifts through 155 unsolved homicides.

The Atlanta Braves are bringing their spring training operation to North Port, with an estimated $80 million facility. North Port City commissioners last week approved a one-time payment for $4.7 million to support the project, though some commissioners say they remain skeptical of the project.

He led the Florida Seminole Tribe when it challenged the U.S. Supreme Court over gaming on tribal lands . The legal victory helped kick start a gambling industry now estimated at more than $33 billion. Now former Seminole Chief James Billie wants to do for marijuana what the tribes achieved for gaming, aiming to make tribal producers the source for marijuana in a growing number of states that have legalized recreational and medical use of the drug.