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The term "Rube Goldberg machine" has become shorthand for a convoluted contraption made up of a series of chain reactions. But Goldberg was also a real person, whose ideas for whimsical devices have captivated imaginations for decades.

Could a little red circle help you skip the comfort food this winter and maybe drop a few pounds? Doctors from Massachusetts General Hospital think so. They put traffic-light labels on their cafeteria's menu to signal the healthfulness of dishes. The colorful cues helped improve eating habits even two years later.

Al-Qaida has gained control in an area where 1,300 U.S. troops lost their lives during the Iraq War. Troops who came home are now wondering whether it was all in vain, the Arizona Republican says. He says the total withdrawal of troops from Iraq left a vacuum that's being filled by America's enemies.

On the hit PBS Masterpiece series, the social rules the characters have always known are changing as the world events of the 20th century unfold.

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner was supposed to be a game changing new aircraft, but battery problems grounded the fleet, costing Boeing an estimated $600 million. Now the Federal Aviation Administration has approved a fix to the battery issue, and the first Dreamliner will return to the skies this weekend in Africa. Ethiopian Airlines is relaunching the "continent's first" Dreamliner in its effort to distinguish itself in the increasingly competitive, increasingly crowded African aerospace market.

Violence between Muslims and Christians in Egypt, which has only increased since the revolution, is prompting public debate about religious identity. To try to ease tension and de-emphasize differences, one group of Egyptians wants to remove religious labels from national ID cards.

When Superstorm Sandy flooded lower Manhattan last year, thousands of lab animals drowned and many scientists lost months or even years of work. The specialty animals can be very difficult to replace, but researchers say the loss of animal life is emotionally devastating and difficult to get over.

It's easy to see why a rocket scientist's obituary that led with a mention of her culinary prowess set off accusations of sexism. But food is undeniably a powerful marker of identity, as much or more of a statement of who we are as what we do for a living.

If a family vacation to Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons makes you fear for your waistline — or for your palate — there's good news: The National Park Service is revamping its menus to offer more healthful, local and fancier fare. How does a jumbo lump crab cake or almond-baked chicken sound to you?

Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is the ranking senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee and he has championed elimination of seats on the U.S. court of appeals for the District of Columbia. Sen. Grassley says the workload of the court doesn't warrant the number of justices and other courts could benefit from those seats. All Things Considered host Audie Cornish talks with the senator about the president's nominations to the court Tuesday.