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Federal agents in Milford Township, Mich., a western Detroit suburb, are digging up a horse farm searching for any sign of the remains of former union leader Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa disappeared in 1975. The farm is known as a place where organized-crime figures used to hang out.

Scientists have figured out why eating a dollop of wasabi makes it feel like your head might explode -- a particular class of receptor molecules on the surface of nerve cells. The discovery could lead to a new class of painkillers for a variety of conditions.

In Rio de Janeiro, rather than gather round the Christmas tree, people choose to watch it float. For 10 years, the city has come together once a year to celebrate the holidays and watch the world's largest Christmas tree float in Rio's lagoa -- a small lake that sits behind the narrow strip of land known as Ipanema.

The rescue of three Christian peace activists held hostage since last November comes as an enormous relief to their colleagues. Renee Montagne talks to Anita David, a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Baghdad.

Chemical analysts say that lead poisoning was the cause of Beethoven's many ailments and ultimate death. A Beethoven biographer discusses how the composer's lifestyle could have contributed to lead poisoning.

If you are listening while brushing your teeth, here's a story for you: Colgate-Palmolive is buying Tom's of Maine, the leading maker of natural toothpaste. It's just the latest example of a big corporation acquiring a company that succeeded by selling organic or health-oriented products.

Mother Goose made sugar plums famous in the early 16th century. But the nursery rhyme clearly refers to more than just a tasty piece of fruit. Plum had the meaning of something very special, a prize of treasure or loot. In Britain it even came to be used as a reference for a specific amount of money, 100,000 pounds. However it is used, it always refers to something sweet.

The Knights Templar, a Crusades-era group of Christian monks turned soldiers, have inspired a trio of current best-selling books. Alex Chadwick discusses the literary fascination with the Knights Templar with Laura Miller, book critic for Salon.com.

Congressional reform of the lobbying system is nettled by competing agendas and concerns over freedom of speech. But in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal, the discussion has become more heated. James Thurber is an expert on politics and lobbying who has testified before Congress.

This week, Farai Chideya vowed to turn over a new leaf and take more responsibility for her own health. According to the FDA, 60 percent of Americans are overweight -- and Chideya doesn't want to be one of them anymore. She begins a six-month journey to get in shape and stay there.

The cast of the Broadway touring production of Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations was performing in Buffalo Saturday when news broke about the shooting that killed 10 people.

Voters in Spokane, Wash., recalled Mayor Jim West Tuesday in a special election -- a vote sparked by a local paper's reports on allegations West misused his office to solicit sexual liaisons with young men. Madeleine Brand speaks with Seattle Times chief political reporter David Postman about the election and the requirement that West leave his office by December 16.

Hundreds of recent trips made by White House officials are underwritten by private entities. According to a report by the Center for Public Integrity, the total spent over one seven-year span totaled nearly $1.5 million.

Drugs to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder prompt continued debate. An advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended "black box" warnings for all, but a second panel, made up mostly of child psychiatrists and pediatricians, says the dangers do not merit such a warning.

'Tis the season for holiday festivities in our nation's capital. Madeleine Brand talks with Slate political correspondent John Dickerson about the annual White House holiday parties, and how much of President Bush's attention they'll occupy between now and Christmas, and beyond. The president will host a total of 26 parties at the executive mansion.

Maui's pristine beaches and vast inland sand dune system are threatened as a booming construction industry digs out tons of sand to mix for concrete. Jesse Hardman reports on the the fight on the popular Hawaiian island over the precious resource.

Mining is hugely important to the economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo. But due to a civil war and ongoing conflicts in the east of the country, the Congo's mines now produce just a fraction of their former revenue. All that could change as peace returns and more of the country falls under the control of the central government in Kinshasa.

The Italian city of Pompeii is one of the best-known reminders of how deadly volcanoes can be. Mt. Vesuvius' eruption in 79 A.D. buried the city, entombing many of the dead in casts of hardened ash. Now, scientists say the destruction was even worse in an earlier incident 4,000 years ago.

President Bush says he wants to double the number of community health centers that serve the poor and uninsured. But a new study suggests the administration's proposed budget could undermine that goal.

Don Gonyea is traveling with President Bush and talks to Steve Inskeep about the nuclear agreement between the U.S. and India, and the president's visit to a shrine honoring Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi.

A three-part series on the musical scores nominated for the Academy Award wraps up with a look at Pride and Prejudice, a recap of the other nominees and a prediction for which composer will win.

Miriam Chamani, a priestess of the Voodoo religion in New Orleans, shares her thoughts on the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. She fled the flooding with her parrot Mango, but now she's back welcoming those seeking her insight.

The World Baseball Classic, a tournament involving teams from North America, Latin America and Asia, boasts a lot of Major League all-stars and potentially intriguing rivalries. Whether fans embrace the event remains to be seen.

Bettye LaVette is currently celebrating her 60th birthday, and her latest album, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise. And as she's done for four decades, she's still raising hell on the concert circuit.

Michele Norris talks with Corine Hegland, reporter for the National Journal, about the release of transcripts from hearings of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, which reveal for the first time their names, nationalities, and information about their backgrounds. Hegland talks about the documents reveal, and why it's important.