Search results for

Thor Hanson's new book looks at the evolutionary significance of feathers in birds. Hanson tells Fresh Air that he's amazed by birds' magnitude of feathers, how feathers grow and how they're the "most efficient insulation known."

Because of droughts, bears are having to search harder and across wider ranges to find food. That's increasingly bringing them into contact with humans. In Aspen, Colo., alone there were nearly 300 "bear calls" to police in August — a record.

But most of them said that despite some disappointments, the president deserves four more years to see his policies through.

In the nation's capital, park planners have drawn up an ambitious plan to transform an old bridge into an active recreation space. If realized, the park would offer a physical and symbolic link between two very different communities.

With Mitt Romney vying to become the first Mormon president, Democratic members of the predominantly Republican faith have an especially tough sell this year. At the Democratic National Convention, they discuss why they think their religious values are more in line with Democratic policies.

Defense Department officials say that No Easy Day, former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette's book about the secret mission to kill Osama bin Laden, includes classified information that may harm U.S. military operations. The book is currently the bestseller on Amazon.

Largely wrung of politics, the first lady's speech plotted parallels in her life and that of her husband, President Obama. She pointedly tracked their humble beginnings and strivings in an unspoken but clear contrast to the privileged upbringing of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

If your football team is a member of the SEC, you don't just root for your own team — you root for the whole division. Commentator Frank Deford takes a look at Southern pride.

Since January 2011, the government has knocked 2 percentage points off the payroll tax, which funds Social Security. But there's little appetite to extend the tax holiday and a $95 billion price tag.

Russia's population is smaller than it was back in 1991, when the Soviet Union broke up. Contracting populations are rare among countries that are not at war, and the Russian exodus includes many talented, educated people.