An excavator perched on a barge removes rocks from the Mississippi River in Thebes Ill. Seth Perlman/AP hide caption

To understand heat, biologist Bill Streever simmered in some of the hottest places on Earth, including California's Death Valley. Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Will Self is a British author and journalist. His latest book, Umbrella, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Polly Borland hide caption

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., left, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have talked about a deal to change the Senate's filibuster rules. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption

Stanley McChrystal's new memoir, My Share of the Task, recounts lessons from his years in the military. Penguin Books hide caption

Over a quarter century, Naxos Records has evolved from an industry joke to a leading force in classical music. Naxos hide caption

Stefanie Drootin-Senseny and Chris Senseny are the core of Big Harp, a band the married couple formed shortly after the birth of their second child. Ryan Fox/Courtesy of the artist hide caption