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Downton Abbey is the most popular drama in the history of public television. And when the whole of the TV universe is fragmenting, that isn't just impressive — it's almost impossible. Critic David Bianculli ponders the hit show's unlikely success.

When hunter-gatherers started adding grains and starches to their diet, it brought about the "age of cavities." At least, that's what a lot of people thought. But it turns out that even before agriculture, what hunter-gatherers ate could rot their teeth. The problem: At least some of these ancients had a thing for acorns.

The southwestern U.K. is getting slammed by huge waves whipped up by 70 mph winds accompanying a low-pressure system sweeping in from the Atlantic.

A dozen war heroes from South Sudan's long struggle for independence are now accused of launching a coup to overthrow the democracy they helped create. One of them, Peter Adwok Nyaba, was telling NPR's Gregory Warner about the political roots of the conflict when police came for him.

The U.S. Forest Service has proposed a large salvage logging operation in the area affected by last year's historic Rim Fire, which burned 410-square miles of California's Sierra Nevada. The proposal is meeting stiff opposition from environmental groups who say the land is better left untouched.

Janet Yellen, 67, will become the first woman to serve as America's banking chief, heading an institution that was established in 1913.

The Consumer Electronics Show is the tech industry's annual electronics showcase in Las Vegas, where companies are showing off their latest and greatest gadgets, like Internet-connected toothbrushes (ideal for hygiene-concerned helicopter parents) and cars that come equipped with a 4G cell connection.

Health care costs grew at 3.7 percent in 2012, the fourth year of a trend of smaller annual increases. The Obama administration says that the Affordable Care Act is a factor. But the actuaries who wrote the report beg to differ, saying the recession is a more likely cause.

There's little talk of God at "Sunday Assembly," but you will find community, music and skepticism. There are now almost 30 congregations in several countries, offering what the British founders of the movement call "the best bits of church, but with no religion and awesome pop songs."

Pioneering Hong Kong movie producer Run Run Shaw has died. His studio popularized the kung fu genre that influenced Quentin Tarantino and other Hollywood directors. He was 106.