L. Carol Ritchie

Workers on Tuesday examine the home that exploded in Arlington, Va., on Monday night. Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Smoke and haze from the Canadian wildfires hang over Pittsburgh on June 28. Oliver Morrison/90.5 WESA hide caption

President Biden ordered the National Archives to hand over visitor logs from the Trump White House to the committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Rapper Cardi B wears a Thierry Mugler design as she arrives with rapper Offset at the Grammy Awards in 2019. Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy talks to reporters at the White House on July 15. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run against the Houston Astros in Game Six of the World Series in November. Bob Levey/Getty Images hide caption

The Merriam-Webster dictionary added 455 new words in October, many related to online slang or the coronavirus pandemic. Joanne K. Watson/Merriam-Webster Via Getty Image hide caption

The new Cleveland MLB logo is displayed on July 23 in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915,the team will be called Guardians starting next season. Tony Dejak/AP hide caption

Daniel Foote, here during a 2016 congressional hearing, has resigned as the U.S. special envoy for Haiti. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

Flag bearers Melissa Stockwell and Charles Aoki of Team United States lead their delegation in the parade of athletes during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Buda Mendes/Getty Images hide caption

We all struggle with healthy habits — including experts. They just have science-tested tips to get them back on track. Michael Driver for NPR hide caption

The negative voice inside your head can hold you back from making new friends. Tara Moore/Getty Images hide caption

We all struggle with healthy habits — including experts. They just have science-tested tips to get them back on track. Michael Driver for NPR hide caption

Studies show that when doctors practice compassion, patients fare better, and doctors experience less burnout. Cavan Images/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF hide caption

The George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston is filled with evacuees from Hurricane Harvey. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

In a small room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, mail from children is read, sorted into categories and answered by staff — except for the few that are sent every week to President Obama. The letters are eventually stored at the National Archives and will later find a home in the president's library. Becky Harlan/NPR hide caption

New York newspapers are on display following the arrest of 11 suspected Kremlin spies in 2010. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

A trip to Iceland wouldn't be complete without a dip in the Blue Lagoon, a man-made geothermal pool on Reykjanes peninsula. Tania Fuentez/AP hide caption

Dale Earnhardt Sr., shown celebrating in the victory lane after winning the International Race of Champions in 1995 in Daytona Beach, Fla., died on Feb. 18, 2001 from injuries in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500. In one of this week's #NPRreads, a sports reporter remembers that moment. Terry Renna/AP hide caption

Saudis carry a poster in May demanding freedom for jailed Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Nimr was executed on Saturday. Hasan Jamali/AP hide caption

The Royals' Lorenzo Cain celebrates after scoring on a hit by Eric Hosmer in the eighth inning against the Blue Jays in Game 6 of baseball's American League Championship Series. Matt Slocum/AP hide caption