NASA's most accurate census yet of near-Earth asteroids suggests that astronomers already know the location of more than 90 percent of the largest asteroids that could cause mass extinctions. The survey also suggests there are far fewer midsize asteroids than expected, but scientists don't know where most of these are.

Though the Illinois Department of Natural Resources can only guess at the number of skunks in the state by counting roadkill, officials and residents of Chicago say they see — and smell — a dramatic increase in the number of skunks.

Analyzing the tweets of millions of users suggested cross-cultural, Earth-wide trends in peoples' moods across days and weeks: We're more positive in the morning and late evening. The results point to new ways that academic research might tap into social media.

The chemicals in rotting fruit excites male fruit flies, even before they catch a whiff of their future mates. After they mate on the fruit and leave the eggs behind, their larvae can hatch into a nutrient-rich world.

A new poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health finds that more people than ever are becoming aware of the likelihood that they will need potentially expensive long-term care health services as they age. But they still don't understand how that care gets paid for.

In Alaska's picturesque Bristol Bay region, developers are looking to build an enormous copper and gold mine. They promise the effort will be carried out in an environmentally responsible way — and provide area jobs. But fisherman, conservationists and native groups have joined efforts to thwart the mine, fearing it will pollute fish and wildlife. Melissa Block talks about the battle for Bristol Bay with reporter Daysha Eaton of member station KDLG in Dillingham, Alaska.

Many people who live close to gas drilling sites complain of serious illnesses. But there are few concrete data to help explain why they're getting sick. Investigative reporter Abrahm Lustgarten says weak industry regulations also make it hard to establish a clear connection between gas drilling and health effects.

This past weekend, wildlife officials in Texas came across a huge illegal fishing operation. They found about 3,000 dead sharks, tangled in miles of nets off the coast. Michele Norris talks with Sgt. James Dunks with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department who found the sharks.