What do UFOs, Fireball Cinnamon and a dead snowshoe hare have in common? They all made the list of NPR.org's top stories of the year.

Wind chill warnings and advisories are in place for parts of the northern United States as regions see temperatures settle in the single digits.

With so many amazing stories and shows out there, it's easy to miss terrific listens made right in your community. Here's the can't-miss storytelling from your neck of the woods.

NPR is hosting several live conversations on Twitter Spaces titled What's Next. Join us on Twitter as we discuss climate change, the future of live TV, how we cover Indigenous communities and more.

According to the National Weather Service, at 3:20 p.m. EDT today, the Autumnal Equinox (the moment when the length of daylight and darkness are almost perfectly equal) occurs.

Over the course of the pandemic many of us have taken up (and often dropped...) new hobbies to past the time. But Brigitte Xie has taken it to a whole new level.

In celebration of National Dog Day, let us introduce you to our radiant pups for your enjoyment (and let's be honest — ours too!)

Mahbooba Seraj, founder of the Afghan Women's Network, has a message for Americans watching what's happening in Afghanistan.

A memo obtained by NPR lays out the emergency preparations being made by American diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul — including the destruction of sensitive documents and computers.

As of Thursday morning, the Taliban now hold 10 provincial capital cities — effectively putting them in control of two-thirds of Afghanistan.

Edith Murway holds the Guinness World Record for oldest competitive weightlifter. She turns 100 on Sunday. Murway started powerlifting at 91.

Authorities warn current conditions are ideal for more fires. Officials say embers from the Bootleg Fire can travel long distances on the current 25 mph winds.

In the last week, 3 million Americans got their first vaccine shot. On Tuesday, the U.S. hit President Biden's July Fourth goal of 70% of adults receiving at least one shot.

If you think parenting is stressful, imagine parenting while also competing as a Paralympic athlete. Lora Webster, who competes in sitting volleyball, is a mother of three, and pregnant with one more.

In a COVID concession to the usual podium process, Olympians are expected to pluck their own medals from a tray. Some athletes are giving each other a hand putting them on.

TikTok is owning the 2020 Olympics as athletes share highlights and behind the scenes updates from Tokyo with each other and followers at home.

The result today was enough for the U.S. team to secure the runners-up position in Group G, after losing their first game against Sweden and later defeating New Zealand.

When the pandemic forced high school teacher Cathy Cluck to rethink her teaching strategy, she went on a "Great American History Road Trip," holding virtual lessons along the way.

2020 has been a stressful year. Iceland wants to help. A group developed an app that will let you record and broadcast a scream, pent up by the pandemic, into the Icelandic wilderness.