Business

Commercial Space Industry Would Benefit From Space Act, Critics Say

2:51pm December 22, 2015

by Audrey Quinn

Lawmakers in the House passed the Space Act, which says U.S. companies can harvest, own and trade resources from space. Two companies have put millions of dollars into the vision of mining asteroids.

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The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans began holding afternoon tea in 1984. A representative says the hotel held daily afternoon tea times until Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

From Raucous To Ritzy: A Brief History Of Christmas Tea

2:39pm December 22, 2015

by Whitney Blair Wyckoff

In some fancy hotels, Christmas tea has become a refined respite for harried shoppers. But the tradition's roots are much rowdier: efforts to fight public drunkenness.

How Did We Do On 2015 Tech Predictions? 'Still Waiting'

10:29am December 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

Last year, our tech reporters looked ahead to developments dealing with anticipatory computing, data breaches and Apple. Now as 2015 ends, they consider what has changed.

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A handout picture made available by SpaceX shows a Falcon 9 rocket landing upright at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX successfully returned a rocket to Earth following Monday's satellite launch after two earlier attempts failed.

SpaceX Rocket Successfully Lands After Launching Satellites

8:16am December 22, 2015

by Doreen McCallister

It's the first launch since a Falcon 9 rocket exploded in June, and the first recovery of a spent booster for SpaceX. Previous attempts were close but ended in failure.

Here's What You Should Know About The $1.8 Trillion Spending Bill

7:48pm December 21, 2015

by Susan Davis

NPR explores the details of the federal spending bill that President Obama signed into law last week.

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Wind turbines stand in Western Maine along the Kibby Mountain range.

Wind Power Continues Steady Growth Across The U.S.

4:39pm December 21, 2015

by Jeff Brady

The wind power industry is celebrating a milestone in November: 70 gigawatts of generating capacity. Researchers say that's enough to power 19 million homes.

Pump jacks at the Belridge oil field in California's Kern County. Oil prices are expected to remain low in 2016 and economic growth is projected to pick up slightly, forecasters say.

No Crystal Ball? Here's Help With 2016 Economic Forecasts

3:13pm December 21, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Investors might wish for a device to peer into the future, but they must settle for economic forecasters. For 2016, most forecasters are seeing signs pointing toward more profits and jobs.

What problem can't be solved with a pair of comfortable walking shoes and an in-ground pool? As it turns out, there are a lot of them.

Economy

The Diminishing Middle — And Why That Widens The Gap Between Us

2:02pm December 21, 2015

by Michel Martin

In light of a recent Pew study that says most Americans are no longer middle-class, NPR's Michel Martin argues that when the middle thins, the ends of the spectrum must yell just to hear each other.

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Economy

The Fed Raised Interest Rates So What Happens Next?

2:00pm December 21, 2015

The Federal Reserve hasn't raised short-term interest rates since 2006. Renee Montagne talks to David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution

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While the days of sharing mixed tapes and audio cassettes may be long gone, exchanging playlists doesn't have to be.

Economy

Need A Last-Minute Gift? Don't Want To Buy Stuff? All Tech Has Ideas

10:56am December 21, 2015

Sometimes, they say, the best things in life aren't things. In that spirit, we've come up with a few ideas of last-minute presents for your plugged-in friends and family that don't involve shopping.