National Geographic has recognized the Southern Ocean as the fifth official ocean. The cartographic update doesn't surprise researchers who study the importance of the waters surrounding Antarctica.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Thomas Byrne, Ireland's Minister for European Affairs, about Belarus' forced diversion of an international passenger flight to remove an opposition journalist.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano about the Flamin' Hot Cheetos controversy and the historical erasure of Mexicans in American food culture.

A fungus called Massospora produces an amphetamine in some cicadas and makes them lose control. Cicadas that are infected lose their genitals — and they don't even notice.

A fungus with psychedelic properties has infected a small percentage of Brood X cicadas which might cause the bugs to lose part of their body and mate like wild afterward.

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Mkhaimar Abusada, political science professor at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, and Israeli political analyst Akiva Eldar, about paths to a ceasefire in Israel.

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky about the new guidance that fully vaccinated people don't need masks indoors and how the Pfizer vaccine is now available to kids 12-15.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown about the recent spike in coronavirus cases in her state and her plans on reopening the economy.

At 10 years old, Tanitoluwa Adewumi just became one of the youngest chess masters in the United States — and he's not done yet. He says he hopes to become the world's youngest grandmaster.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., who is facing a recall election, about his economic recovery plan that would give $600 stimulus checks to more Californians.

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Hank Nuwer about concerns that a pandemic-induced lull in hazing-related deaths may reverse as college students return to campus.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Andrew Brown, Jr. He talks about the family's request to deliver special remarks and reflections.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Nick Robinson, of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, about the dozens of anti-protest bills introduced by Republican lawmakers this year.

Coronavirus cases are surging in Michigan. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan's chief medical executive, about the state's decision not to implement new restrictions.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Democratic Congressman Pete Aguilar of California about the testimony by the Capitol Police inspector general regarding the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about the suspected attack on an Iranian nuclear site over the weekend.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Republican Congressman Garret Graves of Louisiana about President Biden's meeting with a bipartisan group of members of Congress about his infrastructure proposal.

NPR's host Mary Louise Kelly talks with Jacqueline Charles of The Miami Herald about the alarming rise in kidnappings in Haiti, including seven members of the Catholic clergy taken on Sunday.

On the heels of IKEA's success with its podcast — a four-hour reading of its catalog — scores of new non-storytelling podcasts have broken new ground reading other catalogs and lists.

A group of scientists from Boulder, Colo., compared three different atomic clocks. It's a step toward redefining the length of a second.