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It was the warmest year on record and brought a series of extreme weather events, from wildfires and floods to drought and a devastating derecho. Polls show a big jump this year in the number of people connecting such disasters with climate change.

The probability that an individual will experience a school shooting may be low. But when the improbable happens to you, where do you find comfort?

If Congress and the president can't reach a deal, budget cuts will go into effect next week. But most agencies won't be hit right away. The biggest planning headaches seem to be for payroll companies and others who deal with taxes — as they wait to see if automatic increases happen Jan. 1.

Mistletoe figures prominently during the holidays, offering some holiday cheer and an excuse to steal a kiss or two. But researchers found that removing mistletoe from an Australian forest also caused large numbers of birds to leave.

About three-quarters of public libraries offer e-books, according to the American Library Association. But finding the book you want to read can be a challenge when every publisher has its own licensing rules for libraries — and several major houses don't sell e-books to libraries at all.

The latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll finds that most Americans favor physician-assisted suicide for people with less than six months to live. But the survey found opposition to assisted suicide for people in severe pain who aren't terminally ill or for those with disabilities.

The secretary of state has been recuperating from a stomach virus and a concussion she suffered when she fainted and fell. Congressional committees have been waiting for her to come testify about the attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.

The general who led coalition forces during the successful 1991 war to push Iraqi troops out of Kuwait, "removed the scar of Vietnam" from officers who had also served in that earlier war, says retired Maj. Gen. Robert Scales Jr.

Thousands of years ago, ancient farmers gained the ability to consume milk as adults without getting an upset stomach. A remarkable mutation let some of them digest lactose sugar. But scientists still puzzle over why that mutation persisted and became prevalent in modern humans.

As part of our year-end wrap up, we are sharing the best Fresh Air interviews of 2012. Here we listen back to two interviews we did this year with Stephen Colbert. He talks about the presidential debates, his superPAC, Jesus Christ Superstar and Elvis Costello