NPR News

NASA is launching the most powerful space telescope ever after decades of anticipation. The James Webb Space Telescope is set to show astronomers what the universe looked like nearly 14 billion years ago. Watch the launch from French Guiana live on December 24th at 7:20pm ET.

Tuesday, December 21 at 2:30pm ET: As COVID-19 cases surge across the U.S. ahead of Christmas, President Biden delivers remarks on his administration's plans to fight the onslaught of cases and the rapidly-spreading omicron variant of the virus.

Watch below. For a full transcript, click here.

The U.S. has spent millions of dollars since the 1980s on anti-drug ads. But research shows that some of these older public service announcements might be counterproductive. Now that the ads are shifting to reach teens who want to rebel, new studies show they may actually be more effective.

It's hard to determine just how many veterans became ill because they were at nuclear test sites, but one soldier who witnessed more than 20 bomb explosions in the Nevada desert in 1957 says a lot of good men died because of it.

The new book The Pun Also Rises, by 1995 O. Henry Pun-Off World Champion John Pollack, traces the surprising long and rich history of what some people call the lowest form of humor.

Chef Barton Seaver wants you to look a fish in the eye before you eat it. In a new cookbook, he highlights the importance of sustainable seafood to the long-term viability of our environment and our diets.

Bill James is best known for his contributions to baseball, but his latest book focuses on another, very different, favorite pastime: crime stories. Popular Crime looks at the effects infamous crimes have had on our culture.

Betty White has been on television — in her words — "forever." Her new memoir, If You Ask Me, focuses on the past 15 years of her life and career. Far from slowing down, that career has been skyrocketing as a new generation gets to know her.

Just in time for Mother's Day, Melanie Notkin has come out with Savvy Auntie, a guidebook for women who don't have children, but still love them. A proud aunt to many, Notkin explains how to play a fun and supportive role in the lives of your nieces, nephews and god-children.