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Much of the attention on the world's plunging birth rate is on east Asian countries like Japan and South Korea. But Latin American countries, like Chile, are also seeing a decline in fertility. We go to Chile’s capital to understand the personal decisions behind the countries plummeting birth rate trend.

(Image credit: Tamara Merino for NPR)

Erin Patterson was convicted last month of killing her estranged husband's relatives with a meal laced with toxic mushrooms. Newly unsealed evidence alleges she previously poisoned his meals too.

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James prosecuted the president and his companies, winning millions in fines linked to fraud allegations. Her attorney called the probe a "desperate example of the president's campaign of retribution."

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago)

The Trump administration plans to end a $7 billion Biden-era program that helps low-income households get solar power.

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Germany will stop exporting military equipment to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip, in a swift response to Israel's decision to expand its operations in the Palestinian enclave's main city.

(Image credit: Ebrahim Noroozi)

The second Trump administration has removed more climate and environmental data from websites in the first 100 days than the first administration, according to a new report

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Michigan's health director spent a year and $30 million building a work requirements system for Medicaid. The problems he encountered have him worried now that 40 states must do the same by 2027.

(Image credit: Emily Elconin)

This week a new word made its public debut. With an increase in attacks on health care facilities and personnel, the goal of this coinage is to spark outrage and outcry. But the reaction is mixed.

(Image credit: Omar Al-Qattaa)

Israel has announced plans to extend the Gaza war and take over Gaza City. And, President Trump wants a new U.S. census to exclude people without legal status.

(Image credit: BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Bobbys were inescapable in music in the '50s and '60s: Bobby Sherman, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Darin and more. NPR critic Bob Mondello looks back to an era when everyone seemed to share his name.

The National Crime Prevention Council is questioning federal cuts to McGruff the Crime Dog's campaign to sniff out fake pills. The group says McGruff's work that started in 1980 isn't over.

(Image credit: National Crime Prevention Council/YouTube)

Plus: physical fitness, Confederate statues, robot overlords and weird zoo requests.

Economists say, what happens in Vegas matters nationally because it often reflects broader trends on consumer confidence and the overall health of the U.S. economy.

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Unlike other tech giants, many music-streaming services like Spotify are not currently taking steps to label AI-generated content. But experts say more transparency is key.

(Image credit: Jakub Porzycki)

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs is presiding over two Harvard cases challenging Trump's moves to cut federal funding from the university and to ban it from enrolling international students.

(Image credit: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee)

NASA is accelerating plans to have a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030.

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The new school year can be exciting, but also stressful. Kids may be feeling anxious. Parents may be juggling new responsibilities. Experts share tips on how to manage this season of change.

An executive order from President Trump would extend the opportunity for 401k fund managers to include private equity in retirement portfolios. What are the risks and benefits?

Rayford Junior Miles — a World War II veteran from Alabama — came across as a classic tough guy. But to his granddaughter Melanie Harrison, he was just 'Papa.' Melanie spoke with her father, Jim Miles, to remember a grandfather with a soft heart and a comical communication style.

The human brain tends to slow down as we age — even healthy brains shrink. That can make learning and memory harder as people age. But some people’s brains shrink more slowly than their peers. This lucky group is called “SuperAgers.” They’re people aged 80 or older. But they have the memory abilities of someone 50-to-60 years old. This week in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, researchers from Northwestern University’s SuperAging Program summarized some of the secrets they’ve learned in the last 2.5 decades. 

Want to hear about more stories about human health and aging? Email us and let us know at shortwave@npr.org.

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(Image credit: Shane Collins, Northwestern University)