All this week, we're revisiting some of our favorite science and technology conversations. Scientists at Argonne National Labs created a sponge that’s being used to clean up oil spills off on the Pacific coast. Plus, there are millions of rural households still don’t have high-speed internet, which can make life harder for those in the farming business. And, for tens of thousands of Americans, living with sickle-cell disease can be excruciatingly painful and even deadly. But gene therapy advancements have given a handful of patients hope for a symptom-free life — and even a cure. Also, companies have brought virtual translators directly to patients getting medical treatment whose first language isn't English.

Nearly 1.3 million Illinois adults lack a high school diploma or equivalent, and more than two million speak something other than English as their primary language, according to the Illinois Community College Board. The ICCB is launching a new billboard campaign to urge those Illinoisans to enroll in adult education programs.