From laptops to electric cars, lithium-ion batteries are in so many of the products we use every day. It’s hard to imagine there’s an alternative. But a half century ago sodium-ion batteries were also on the table as an option. Today, with metals like lithium harder and more expensive to source, electronics firms are taking another look at sodium-ion to power our modern devices. With greater availability, lower manufacturing costs and more stable chemistry, could sodium-ion batteries be the key to powering our future? Shirley Meng, a University of Chicago professor and materials scientist who has studied sodium-ion batteries, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to dig into their potential.

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USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield takes a closer look at redistricting fights playing out across the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday ahead of President Donald Trump's expected meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday in Alaska.

USA TODAY Reporter Andrea Riquier discusses how some empty churches are being converted into residences.

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Across the planet, the actions of humans are creating novel ecosystems which, according to the BBC, have been dubbed ‘freakosystems’ by the daughter of a professor of ecology. ‘Freakosystems’ are places where unfamiliar species mix with native species in unexpected ways. Research into the Hawaiian island Oahu’s lush landscape demonstrates how the actions of humans have radically changed the natural world. What do these emerging ecosystems tell us about both the resilience and fragility of life on Earth? Corey Tarwater, an ecologist at the University of Wyoming who has been researching Oahu's ecosystems for more than a decade, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss her findings.

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Members of the Washington, D.C., National Guard have reported for duty across the nation's capital under President Donald Trump's orders to fight crime and reduce homelessness in the city.

USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy talks about how Trump's real estate history shapes his presidency.

President Trump's pick to be the new U.S. commissioner of Labor Statistics suggests suspending monthly jobs reports.

USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Karissa Waddick tells us how America’s farmers are aging, and what that means for our food supply.

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USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook takes a closer look at President Donald Trump's moves this week surrounding the National Guard and police in the nation's capital.

An explosion at a steel plant in Pennsylvania left two people dead Monday.

Australia will recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations next month.

President Trump says he's looking at reclassifying marijuana at the federal level.

USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise discusses government plans to drop a horde of flies over the Texas border.

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Israel's military says it targeted and killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif.

USA TODAY Health and Wellness Reporter Adrianna Rodriguez discusses the ongoing feud between medical groups and RFK Jr.

The Trump administration is using hundreds of federal police officers to target crime in Washington, D.C. Plus, Trump says homeless people in Washington "have to move out, IMMEDIATELY."

AOL will shutter its dial-up internet service.

USA TODAY Deputy Wellness Editor David Oliver tells us about his experience at grief camp.

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Valeriana is an ancient, lost city in Southern Mexico hidden under jungle canopy for centuries, recently discovered via a Google search. How did that happen you ask? Luke Auld-Thomas’ research on Mayan settlements had him poking around on the internet which led him to a LIDAR survey - a laser-based technology used in this case for terrain mapping. When he ran the data, he realized there was an entire city, of a significant size, entirely covered in dense vegetation. Could there be more of these ancient settlements, just a few clicks away, waiting to be found? Tulane doctoral student Luke Auld-Thomas joins The Excerpt to share how he stumbled into the discovery of a lifetime. (This episode originally aired on January 1, 2025.)

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President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet next week in Alaska to discuss an end to Russia's war on Ukraine.

President Trump and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace agreement Friday at the White House.

For The Win Staff Writer Meghan L. Hall tells us what's really going on with sex toys being thrown on court at WNBA games.

The Department of Justice opens an investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Legendary astronaut Jim Lovell has died at 97.

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Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week that Israel intended to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip.

President Donald Trump nominates CEA Chair Stephen Miran to a temporary Federal Reserve board vacancy.

USA TODAY First Amendment Reporting Fellow BrieAnna Frank breaks down Trump's recent religion memo for federal workers.

The National Weather Service has taken steps to begin filling some of the positions left vacant by federal cutbacks.

USA TODAY Senior Reporter Jessica Guynn tells us how shoppers are returning just about everything, taking advantage of stores' lax return policies.

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It's International Cat Day!

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Squirmy and Grubs are not your typical YouTube stars. One is them is able-bodied. The other is not. How they navigate the challenges that dichotomy presents is the point. So is how normal their lives as an interabled couple really are. The story of Hannah and Shane Burcaws’ relationship and others like it is captured in their new book, "Interabled: True Stories about Love and Disability." They joined The Excerpt to talk about what they hope abled couples understand about interabled love. (This episode originally aired on January 22, 2025.)

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