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It's important to science and trade that a kilogram in one part of the world weigh the same as others. But particles in the air may be adding microscopic amounts of weight to some of the "official" kilograms around the world. Scientists have a new method of cleaning those weights.

Former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, tapped by President Obama to serve as the next Secretary of Defense, is coming under fire from conservatives for his past positions on Israel, Iran and Iraq. Elliott Abrams is one of the critics. Abrams served in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush and is now a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He speaks with Melissa Block about his concerns.

France recently hosted discussions between Afghan and Taliban officials. The meetings again raised the possibility of negotiations to end the fighting in Afghanistan, though many analysts remain deeply skeptical.

Many teenagers are living half their lives on social media sites, and they're writing the rules as they go. One online trend 16-year-old Temitayo Fagbenle finds disturbing is something she calls "slut shaming" — using photos and videos to turn a girl's private life inside out.

President Obama wants Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel to run the Pentagon. Hagel's confirmation would put four men with close ties from their Senate days at the center of the nation's foreign policy and national security policymaking. And that's something Obama is willing to fight for.

President Obama has nominated his counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, to lead the CIA. Brennan's work with the agency under George W. Bush has been controversial, and he's also drawn criticism for his lead role in the Obama administration's use of unmanned drones.

Economists have calculated that spending on health care continued to increase slowly in 2011, at a rate similar to the two previous years. Researchers point to the stagnant economy for holding back health inflation.

Without rules that spell out which health plan takes the lead, a young person who lives out of state and is covered by his parents' plan and a college health plan might run into trouble trying to get in-network care when far from hometown.

It's been two years since the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that killed six people and injured former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. To learn what has and hasn't changed since then, host Michel Martin talks with Daniel Hernandez Jr., Giffords' former intern who was credited with saving her life, and Carolyn Lukensmeyer of the National Institute for Civil Discourse.

Investing your money can be a hair-pulling ordeal, but some investments aren't complicated and may have big returns, even beyond the financial ones. Host Michel Martin talks about different ways of investing $1,000 with Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine.