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Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., walks toward the stage as he is introduced at a Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in June.

Marco Rubio: Poster Boy For The GOP Identity Crisis

The Florida senator was supposed to be one of the emerging leaders of the Republican Party. But his leadership role on the immigration overhaul has brought a lot of criticism from his party's anti-amnesty base. His experience illustrates the divides in the current GOP.

Tourists walk across the Badwater Basin, which sits 282 feet below sea level, in Death Valley, Calif., on June 30. People from around the world flock to the area to experience temperatures that rise to the high 120s on a regular basis.

Summer 'Heat Tourists' Sweat With Smiles In Death Valley

July 10 is the 100th anniversary of the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, and a large crowd is expected in Death Valley to celebrate it. In fact, summer is the area's busiest tourist season. Many of these "heat tourists" come from Europe, eager to feel temperatures they don't get at home.

Unlike the dodo that sits next to it on an NPR Science Desk shelf, this year-and-a-half-old Twinkie is still around — but that doesn't mean you want to eat it.

The Science Of Twinkies: How Do They Last So Darned Long?

When Twinkies hit the stores again on July 15, their shelf life will be nearly twice as long as it used to be: 45 days. (We were surprised it wasn't longer.) There's a whole lot of food science employed to help the creme-filled cake defy the laws of baked-good longevity.

Defense Rests Its Case In George Zimmerman Trial

The trial of George Zimmerman is nearing its end — the defense rested its case on Wednesday after calling 18 witnesses. Zimmerman will not testify.

Ruby and The Romantics' hit song "Our Day Will Come" wasn't necessarily political — but it resonated with listeners' feelings about the civil rights movement in 1963.

A Racial Divide, Diminished: What Was On The Radio In 1963

The pop charts were dominated by feel-good summer songs during the summer of '63. But there was an alternate reality on the R&B charts, and young white listeners were tuning in.

Critics: Trial Of Russian Protesters Threatens Right To Dissent

In Moscow, a dozen people are on trial in connection with a protest last year against Russian President Vladimir Putin. They're accused of attacking police and participating in mass riots after the demonstration turned violent. Critics charge that the trial is part of an intimidation campaign against dissidents.

Elevator Pitch: Why Care About Washington?

Mark Leibovich, author of a just-published book about the ickiness of Washington, makes a case for why people should care.

Rhetoric Drowns Out The Thrills In Huston's 'Skinner'

Charlie Huston's new thriller is a fast-paced and action-packed tale of a retired assassin who rejoins the game to protect a roboticist as she tracks a computer virus. But reviewer Alan Cheuse says "the action comes bracketed with a load of rhetoric," which ultimately put him to sleep.

Bryan Ulring (left), ranch hand Graham Fulton (right) and Nature Conservancy ecologist Nathan Korb (center) install a pipe on a new well dug for the cattle Ulring manages for J Bar L Ranch. The ranch is working with The Nature Conservancy to try to preserve sage grouse habitat.

In Montana Wilds, An Unlikely Alliance To Save The Sage Grouse

The chicken-size sage grouse is as much a part of America's Western range as antelopes and cowboys. The birds nest beneath sagebrush, and as it disappears, so do the grouse. Biologists hope to protect the bird without starting a 21st century range war.

After Asiana Crash, Pilot Training Gets New Scrutiny

Speculation about Saturday's plane crash has focused on the Asiana pilot, who had only 43 hours of Boeing 777 flying experience. But industry experts say pilot training regimes for major airlines rigorously prepare pilots to fly different plane models — and to work as members of a team in the cockpit.

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