Cremations are now twice as common as burials in the U.S., reversing a norm from two decades ago, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.
Why it matters: Shifting attitudes around religion, cost and the environment are reshaping how Americans handle death.
Extreme cold is hard on electric vehicles, but EV owners can avoid problems by being prepared — and may even be able to tap their car's battery if the power goes out.
Why it matters: A massive winter storm is expected to bring snow, freezing rain and sleet spanning New Mexico to New England, with extended power outages possible.
About 10,000 flights have been canceled for the weekend as U.S. cities begin to see snow and ice from what is forecast to be a "catastrophic" winter storm.
The big picture: A sprawling, long-duration storm is forecast to dump more than a foot of snow from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Monday, with travel grinding to a halt in broad swaths of the U.S.
Nearly 148 million Americans are bracing for this week's potentially historic winter storm — and if the Waffle House near you closes, that could tell you just how serious it is.
The big picture: After the 2004 hurricane season, former Obama-era FEMA administrator Craig Fugate began discussing the Waffle House index, which suggests that closures of the famously reliable 24-hour chain indicate how bad a storm is in your area.
Over 160 million Americans could be pummeled by a massive winter storm this weekend, with utility companies warning of dangerous, potentially life-threatening power outages.
Why it matters: The storm will be FEMA's first major, multistate rapid activation since the Trump administration began reducing the agency's manpower — and watchdogs warn it may not be ready.
