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Dave Van Ronk at the 1968 Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Will The Real Llewyn Davis Please Stand Up?

Dave Van Ronk's autobiography inspired Joel and Ethan Coen's new movie about a '60s folksinger. Though he died in 2002, a new anthology ought to help give Van Ronk a long-needed boost.

Comet ISON Is No More, NASA Says

There were hopes over the weekend that ISON might have survived its close encounter with the sun. But "with more than a little sadness," the space agency says, "we have to declare the comet lost."

The massive marketing campaign for <em>Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues</em> has gone way beyond trailers and commercials. Some critics say the journalists are embarrassing themselves — and some say the character has become tiresomely ubiquitous.

The 'Anchorman' Legend Continues, And It's Everywhere

The upcoming sequel to the 2004 film has been running a veritable marketing blitz between viral videos, car commercials and even an in-character appearance by star Will Ferrell on a local newscast.

Participants compete in the 2013 Pokemon World Championships in Vancouver, Canada, on Aug. 10. The Pokemon franchise has become a billion-dollar franchise since it debuted on American shores 15 years ago.

The Surprising Cultural Stamina Of Pokemon

Fifteen years ago, pocket-sized characters known as Pokemon arrived on American shores from Japan. The cute creatures were suddenly everywhere: television, video games, card games and a movie. But few people imagined that in 2013, the franchise would still be going strong.

Stanley Kubrick's <em>The Shining</em> strikes its terrifying tone with help from the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, whose music underscores several of its tensest scenes.

A Sound Of Fear, Forged In The Shadow Of War

On the 80th birthday of Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki — whose music helped make The Shining so terrifying — NPR's Arun Rath considers how the classical music of Penderecki's generation has been shaped by real-life horror.

Decorating their house and yard with more than 31 miles' worth of lights, an Australian family has reclaimed a Guinness world record in Canberra, Australia.

500,000 Lights: Family's Christmas Display Sets World Record

Australia's Janean and David Richards used more than 31 miles' worth of LED lights to decorate their home. Their yard features a canopy of lights fanning out beneath a large tree whose trunk is wrapped in glowing colors.

A rendering of the world's largest vessel, the Shell Prelude, which comes in at just over 1,600 feet. It has just left its dry dock in South Korea, where it is being built. It will eventually head toward Australia, where it will be anchored off the coast and used as a liquefied natural gas facility.

The World's Largest Vessel Enters The Water In South Korea

Shell's new vessel is so large that if you stood it up, it would be taller than the Empire State Building. It will be anchored 300 miles off the coast of Australia to handle liquefied natural gas.

A file photo dated 1961 of South African anti-apartheid leader and African National Congress (ANC) member Nelson Mandela.

To Better Remember Nelson Mandela, Get To Know This 'Country'

Amid the flurry of retrospectives prompted by Nelson Mandela's death, writer Kevin Roose reminds readers not to forget the social context within which Mandela struggled. Roose suggests reading the novel, Cry the Beloved Country, to understand the systematic racial oppression of South Africa under apartheid.

A winter storm is hitting an area from Virginia to New England, snarling traffic and closing schools. On Sunday, heavy snowfall changed the look of an NFL game in Baltimore, Md., where Ravens players stood for the national anthem at 1 p.m.

Winter Storm Plows Through Mid-Atlantic To Hit New England

Winter won't officially begin until nearly two more weeks pass, but snow, ice, and freezing rain are blanketing a large swath of the U.S. As of Monday morning, more than a thousand flights were cancelled.

People hoist the body of an 18-foot oarfish that was discovered in Toyon Bay at Catalina Island off the California coast.

18-Foot Oarfish Livens Up A 'Leisurely Snorkel' In California

A snorkeler off Catalina Island encountered a rare creature Sunday, when she saw the large eyes of an 18-foot fish staring back at her. It turned out to be a rare oarfish, known to live in waters thousands of feet deep.

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