NPR Topics: Story of the Day Podcast

Crowdfunding is a simple way for anyone to ask for money online from friends, family and even strangers. One woman raised $10,000 to help her neighbors affected by Hurricane Sandy. She's been hand-delivering checks to owners of damaged businesses and people who just need the extra lift.

Baltimore's population has been declining for decades. Now the city is reaching beyond its borders for growth, courting immigrants with new programs and laws. The big question: Will it work?

Hurricane Sandy wrecked hundreds of thousands of cars along the New York and New Jersey shorelines, and could cost auto insurers around $800 million. That's not the companies' only problem, though; disposing of these water-damaged vehicles isn't so simple.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday that for the first time it will tackle the issue of same-sex marriage. Defying most expectations, the justices said they will examine two cases, presenting the possibility that the court could decide all the basic issues surrounding gay marriage in one fell swoop.

Researchers found a surprising number of mutations, including several associated with disease, in the genes of normal healthy people. Their study raises questions about whether widespread genetic sequencing could end up scaring people for no good reason.

The way Texans speak, from using words like "y'all" to that old Texas twang, is iconic in American culture. But linguists say the twang is fading — and that, in a few decades, "talking Texan" may sound quite different than it does today.

The $100 Guitar Project started when two friends bought a cheap guitar on a whim. They invited some other friends to compose and record an original piece on the instrument. Nels Cline, Fred Frith and Elliott Sharp are among the 65 guitarists who recorded for the project that went viral.

Several Jewish leaders are suing New York City to block a new rule regulating a circumcision ritual known as metzitzah b'peh. City health officials say the ritual, practiced by some Orthodox Jews, can spread the herpes virus to infants. But critics say the law infringes on their freedom of religion.

The rules adopted by House GOP leaders in recent years are leaving Speaker John Boehner little room to maneuver. To reach an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff, he may have to break at least one of them, analysts say.

The aircraft carrier was the largest ship in the world, and the first nuclear-powered aircraft when it was commissioned. It's played a featured role in world conflicts — and Hollywood movies — for more than a half-century. Now it's being retired.

Athletes may show intense emotion in their face, but you'll need more than that to tell if they won or lost. A new study suggests people don't read extreme facial expressions to judge how a person is feeling.

The rates on capital gains and dividends are on the table in the negotiations over the fiscal cliff. Some complain that it would hurt companies' stock prices, giving them less money to invest. But other economists say it's unlikely to have strong effects.

Food waste is a big problem — for public health, the environment and consumers. Chefs and restaurant owners seem like they'd be the least likely to waste food, and yet 15 percent of all the food that ends up in landfills comes from restaurants. Some restaurants are starting to take action.

A growing number of teenage girls are incarcerated each year. Many have injuries consistent with sexual assault, and up to a third are or have been pregnant. But the care provided in detention is often inadequate for girls because the assessment of their needs misses the mark.

Dr. Najeeb Hanoudi, an Iraqi ophthalmologist, befriended the Desert Rogues, an infantry unit, in 2003. Even his son's tragic shooting at the hands of an American soldier never broke his bonds with his "brothers."