Opinion: The Pope wants priests to lighten up

A reflection on the comedy stylings of Pope Francis, who is telling priests to lighten up and not be so dour.

The FDA restricts a psychoactive mushroom used in some edibles

The Food and Drug Administration has told food manufacturers the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria isn't authorized for food, including edibles, because it doesn't meet safety standards.

People power's unfinished work: Can Bangladesh be an exception?

The Wilson Center's Michael Kugelman says that for many Bangladeshis, a successful youth-led mass movement has shattered a long malaise and kindled a newfound optimism about the country's future.

Latinos are the fastest-growing fanbase in the NFL. What's the league's playbook?

The NFL is reaching more Latinos than ever. Here's how they've scored with a Spanish-speaking audience.

How AI deepfakes polluted elections in 2024

The most visible use of AI in many countries was to create memes and content whose artificial origins weren't disguised. They were often openly shared by politicians and their supporters.

A pair of satellites will create artificial solar eclipses to study the sun

Astronomers hope the Proba-3 mission will help them get a better view of the corona, the sun's outer atmosphere, which is even hotter than the sun's surface.

It’s Official: The North Pole Is Moving

Every scout knows how to read a compass, and that there is a magnetic north and a true north. That’s because the Earth’s magnetic field isn’t exactly aligned with the North Pole. …

Advocates want Biden to spare the lives of the 40 prisoners on federal death row

Anti-death penalty advocates hope President Biden will grant clemency to 40 people on federal death row. He has already commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 others.

A year in radio: Some of the favorite stories from 2024

Some of the All Things Considered staff whose voices you don't always hear on air share their favorite stories that aired on the show in 2024.

The Fight for a Crucial City in Ukraine : State of the World from NPR

Ukrainian soldiers are struggling to stabilize defensive lines near the city of Pokrovsk, in the country's east, against Russia's much larger advancing army. We go to the front lines of Pokrovsk, to see how the fight is playing out. Support our...

What happens if Congress doesn't fund the government?

If lawmakers can't reach a deal to avoid a shutdown, many federal workers would be furloughed, while essential functions like Social Security payments would continue.

Numerous people are injured as a car drives into a Christmas market in Germany

A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg, injuring an unknown number of people in what authorities say was a suspected attack. The driver was arrested.

Malaysia plans to restart a private search for the missing Flight MH370

Over a decade later, none of the bodies of the 239 passengers and crew members abroad have been recovered.