Both John McCain and Barack Obama have expressed support for a new type of coal-burning technology that would reduce its impact on the environment. Is clean coal really possible?
For more than 400 years, financial ‘bubbles’ and panics have shaken empires and altered history. It’s happening again with the housing bubble. Why don’t we ever learn?
Oilman T. Boone Pickens is investing a fortune in wind power, and John McCain and Barack Obama have both featured it in their campaign ads. Can wind really solve America’s energy needs?
Eight years after the presidential race came down to a bunch of ‘hanging chads,’ Election Day 2008 could be marked by long lines, equipment failures, and confusion. What happened to voting reform?
The financial meltdown engulfing Wall Street would not have happened without the advent of complex financial contracts known as derivatives. Why were they created, and why were so many supposedly smart people fooled?
After John McCain tapped Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate, the nation took a sudden interest in the quirky 49th state. How is Alaska different than the lower 48 states?
In a tunnel deep beneath the French-Swiss border, scientists last week switched on a massive machine that could reveal the secrets of the universe—or, some fear, suck us all into oblivion. What are scientists searching for?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">With former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic awaiting trial and Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir under indictment, internation
The value of U.S. currency has been on a downward spiral, slowing the economy and driving up prices of everything from oil to tuna. Why is the dollar so weak?
A tenuous peace may be taking hold in Iraq, but in Afghanistan, a resurgent Taliban is undermining the Afghan government and is challenging the U.S. coalition for control of the country. What went wrong?
Calls to lift the ban on offshore oil drilling are growing louder, and the issue has been dominating the presidential campaign. Advocates say modern drilling technology would create little environmental impact. Is this true?
Nearly seven years after terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center, efforts to rebuild the site remain mired in controversy and red tape. What went wrong?
A prominent cancer research institute last week warned faculty and staff to limit their use of mobile phones because of the possible risk of cancer. Should cell phone users be worried?
Experts fear that Beijing’s notorious pollution will wreak havoc with the lungs of Olympic competitors. Can the Chinese clear the air in time?
Five months after Raúl Castro took the reins of power from his brother Fidel, Cubans are now free to buy once-forbidden items such as PCs and mobile phones. But how much has life in Cuba really changed?
Should the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill be sold in vending machines?
A Madagascar hissing cockroach named after your valentine — and more in our collection of bizarrely elite consumer products
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