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Science writer Jennifer Ackerman explores "the uncommon life of your common cold" in her new book, Ah-Choo! She explains why colds follow that familiar throat-to-nose-to-chest path of misery — and details what science shows about various cold remedies. (Prepare to be disappointed.)

The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single day in American history, and the partial victory by Union troops led Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Monday marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War battle that left 23,000 men killed or wounded on both sides.

There was a time when a zig-zagging line didn't mean two, and a circle didn't mean zero. NPR's Eric Westervelt talks with Amir Aczel about the origins of our numbers and his book, Finding Zero.

Donald Trump appears to have moved away from the U.S.'s longstanding "one China" policy. Writer John Pomfret talks to NPR's Robert Siegel about the significance of this apparent shift in policy.

Historic buildings in Beijing are being demolished in the pursuit of quick profit. Even the home of the architect who urged Mao Zedong to preserve Beijing's old city has fallen to the wreckers' ball, sparking considerable outrage. And the epidemic of destruction is spreading to new buildings, too.

On the "Nation's Report Card," history scores were the lowest ever, and civics showed the first decline ever.

The key players involved in the debate over the so-called nuclear option appear to be singing a different tune on the issue. What changed? The party in power.

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.

Islam is conventionally thought to have arisen in the Arabian desert, free from any outside influences. But a new book by historian Tom Hollander provides some surprising historical context — and an origin story quite different from the one most people know.

The United States as we know it was born in a bar, according to a new history of drinking in America. Author Christine Sismondo says most of the major events of the Revolution were plotted in colonial taverns, the start of a grand old American tradition