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Oscars 2014: Why '12 Years a Slave,' 'Gravity' both won bigAt the Oscars Sunday, 'Gravity' took home the most awards, seven, but Best Picture went to '12 Years a Slave.' That could reflect different values that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wants to recognize.
2014 Academy Awards: Why Hollywood is taking a walk on the dark sideFrom 'American Hustle' to the 'Wolf of Wall Street,' nearly all of Hollywood's top films this year are based on real events and cater to Americans' cynicism about society, at a time when heroes are in short supply.
Progress WatchFewer are behaving badly at work, survey finds. What changed?Observed misconduct in US workplaces is at its lowest point in almost two decades, an achievement that appears to be related to companies’ increasing investment in ethics and compliance initiatives.
Cover StoryHow colleges are finding tomorrow's prodigiesAmerican universities are using online courses to discover gifted students in math, science, and the arts. Meet three phenoms from the far corners of the world.
Income inequality: Among US cities, bigger ones are more unequalSome of America's biggest and most economically vibrant cities, including Boston and New York, are also the most unequal, according to a new report on income inequality from the Brookings Institution.
Pentecostal denominations move toward racial reconciliationReconciliation has begun to emerge among the historically segregated sects of modern American Pentecostalism – the branch of Evangelical Protestantism known for exuberant forms of worship and ecstatic speaking in tongues.- 1960s plus 50: How well do you know the tumultuous decade? Take the quiz!
From civil rights to the space program, and women's liberation to Woodstock, the 1960s brought revolutionary change to science, music, politics, and norms of behavior in the United States. How much do you know (or remember) of the tumultuous decade?
Jimmy Fallon takes over 'Tonight Show.' Will viewers show patience?Jimmy Fallon will have to earn his 'Tonight Show' audience in a competitive late-night market, say experts. Mixed reviews of first show notwithstanding, there are signs he can succeed.
Islam: Five pillars explainedA brief primer on Islam's fundamental tenets.
Islam in the US – A brief history
Cover StoryIslam, the American wayIslam in America: A new generation of Muslim Americans separate what is cultural, what is religious, and what is American, finding that the 'straight path' isn't the same path for all.
Barbie doll as Sports Illustrated's swimsuit model meant to be 'unapologetic'Barbie dolls and Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue – both criticized for objectifying women – are joining forces in this year’s edition. The companies’ approach is 'unapologetic.'
Gender pay gap: GM defends compensation package for CEO Mary BarraMedia reports last week said that Mary Barra was set to earn about half the salary of her predecessor, but GM has provided additional information. What are the income disparities between the sexes in the US?
Westminster Dog Show guide: Five things you’ve got to know – and moreMore than 2,800 purebred pooches have paraded in front of adoring fans at the Westminster Kennel Club's 138th Annual Dog Show. 'Best in Show' is selected Tuesday night.
Dumb Starbucks: Funny, yes. But is it legal?Dumb Starbucks made a smash debut in Los Angeles over the weekend, until it was shut down by the county health department for its undocumented (permit) status. A tangle of legal issues persists.
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is 2013's top philanthropist. Youngest, too.Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, gave 18 million shares of Facebook stock to their Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The top 50 donors last year gave $7.7 billion, up about 4 percent from 2012.
The Beatles: 50 years after 'Ed Sullivan,' they're everywhere, in everythingFifty years after their iconic performance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show,' the legacy of the Beatles lives on in iPods, music classes, and throughout pop music.
How religion in the US today tracks closely with geographyA bare majority of Americans still call themselves Protestant as other religions gain ground. But the millennial generation is more likely to reject any formal religion, and this could have political import.
Jay Leno exits. Jimmy Fallon succeeds, or not. Late-night lives on.The late-night landscape is fragmented. Hosts rise and fall. But late-night programming has a solid niche in popular culture. Millions tuned in to watch Jay Leno's farewell to 'The Tonight Show' this week.
Pat Robertson rejects 'young earth' creationism. 'Nonsense,' he says.'Science Guy' Bill Nye debated creationist Ken Ham this week. Now, televangelist Pat Robertson says he disagrees with the biblically literalist view of Earth created in six days 6,000 years ago.
