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The NPR science desk was inspired to take part in the fine, and longstanding, tradition of experimenting with Twinkies.

France was among nine European countries that saw their sovereign debt ratings cut Friday. The move could boost borrowing costs in Paris and undermine a plan to contain the European debt crisis. But the loss of France's AAA rating is also likely to play a role in President Nicolas Sarkozy's re-election bid.

Under heavy pressure from his rivals, front-runner Mitt Romney defended his record as a venture capitalist. He also insisted he bears no responsibility for attack ads aired by his allies, and grudgingly said he might release his income tax returns this spring.

President Obama used a recess appointment to name Richard Cordray head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Unlike similar appointments, the Senate hadn't technically recessed.

John Brown, the man who led the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Va., may be among the most polarizing figures in American history. To some, he's a traitor and terrorist; to others, he's a hero. Tony Horwitz discusses his book Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War.

Tea Party activists say the Supreme Court decision upholding the Affordable Care Act will inspire passion in many conservative circles ahead of the November presidential election.

President Barack Obama met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Mexico on Monday. Their meeting comes at a low point in U.S.-Russia relations. Neither country wants a civil war in Syria, but they haven't figured out a way to work out the issue.

A day after they were turned away by Syrian security forces, U.N. monitors reach the village where 78 people were believed slaughtered on Wednesday.

President Obama toured the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., on Monday with Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. In a speech there afterward, Obama announced a series of steps to prevent mass atrocities. An executive order signed last night targets those who use information and communication technology in pursuit of human rights abuses.

New college graduates face a sluggish economy, bleak job prospects and mountains of student loan debt. To make matters worse, many are clueless about managing their personal finances. Zac Bissonnette, author of How to Be Richer, Smarter, and Better-Looking Than Your Parents, shares his tips.