We get a leap day only every four years. How will you spend it? Here's some inspiration from people celebrating all sorts of personal milestones — and those who just want to enjoy their extra day.

Why do we have leap years, and what are we supposed to do — or not do — with our rare extra day? NPR's Morning Edition spoke with experts in astronomy, history and economics to find out.

The more than half mile long wall, called the Blinkerwall, was likely used by Stone Age hunter-gatherers to herd reindeer toward a shooting blind.

Lately, paleoecologist Audrey Rowe has been a bit preoccupied with a girl named Elma. That's because Elma is ... a woolly mammoth. And 14,000 years ago, when Elma was alive, her habitat in interior Alaska was rapidly changing. The Ice Age was coming to a close and human hunters were starting early settlements. Which leads to an intriguing question: Who, or what, killed her? In the search for answers, Audrey traces Elma's life and journey through — get this — a single tusk. Today, she shares her insights on what the mammoth extinction from thousands of years ago can teach us about megafauna extinctions today with guest host Nate Rott.

Thoughts on other ancient animal stories we should tell? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might make a future episode about it!

In a Valentine's Day exclusive report, NPR has learned there is currently a gay anteater couple at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington D.C.But this couple is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to queerness in the animal world – it's been documented in hundreds of species. We spoke with wildlife ecologist Christine Wilkinson of the "Queer is Natural" TikTok series to uncover the wildest, queerest animals of the bunch.

Questions, comments or thoughts on queer animal love? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might feature it on a future episode!

Will you be celebrating a birthday on Feb. 29, or have other fun plans in the works? NPR wants to know how you'll be spending your leap day.

Investors in dating app companies are suffering from heartbreak. As these companies shift gears and try to make a profit, many of their users are heartbroken too.

A traveler returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo attempted to sneak in the mummified remains of four monkeys.

Guinness World Records at first rejected a tower replica that Richard Plaud made from more than 700,000 matchsticks. But on further review, the organization said it might have been too "heavy-handed."

With a Grammys comeback performance, an unannounced 'SNL' visit, and an Olympic un-retirement, women were center stage this week. Sorry, Swifties, this time we're not talking about Taylor.

For Groundhog Day in 2024, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, elating a massive crowd at Gobbler's Knob.

When the beloved red Muppet asked people how they were doing, they responded with honesty — and, in some cases, despair. Elmo replied to many messages with encouragement and empathy.

The profane parrots please patrons, despite the staff's fears that visitors might be scandalized from hearing so much salty language from the birds.

More than 100 of these artifacts have been found across Europe, but no one knows what they were used for. This dodecahedron was discovered fully intact and in excellent condition.

This week, we saw the Iowa caucuses suck up news coverage, an ancient space entity suck in stars, and low temps suck the charge from Teslas. Were you paying attention?