Researchers are finding that the impact of relationships with siblings —for better or worse — can be important, and endure well beyond childhood. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Tomorrow, the Great American Eclipse will sweep across North America, and millions will experience total darkness. It's an eerie and mysterious experience even though at this point, we know exactly what's happening: the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow over earth. But imagine you lived in the ancient world, with no warning that an eclipse was about to happen, as the sun's disk suddenly disappeared and the day fell dark and cool. Unsurprisingly, eclipses were often seen as...

The American response to Israel's war with Hamas could be a major factor in the upcoming Congressional elections. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Bird flu has spread to cows. And now a human has contracted the virus from an infected cow. What kind of risk does this virus pose to people, and are we prepared to treat it? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The recent transplant of a genetically modified pig kidney into a living human raises hopes that lives will no longer depend on the availability of human donor organs. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

One week after a massive container ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse, a massive effort is underway to clear the wreckage. But it's still unclear how long the cleanup will take. Meanwhile, with much of the Port of Baltimore shut down, the economic impact is being felt locally, regionally and in the broad economy. Host Mary Louise Kelly gets the latest from NPR's Laurel Wamsley, on the ground in Baltimore, and Camila Domonoske, who covers the auto...

When news outlets shut down in a city, that creates what's often called a news desert. But in Richmond, California, NPR's media correspondent David Folkenflik says the situation is more like a news mirage. Energy giant Chevron is the biggest employer - and the biggest polluter in the California city. Chevron also owns the local news site. How does that impact the community there? NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Folkenflik and Miranda Green, director of investigations for the news site...

Hawaii is no stranger to extravagant homes owned by the super-rich. But when a tech billionaire started buying up land in Waimea, a small, rural town on the Big Island, the community got curious - and worried. Locals fear it will become even more difficult for Native Hawaiians to afford to live in Waimea and buy property. In Hawaii, the average home price is close to a million dollars. Who's purchasing all this land in rural Hawaii and how will it affect the already high cost of housing...

Shirley Chisholm made history in 1968 as the first Black woman ever elected to Congress. Four years later, the New York representative made history again when she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, the first woman and the first African American to do so. A new Netflix movie, called simply "Shirley," tells her story. Host Ailsa Chang speaks with Regina King, who plays Shirley Chisholm and the film's director John Ridley. Learn more about sponsor message choices:...

This week Russian authorities extended the detention of American journalist Evan Gershkovich. Authorities have yet to provide any evidence to backup charges that Gershkovich was spying, and no trial date has been set. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

People who work on ways to end poverty have been trying a simple approach lately: just giving money to those in need, with no strings attached. Universal basic income, or UBI, once seemed like a radical idea in the US. But now, many places in the country are pushing to make UBI a permanent part of the social safety net. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after a cargo ship rammed into it. As search and rescue efforts continue, federal investigators are trying to understand what led to the collapse. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Famine is a man-made disaster affecting millions in conflict zones. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Suicide rates for queer and trans people are disproportionately high. They're also routinely targets of violence and hate crimes. While some states have protections for queer and trans people, many other states have passed laws that restrict the rights and visibility of transgender individuals. The stories of Nex Benedict and Dime Doe illustrate both those trends. Benedict died by suicide the day after a physical altercation in their school bathroom. Benedict had been bullied by other...

In 1974, Stephen King published his first book, "Carrie". But 50 years on, critics still debate if his work deserves a place in the literary canon. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

President Biden just awarded $8.5 billion dollars to the company Intel to help fund semiconductor factories in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico, and Oregon. At a visit to Intel's campus outside Phoenix this week, Biden said the money will help semiconductor manufacturing make a comeback in the US after 40 years. The money for Intel comes from the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed in 2022 to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing. The administration's goal? For 20% of the world's...

Next week representatives of the Israeli government are scheduled to fly from Tel Aviv to Washington, DC. When they arrive, they'll head to the White House, where they'll meet with representatives of the US government. On the agenda – the next steps in Israel's war against Hamas. The meeting comes as famine is imminent for roughly 300-thousand Palestinians in Northern Gaza. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be losing US support. Still, Netanyahu insists...

The way we have bought homes for the last 100 years could change as soon as July. Who wins, who loses, and who gets a share of the $418 million class-action settlement? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Vladimir Putin has ruled Russia for a quarter century. This weekend's election results confirmed that he will reign for another six years. Putin's hold on the Kremlin gives him control of the world's largest nuclear arsenal and a military that's been at war in Ukraine for more than two years, ever since he launched an invasion in February 2022. That war has killed or wounded hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, but despite these losses, the Russian military is pressing...

Three solidly blue cities have rolled out crime fighting initiatives that feel more like conservative strategies. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

When Russia's war in Ukraine began over two years ago, neighboring countries feared that they could be next. And NATO asked itself - was it prepared to defend its territory if war arrived on its doorstep? The answer was no. So, its military chief decided it was time to ramp up NATO's strategy and revive its military headquarters. And for the first time this spring, NATO will exercise brand new war plans to prepare for the worst. The plan comes as Donald Trump makes another run at the...

This week marks four years since the outbreak of Covid-19 was officially declared a pandemic. One of the most vexing legacies — one that science still hasn't solved — is long Covid. That's the debilitating condition that can develop in the aftermath of an infection. Millions of Americans are living with the often debilitating symptoms that can include brain fog, shortness of breath, and low energy. Some struggle with simple daily living tasks like laundry and cooking. Four years since the...

Here's one sign that shrinkflation is no longer just a topic for economics nerds. Cookie Monster recently complained on social media that his favorite food was getting smaller. "Me hate shrinkflation!" the fuzzy blue monster declared. "Guess me going to have to eat double da cookies!" President Biden promised to sign a bill banning it during his State of the Union address. Shrinkflation isn't new. It's been happening for years. But people seem to be paying more attention right now...

Haiti's Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, has announced his resignation. But the country remains in freefall. Will Haitians finally have a chance to determine their own political future? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The holy month of Ramadan begins this week. It is a holy month of worship for Muslims during which they worship, study the Quran, pray and fast from sunrise until sunset. It is a time of light, but Ramadan feels different this year, especially for Palestinian-Americans, says Eman Abdelhadi. She is a professor at the University of Chicago, whose research focuses on Muslim-Americans. Abdelhadi says "every moment of joy feels stolen and elicits a sense of guilt." The guilt she describes is...