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Technological advances now allow Vermont's maple syrup producers to get twice as much sap per tree, meaning more syrup and more money. Statewide, the crop brought in $40 million last year, double its value from just six years ago.

The melting of ice in the northern latitudes is feeding new industries. Among them: speculating for petroleum products where vast amounts of undiscovered oil and natural gas are believed to be, and hunting for mammoth tusks unearthed in the softening tundra.

With the Supreme Court hearing arguments this week on same-sex marriage, film critic Bob Mondello observes a parallel evolution in what he calls a Hollywood mini-genre: films in which gay characters are either taken to court or seek redress in court for issues involving their sexuality.

At a mass in St. Peter's Square, the pope appealed to political leaders of the world to protect the environment, the poor and the marginalized. Representatives of the world's major religions were present, as well as some 132 delegations from all over the world.

Under pressure from the New York state comptroller — who oversees one of its largest shareholders — the doughnut chain has agreed to set a goal of using only 100 percent sustainable palm oil to make its doughnuts. Production of palm oil has caused serious deforestation in Indonesia.

President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night will pick up where his inaugural speech left off. He's expected to bring up the issues of the economy, overhauling immigration, gun control and the budget.

When it comes to pollinating our favorite crops — from coffee to watermelon — honeybees can't do it alone. Wild bees in the field play a critical role in creating bumper crops, a massive new study reports. But these bees are disappearing, and scientists say the rise of crop monocultures is partly to blame.

Outgoing Energy Secretary Steven Chu spoke this week at a government-funded expo for energy innovation. The failure of the Solyndra solar company has cast a shadow over Chu's tenure. But supporters say only with that kind of risk-taking can the government plant the seeds for future energy success stories.

Latin America's largest economy is growing fast and has plans to put up dozens of dams in the coming years. Environmentalists and residents in some areas are opposed, but the projects are moving ahead rapidly.

What happens when Steven Spielberg's idealism and Stephen King's cynicism combine in a CBS TV series? Under the Dome may be packed with sci-fi what-ifs, but beneath its mysteries is a small American town working out some very familiar human problems.