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Farms outside Baghdad as seen from a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter. Much of Iraq's soil has a high salt content because of flooding and poor drainage.

Who Should Pay To Fix The World's Salt-Damaged Soils?

The area of land no longer suitable for farming because of salt degradation is rising quickly. Scientists argue the private sector should help fund efforts to reverse it since it relies on the crops.

While U.S. Focuses On Sony Hack, Some Of The World Is In The Dark

The controversy around The Interview is a top story in the U.S., but those in North Korea have no knowledge of the film. NPR's Arun Rath talks with Washington Post Tokyo bureau chief Anna Fifield.

A Fresh Take On Dystopia In 'Chimpanzee'

Dystopian literature usually focuses on global ills — climate change, GMO food, nuclear war. But Darin Bradley's new novel takes off from an economic collapse and the plight of student-loan debtors.

Solar sponge: The top layer of graphite soaks up the sun's energy in tiny holes. When drops of liquid fill the holes, the water quickly evaporates. (The beaker looks hot, but the water below the sponge is cool as a cucumber.)

Cheap Drinking Water From The Sun, Aided By A Pop Of Pencil Shavings

Engineers have developed a low-cost material that efficiently sterilizes and desalinates water using only solar energy. The secret to the new technology is likely sitting right on your desk.

Adam Namm (left) is the U.S. ambassador to Ecuador and a member of Samay Blues Band. He performs regularly with the group and says its a way to breakaway from traditional diplomacy.

Singing The Blues, A U.S. Envoy Hopes To Boost Ties With Ecuador

In South America, left-wing governments hostile to the U.S. are tossing out diplomats or shunning them entirely. In Ecuador, U.S. Ambassador Adam Namm is using music to do something about it.

University of Virginia students walk to fraternities at the start of rush week. Sorority women are always invited to Boys' Bid Night, but this year national sororities have ordered women to stay clear.

Party Ban Is Patronizing, U.Va. Sorority Women Say

National sorority leaders have told members at the University of Virginia not to attend a multi-frat Bid Night party after a discredited article about a gang rape.

Afghan presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah, left, and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai shake hands after signing a power-sharing pact in Kabul Sunday. The first vote in the election was held in April; a runoff followed in June.

Afghan Presidential Rivals End Dispute — And A Long Election Season

The top two presidential candidates in Afghanistan shake hands and sign a power-sharing deal, ending months of bitter disputes over who will succeed Hamid Karzai.

NASA's PhoneSat, a 4-by-4-inch CubeSat satellite, will use an Android smartphone as its motherboard. It was among the 29 satellites launched Tuesday from Wallops Island, Va. Another miniature satellite, developed by high school students, also was on board.

First Satellite Developed By High Schoolers Sent Into Space

The first satellite ever developed by high school students to make it to space is believed to be orbiting Earth after getting a ride aboard a U.S. military rocket Tuesday night from Wallops Island, Va. Fittingly, perhaps, you can send it a text message.

Jang Song Thaek, who was North Korea's second-most powerful official, was put to death this week.

Was North Korea's No. 2 Killed For Not Clapping Hard Enough?

One reason North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had his uncle executed, some analysts say, is that he felt disrespected. The uncle, Jang Song Thaek, allegedly failed to applaud with enough enthusiasm when Kim was given a key post. It's also thought that Kim wanted to send a message: Don't mess with me.

Michael Emberley's illustrations, like this one showing an egg traveling through a fallopian tube, make sexual health information accessible to an elementary and middle school audience. But elements of the art, including naked bodies, make some parents uncomfortable.

It May Be 'Perfectly Normal', But It's Also Frequently Banned

It's Perfectly Normal, a 20-year-old illustrated sex-ed book for kids, is meant to teach children about sexual health, puberty and relationships. It's one of the most banned books in America.

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