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When you hear the words bubonic plague, Black Death usually comes to mind. But the first plague pandemic happened 800 years earlier, when the Justinian plague wiped out nearly a quarter of the world's population. Scientists have decoded the bacteria responsible, which have roots in China.

Officials are slowly lifting the bans on water use in areas that have been affected by last week's chemical spill.

The Olympic sport of curling is a combination of bowling, bocce ball, billiards and chess — all on ice, and with some sweeping involved. NPR's Tamara Keith spent some time learning how to curl, and put together this cheat sheet.

Audie Cornish speaks with Dr. Michael Gibson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He's been seeing the victims of the explosions in Boston in the emergency room at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The heart of Tornado Alley is home to one of the fastest-growing Latino populations in the country. After last week's devastating twister, the community faces some unique challenges — including protecting vital documents and overcoming the fear of asking for help.

On Thursday, the City Council will debate proposals including raising the minimum age for buying cigarettes to 21. Also on the table is a ban on tobacco displays behind retail registers. Critics are pushing back, arguing that the changes won't have the intended effect.

Nearly 18 million tourists descend on our nation's capitol every year, and most of them are keen to spend time at the many free museums in Washington, D.C. But only about 100,000 people take the trip across the river to a museum of a different sort: the Pentagon. The Pentagon's exhaustive historical displays offer fresh insight into the range of the Defense Department's activities.

Guest host Wade Goodwyn speaks with James Fallows, national correspondent with The Atlantic. This week, they break down Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann's decision not to run for re-election. Plus, a look ahead to President Obama's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The dose of radiation an astronaut would experience on a trip to Mars is higher than the annual limit set for workers at nuclear power plants. But Mars enthusiasts say the radiation threat isn't high enough to cancel the trip.

Despite some good economic news, the White House is not shouting "recovery" from the rooftops. With many people still struggling, President Obama has to do a tricky dance.