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At the turn of the 20th century, a deadly fungus wiped out billions of American chestnut trees from the forests of eastern North America. But, growers are now trying to rebuild a U.S. market with Chinese and European chestnut species and re-introduce Americans to chestnut cuisine.

Monday's inaugural ceremonies were smaller and a little more subdued than President Obama's historic celebration four years ago. The coincidence of the King holiday, in the year that marks the 150th anniversary of emancipation, made civil rights a theme throughout the day's events.

They were called "the only band that matters." In the late 1970s and early '80s, The Clash pioneered punk rock — then went on to expand its possibilities in witty songs that critiqued the world. Strummer, the group's lead singer and songwriter, died 10 years ago this week.

Since 1900, citizen scientists across the Americas have braved bad weather and lack of sleep to participate in the yearly count — essentially, a bird-watching marathon. In the process, these birds have created the world's longest-running database in ornithology and given scientists a great tool for assessing the health of bird populations.

More than two months after the storm, the House of Representatives passed a bill to spend $50 billion to help Eastern states struck by Hurricane Sandy. But some scientists and engineers say there's danger in rushing ahead to rebuild a coastline that's sure to get hit again.

Among the difficult decisions facing President Obama in his second term is whether to give the go-ahead for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline. Environmentalists want it blocked, while advocates of the project say it will create thousands of jobs and make the country more energy independent.

Members of the House known for notorious or offensive comments have lost their seats in Tuesday's elections. On the other hand, some are coming back.

The federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., is sometimes called the second most important court in the country, regularly delivering the final word on major environmental, labor and national security cases. But four of its 11 judge's slots are vacant, the most in the nation.

Researchers have found hardened arteries after scanning mummified bodies, some of which were more than 3,000 years old. A more modern diet and lifestyle were once thought to be the causes of heart disease, but a new study recently published in the journal The Lancet may prove otherwise. Audie Cornish talks to cardiologist Randall Thompson, one of the study's authors, about the findings.

This past week, President Obama laid out the foreign policy objectives for the remainder of his time in office, a speech that included his wish to end not just the war in Afghanistan but the "war on terror." Weekends on All Things Considered host Jacki Lyden speaks with James Fallows, national correspondent with The Atlantic.