NPR News

Roller derby teams had distinct bacterial colonies on their arms before a bout, researchers found. After pushing and shoving on the track, those colonies were more similar. The research is part of the push to identify the microbes that live on (and in) us.

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Though an officer was convicted by a military panel, that decision was overturned. The secretary of defense says he does not have the authority to step in, and has asked for recommendations on whether the Uniform Code of Military Justice needs to be amended.

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Jupiter Hammon lived and died in slavery. But he still managed to become the first published African American poet. Now a newfound poem by him shows how complex his thoughts on religion and slavery really were.

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The Iranian leader attended Hugo Chávez's funeral in Venezuela. Afterward, a photo surfaced that Iran's conservative clerics say shows him sinning — by touching a woman to whom he's not related.

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The committee, controlled by Democrats, is likely to approve expanding background to private transactions and to debate a renewed assault weapons ban.

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While "opponents will shout austerity," the Republican lawmaker says his plan would still let federal spending grow. It just wouldn't grow as quickly as now projected, he says, and would come into balance if the economy continues to expand and boosts federal revenue.

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Also: Sarah Palin is writing a book about Christmas; Rachel Aviv on the literary genius of Julian Jaynes; author Sarah Manguso on memoir.

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Also: Sarah Palin is writing a book about Christmas; Rachel Aviv on the literary genius of Julian Jaynes; author Sarah Manguso on memoir.

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In the Sistine Chapel, cardinals will begin voting. It takes the votes of two-thirds (77 cardinals) to become pope. If no one gets that many on the first ballot, the cardinals will be "busy murmuring in each others' ears over coffee and pasta" as they form alliances, NPR's Sylvia Poggioli says.

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Technology is making it easier than ever to track everything from your sleep cycles to the food you eat — and even your amino acid levels.

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A bill now on the governor's desk would bar Mississippi counties and towns from enacting rules that require calorie counts to be posted, that cap portion sizes, or that keep toys out of kids' meals.

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With Chavez gone, his handpicked successor is in the spotlight. Nicolas Maduro has adopted Chavez's style and anti-imperialist rhetoric. That should help boost his appeal as he faces opposition leader Henrique Capriles in a special election April 14.

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A Seattle widow's one-stop estate planning advice blog was inspired by her own paperwork frustrations after her husband's death. Chanel Reynolds offers a checklist of documents to prepare, a will template and a list of details to write down, like passwords to online accounts.

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Researchers say a study of more than 58,000 U.S. Facebook users says their "likes" can be used to accurately predict everything from their sexual orientation to their political views. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Both are surprising and fun. In their own way, they're also kind of sweet.

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Criticism over a study's findings has not deterred researchers from saying their work may represent one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in hundreds of years: "fossilized biological structures" in a meteorite.

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The judge in the case said if James Holmes pleads not guilty by reason of insanity, he could be interviewed using a truth serum. Holmes is expected to enter a plea in a hearing on Tuesday.

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Less sleep equals more eating, according to a rigorous new study. People who slept just five hours a night burned more energy but also ate more — so much more that they gained almost 2 pounds in less than a week.

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In separate events, high ranking officials from both sides called for rules regarding hacking. China also continued to defend itself against accusations that it was behind the hacking of dozens of American companies.

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Almost 100 years ago, a water-supply diversion from Owens River helped quench Los Angeles' thirst some 200 miles away. L.A. thrived, but it drained the Owens Lake and created a salt flat that now pollutes the air. A century later, the finger-pointing continues, and this week, the city's water department is back in court over its cleanup plan.

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