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The tiny, speckled eggs of Japanese quail should be easy targets for hungry predators. But these quail have a survival advantage — each goes out of her way, research suggests, to choose a nesting location that best matches the particular color pattern of her eggs.

For those who rely on technology to speak, there are a limited number of voices. "Perfect Paul" sounds robotic, and "Heather" can seem too old for some. Now, a researcher is using sound samples from people who have never been able to speak to create new, personalized voices for them.

Kirk Bloodsworth was the first person in the U.S. to be exonerated by DNA evidence after receiving the death sentence. Convicted in Maryland, Bloodsworth is now one of the strongest advocates of abolishing the death penalty in the state.

Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan took a bit of a professional risk this week by publicly declaring his vegetarianism. He's not alone: Many Americans say they've cut back on meat in recent years, and like Yonan, they cite health as a primary concern.

In the past 100 years, average temperatures on Earth have changed by 1.3 degrees. Previously, that large of a swing took 5,000 years. That's the word from researchers who pored over temperature data going back to the end of the last ice age.

A rice enriched with beta-carotene promises to boost the health of poor children around the world. But critics say golden rice is also a clever PR move for a biotech industry driven by profits, not humanitarianism.

Sometimes you can't retire even if you want to. For Dian Sparling, a nurse midwife, there's no one to take over her practice. But at 71, delivering babies on call is harder than it used to be. "It would be horrible if I had to do this and stay up all night and I didn't love what I do," she says.

Federal health officials warned that a dangerous group of superbugs has become increasingly common in hospitals throughout the past decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the bacteria are resistant to virtually all antibiotics, including the ones doctors use as a last-ditch option.

Despite current trends, most parents assume their own kids won't grow up to be overweight adults. That 'optimism bias' has neurological roots, brain scientists say.

When it opened, its name alone made it different, advertising the shared ownership of the family's daughters, instead of sons. Today, the shop, which specializes in smoked fish, continues to thrive.

It's called the "Last Great Race on Earth" and spans nearly 1,000 miles. Along the trail, veterinarians will be there at checkpoints to make sure the dogs competing are healthy enough to make it through the final dash.

Until recently, our brains' way of connecting food with love and a sense of well-being was purely a good thing. But in a world where it's possible to feast every day, it can be a problem.

Gambling kept Rose out of baseball's Hall of Fame, and years later, the fallout continues. Topps baseball cards has quietly removed his name from the backs of cards that note major achievements. But is it time to re-evaluate Rose's singular status as a Major League Baseball pariah?

Elected in 1956, Wisconsin state Sen. Fred Risser is the longest-serving state lawmaker in the country. He may not use Facebook, Twitter or email, but he's gotten a lot done over the years. Considered an "institution within an institution" by some, he was just re-elected for another four years.

We'd all like to live the Norman Rockwell scenario, but for some families, the hectic pace of modern life means dinners are often more likely to channel The Simpsons. Studies suggest that regular family meals contribute to healthy eating habits. So what to make of this tradition in transition?