It was a bonanza year for blockbusters -- four topped the $300 million mark -- but there was a trove of art-house gems, too. Herewith, Bob Mondello's 10 favorite films of 2007, plus an additional baker's dozen that deserve another mention at year's end.
From Darth Vader to Scarlett O'Hara, the best fictional characters reflect something about who we are and how we got here. In Character, a six-month series from NPR, explores indelible American characters from novels, movies, television and popular culture.
Father A.J. Cote, a Dominican friar, was sued two years ago for allegedly abusing a minor. Depositions in the case reveal the Dominicans operate under a system where warning signs can go undetected and a problem priest can find refuge in new assignments for years.
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For at least a decade, nasty carpets of an invasive algae species have been fouling up pristine fishing streams in the western United States. But this year, the giant, gooey wads appeared on the East Coast, and traveling fishermen are the culprits.
The world's forests currently soak up 25 percent of the carbon dioxide created by burning fossil fuels. But as forests age, they may start releasing more CO2 than they absorb. Scientists have put Harvard Forest under the microscope to find out which way trees will sway.
While you might be hard-pressed to name a delicacy specific to New Year's -- other than champagne -- traditions abound around the world. Nigella Lawson shares food customs from Italy and other European countries.
Author Harry Mount thinks that a little Latin does a body (and mind) good. Jacki Lyden speaks with the writer about his new book, Carpe Diem: Put a Little Latin in Your Life and why he wants to breathe new life into the dead language on Angelina Jolie's belly.
In the final installment of his six-part series, independent producer Julian Crandall Hollick visits Sagar Island, where the Ganges River ends. He finds thousands of pilgrims bathing in the river and celebrating a mythical Hindu story.
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In this week's puzzle, Will Shortz names people who became famous during the past twelve months, whom you probably never heard of before 2007. The player tells why they're famous.
Legendary Atlantic Records house producer Joel Dorn died earlier this month at the age of 65. He was a tremendous influence on his son Adam, a music maker himself who records under the name Mocean Worker.
Some U.S. soldiers have turned to music to communicate their experiences to friends and family back home. As several compilations on the all-military To the Fallen record label prove, some of the songs are quite good.
Humorist Andy Borowitz boldly predicts the major events and scandals coming up in 2008.
In a musical world where her instrument is often eclipsed by the higher-profile violin, Kim Kashkashian stands out as one of the world's few violists with an solo career. Her new album of songs from Spain and Argentina, transcribed and performed with pianist Robert Levin, underscores the richness of the viola's vocal qualities.
Dion DiMucci used to sing rock 'n' roll hits: That's him on "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer." But he says he's always really been a blues singer. His new CD, Son of Skip James, is his second blues album.
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A new creative space dedicated to experimental collaboration between artists and scientists opens in Paris. Le Laboratoire is the brainchild of Harvard bio-medical technology professor David Edwards. Besides teaching, Edwards writes fiction and works in theater.
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Savage is a 14-year-old piano genius -- an exceptional feat for anyone, much less a young man who has been diagnosed with autism. On Piano Jazz, he's given free reign to show off his enthusiasm for jazz and improvisation.
On Second Stage, All Songs Considered producer Robin Hilton profiles the best of music's great unknowns. He chooses the best outsider artists of 2007: musicians who made remarkable recordings that were largely overlooked, led by Le Loup.
The final season of the HBO series The Wire, which dramatizes how real-world institutions and leaders repeatedly failed the people of Baltimore, gets under way Jan. 6. Creator David Simon is turning his critical eye on journalism, namely The Baltimore Sun.
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Business-consulting firm Basex forecasts a Problem of the Year: Information Overload. It happens when you receive so many low-priority e-mails or phone calls that you can't accomplish important tasks. Basex says in 2006, these interruptions cost the U.S. economy $650 billion.
Dr. Sandeep Jauhar talks about his memoir, Intern, which documents his trial-by-fire introduction to the medical profession. Jauhar describes 80-hour weeks and the chronic exhaustion that is the trademark of first-year doctors completing their residencies.
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