A University of Minnesota professor has come up with a theory that challenges everything we think we know about motion sickness. The Minneapolis Star Tribune says Prof. Thomas Stoffregen believes that poor posture in a challenging environment is the main cause of motion sickness. Scientists have long held the source of motion sickness is the inner ear, which is considered the organ of balance.

The odds of life beyond Earth have grown exponentially. Astronomers say there are as many as 40 billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy. One of every five sun-like stars has a planet similar to Earth with conditions that could support life. The New York Times quotes an astronomer who says the nearest Earth-like planet could be 12 light years away, and visible to the naked eye.

The Senate appears poised to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that would ban discrimination against gay workers. Seven Republican senators are supporting the legislation. Speaker John Boehner says he won’t bring the bill up for a vote in the House. But the Washington Post says the fact that Boehner’s criticisms of the bill are more about trial lawyers than moral issues signals a softened tone from the GOP on gay rights.

The Wall Street Journal breaks down some new research into what happens inside the bodies of sports fans watching big games. Fans get more pleasure out of a close loss than a blowout win. Another study found heart attack deaths rise after a close Super Bowl in the losing team’s home town, while heart attack deaths decrease in the winning team’s city.

The Wall Street Journal profiles a Colorado couple who got into fitness later in life. Bob and Alex Linn exercise outdoors year-round. He’s 81, she’s 75. The couple says their fitness paid off on a recent trip to Rwanda where they hiked for hours in the jungle.

Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s new book hits stores today. No, it’s not about politics or governing, but rather the history of an obscure period of hockey in Toronto, reports the New York Times.

The LA Times sent a reporter up the freeway to investigate Google’s mystery barge in San Francisco. The search giant isn’t saying anything about the barge, stacked four stories high with shipping containers. One theory is that it’s a floating data center. A silicon Valley tech forecaster says it’s “like catnip for conspiracy theorists and nerds.”

USA Today says airport security probably won’t change in light of the shooting at Los Angeles International Airport that killed a Transportation Security Administration worker. But the TSA may end up arming supervisors in some places. Experts say enhancing airport security further would be too expensive and too controversial.

Whether you’re alive or dead should be relatively easy to determine. But for the federal government, it’s not so simple. The Washington Post says outdated system meant to track deaths means hundreds of millions of dollars are sent to people who are deceased. And hundreds of living Americans each month end up on the list of the deceased. One man was asked to write “I’m Alive” on a piece of paper at a Utah Social Security office.

The Wall Street Journal says more single-family homes in the U.S. are being built with renters in mind - coinciding with a decline in the level of home ownership since the housing bust. Investors are buying up newly finished houses or developing homes specifically for renters. Nearly 6% of new homes built last year were built as rentals, the highest percentage since 1974.

This time of year, many of us dip into our pockets to donate to worthy causes, either in a spirit of giving, or for some end-of-the-year tax deductions. The Denver Post suggests creating a budget for your charitable contributions, so you can better manage your gift giving throughout the year. Having a budget can make it easier to say no to a solicitor - since you’ve already allocated your donations.

Sriracha sauce has finally hit the mainstream: It’s now being offered at Subway. USA Today says the sizzling sauce is on the menu at 47 restaurant chains. One new products guru says “who would have thought five years ago that this bottle of hot red sauce on the tables at inexpensive Thai restaurants would turn into the latest, hottest ingredient and sauce?”

Hallmark is apologizing after being hit with a flood of criticism over a Christmas ornament. The keepsake looks like a Christmas sweater, with the words, “Don we now our FUN apparel.” Hallmark said the word gay, from the original lyric to “Deck the Halls” could be open to misinterpretation. The Kansas City Star says shortly after the controversy erupted in social media, Hallmark said in a statement it never intended to offend or make a political statement.

Airline passengers will soon be able to use cell phones, tablets, e-readers and other electronic devices for the duration of their flights. The FAA has loosened its restrictions and airlines are now testing their aircraft to make sure the devices don’t cause any interference. USA Today says cell phones will still need to be in airplane mode, as calls are still prohibited during flights.

The New York Post caught up with 27-year-old Ed Bolian, who along with two pals broke the record for a New York to California trip - going coast-to-coast in under 29 hours. Their Mercedes CL 55 was outfitted with two extra gas tanks, a pair of GPS units, a police scanner, three radar detectors, a laser jammer, a CB radio and a switch that would kill the car’s rear lights if police were on their tail. Their average pace was 98 miles per hour.

The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, a traditional Mexican holiday honoring the departed, is going mainstream. According to tradition, on November 1st and 2nd, the heavens open up, and the souls of the dead return to Earth. The Wall Street Journal says one celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery has grown from 300 people in 1999 to 35,000 people today.

Which way a dog wags its tail can tell you if it’s in a good mood or a bad mood. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says a new study finds dogs wag their tails to the right when they’re feeling positive emotions and to the left when they’re experiencing negative feelings. The study shows dogs, like humans, have asymmetrically organized brains.

The Washington Post says Hillary Clinton’s recent stump speeches have featured sharp criticism of the partisan gridlock in Washington. While most of the critiques are aimed at Congressional Republicans, Hillary and Bill Clinton have also targeted President Obama’s failure to change the culture of Washington like he promised to as a candidate. The Post says Clinton could be looking to run in 2016 as an agent of change - putting her at odds with Obama.

The Treasury Department is ditching the use-it-or-lose-it policy for flexible health spending accounts. You’ll now be able to carry over $500 at the end of the year. The accounts allow you to use pre-tax income to pay for health care costs, but the old policy forced taxpayers to forfeit whatever unspent funds remained in the account or go on an unnecessary spending spree at the end of the year.

Martians attacked Grovers Mill, New Jersey 75 years ago today. Or so thought an estimated 1.7 million radio listeners who were sucked into Orson Wells’ Halloween Eve tall tale. That’s 1.7 million who actually believed the story, out of the four to six million who were listening. The Newark Star-Ledger talks with some of the people who were in Grovers Mill that day.

‘Tis the season for haunted houses, horror movies and other scary activities. The Sacramento Bee asks what is it about getting our pants scared off that appeals to us? Doctors and psychologists say seeking out short-term fear can be good for us. One idea is that after we get scared, the body compensates, triggering a sense of euphoria and calm.

When the Boston Red Sox broke the curse of Babe Ruth in 2004, they did so on the road in St. Louis. Three years later, they clinched the World Series in Colorado. So tonight, Red Sox fans are hoping to witness something not seen since 1918, a World Series clincher at Fenway Park. USA Today spoke with Sox fans hoping to witness history.

Apple’s latest full-size tablet, the iPad Air goes on sale Friday. USA Today‘s Edward Baig says the thinner, lighter iPad is better than all its rivals, but he says it’s not a must-do upgrade for current iPad owners. In the New York Times, Damon Darlin agrees that current iPad owners don’t need to upgrade. He calls the improvements “incremental, not revolutionary.” In the Wall Street Journal, Walt Mossberg says while it’s not a radical rethinking, it’s a major improvement on a successful product. Mossberg says it’s the best tablet he’s ever reviewed.

We turn the clocks back this weekend, and AM New York asks if it’s time we did away with the semiannual ritual of changing the clocks. One expert who has been lobbying Congress for permanent daylight saving time says it would save lives, cut street crime and conserve energy.

Jason Zinoman of the New York Times writes that it’s time for Saturday Night Live to hire another black woman. In its four decades, SNL has had just three full-time, black female cast members. Zinoman writes that considering the topics SNL covers, having a black woman on the cast is not just a question of fairness, but of art.

On the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, the New York Times speaks with business owners and homeowners who have kept reminders of the storm’s devastation. Some have put up markers where waterlines once marred the walls. For some - it’s a symbol of victory over the storm, for others it’s a reminder of what happened and what could happen again.

The scariest part of Halloween for many parents? All that sugary candy their kids will get. The Wall Street Journal does the “sugar math” to explain how much is too much and the paper offers some guidelines to help limit the damage. Researchers say kids’ smaller taste buds may explain why they crave sugar so much, but studies have failed to find evidence of a sugar high.

Levi-Strauss banned the practice of sandblasting jeans three years ago, amid concerns the practice is linked to deadly lung disease. But the San Jose Mercury News says even though other retailers followed suit, sandblasting persists in factories overseas. There’s a disconnect in what companies say is happening in their factories and what labor groups report really goes on. And it highlights the difficulties in making safety improvements in the garment industry.

It may not come as a surprise that a new study reported in USA Today finds that men ogle women’s bodies. But researchers found women do it too. Using eye-tracking technology, the study found both sexes looked more at a woman’s chest and waist than her face. Men also tended to give curvier women higher scores for personality.

Is it possible to jump-start your brain using a battery? Researchers are looking into transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, a low-level, electrical stimulation of the brain, thought to improve cognitive skills, motor function and mood. The practice could help those with brain injuries regain their skills or healthy people to master a skill faster. The New York Times says there is growing concern about do-it-yourselfers, some of them video gamers, using tDCS devices with nine-volt batteries to give their brains a boost.

Will there be snow? Is there enough security? Just some of the questions facing organizers of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, which get underway 100 days from today. USA Today says officials are guaranteeing snow at the venues, and some 30,000 officers will be there for security. Then there’s Russia’s anti-gay law, which the U.S. State Department warns could bring ramifications.

Not that anyone is complaining, but we’re in the midst of the slowest hurricane season since 1982. There have been only two Atlantic hurricanes this year - neither of them major storms. USA Today explains the phenomenon. Unusually dry, dusty air from the Sahara Desert along with “sinking air” over the Atlantic combined to suppress hurricane activity.

The New York Times says the massive issues with Healthcare.gov could create a problem that undermines the entire health care plan. If younger, healthier Americans get frustrated by the glitches in the sign up process, and give up on getting health insurance, there may not be enough of them to help defray the costs for everyone else. Older, sicker Americans are more likely to deal with the computer problems, since they have a higher incentive to get insurance.

Lou Reed is being remembered as a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose work with the Velvet Underground in the 1960s influenced scores of musicians. He died of liver disease at 71. The New York Times writes, “Mr. Reed confidently made artistic decisions that other musicians would not have even considered.”

Working seems to get better with age. A new study by the Associated Press finds 9 in 10 workers over the age of 50 are very or somewhat satisfied with their job. That’s compared to just 38% of young adults. Researchers say older workers have generally climbed the corporate ladder and increased their salaries, while younger workers are still trying to find their way.

Prisoners at the Maryland Correctional Institution are putting their hard time to good use - training service dogs for wounded veterans. The Baltimore Sun says 24 Labrador Retrievers call the prison home for one year - where they live with inmates and work with trainers to learn 30 commands. Prison officials say inmates make the best trainers, since they have something most people don’t: unlimited time.

91-year-old Mike Fremont will be running in the Indianapolis Half Marathon this weekend. The Indianapolis Star says despite being the world record holder for his 3:03:56 half marathon in Knoxville this year, Fremont scoffs at his times, calling them “lousy.” Fremont says he doesn’t care much about setting records, he just likes to run.

A retired teacher from the Philadelphia school system is making it her mission to prevent school officials from selling off an estimated $8 million worth of artwork owned by the district. The Philadelphia Inquirer says the school system’s finances are so dire, the schools lack full time nurses, counselors and other essential positions. So far, district officials have resisted selling the artwork.

Pop culture is moving faster than ever - and that’s making it tough for those who want a timely Halloween costume. The Arizona Republic tells the story of a woman who spent $150 on a costume based on Miley Cyrus’ outfit from the MTV Music Awards. But she won’t be wearing it, because the idea seems too old. Social media makes the problem worse, as ideas are tweeted about, pinned and put on Facebook well before Halloween even rolls around.

Maybe they need a visit from Mike Bloomberg. Teenagers in California are drinking more sugary drinks these days, according to the Press-Enterprise. Almost two-thirds of teens in 2011-2012 reported drinking soda or energy or sports drinks every day. This comes despite aggressive public health campaigns warning of the link between sugary beverages and obesity.

The New York Times says charities that offer spots in the New York City Marathon are having trouble attracting enough runners. About 3,000 charity spots remain open for this year’s race on Nov. 3rd. Organizers expect the total raised this year will be $11 million to $14 million less than last year.

Nearly 17 years after JonBenét Ramsey was killed, a Colorado judge is releasing the indictment against JonBenét’s parents that a prosecutor sought but refused to sign. The Denver Post says the decision not to prosecute and to eventually release the indictment are both unprecedented. The paper says “it’s one more peculiar detail in a saga brimming with the bizarre that continues to captivate public attention.”

There’s an effort in Spain to abandon Central European Time and turn the clocks back an hour. The Wall Street Journal says the time change could bring about a big cultural shift in Spain, where the workday often stretches from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. One proponent says Spaniards live in a “permanent jet lag” because people stay up too late at night.

The New York Daily News says Jay Z has problem #100 as his fans are calling on the rap superstar to end his association with Barneys. Jay Z is in line to make millions of dollars in a deal selling exclusive items at Barneys over the holidays. So far he has remained silent amid allegations that two black shoppers were racially profiled after buying items at Barneys.

Publisher Conde Nast is ending its legendary internship program, rather than fight lawsuits by former interns that say the program takes advantage of them for having them work for a less than fair wage. The New York Times spoke with several former interns who credit their Conde Nast experience with launching their careers. One former intern compared the experience to auditing a class, “and you don’t expect to be paid to audit a class.”

USA Today reports on a new study that found people with high blood sugar levels performed worse on memory tests than those with lower blood sugar levels. The study suggests that having lower blood sugar levels may be a key to preventing memory problems as we age. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet are two keys to maintaining normal blood sugar levels.

The Washington Post has details of the sting operation that may have helped unmask the man behind @natsecwonk. Obama administration staffers planted inaccurate, but harmless information with the National Security Council staffer suspected of being the one who was sending out offensive tweets. Then they would wait to see if he would tweet that information.

If you haven’t mastered the ins and outs of Twitter, Hanna Ingber of the New York Times has a great piece on what you need to know. From hashtags to retweets, she gets you up to speed. And while it’s important to learn the Twitter lingo, she says don’t forget to Tweet like a person and let your real character come out.

Savvy (or sometimes just lucky) travelers used to be able to find good deals for holiday travel by waiting until the fall to book. But the Wall Street Journal says airlines are getting better at filling flights and those last-minute sales are a thing of the past. The average price of tickets sold for Thanksgiving week is up 94% compared with last year.

The Wright Brothers built their plane in Ohio and flew it in North Carolina - and those two states have long shared the claim to aviation history. But the Charlotte News and Observer says legislators from both states are fighting a new Connecticut law that gives credit to the first flight to a Bavarian immigrant named Gustave Whitehead. Whitehead claimed to have flown 2 miles in 1901, but the evidence of that flight is a bit sketchy.

Fall is here. And that means the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. The New York Post says it’s the drink that started the pumpkin-flavored craze. Hailey Eber writes, “Pumpkin has become the flavor equivalent of James Franco — overexposed, ever-present, popping up in places it has no business being and, frankly, not as appealing as it once was. Enough!”

Apple’s iOS 7 definitely has its problems. While I’ve detailed how to fix some of them in my blog, USA Today says there’s growing concern that the buggy operating system is a sign Apple has lost its magic touch since the death of Steve Jobs. Users have complained of battery drain, dropped Wi-Fi connections and spotty Bluetooth. One analyst says it feels more like a Microsoft release.

AMC Theaters is outfitting its theaters with plush, new reclining seats. The New York Times says the chain is trying to lure customers in an era where tens of thousands of movies are just a few clicks away. In the theaters converted so far, the company has destroyed 64 percent of seating capacity, and yet lifted attendance by 84 percent. As a bonus, if the movie bores you, you can always catch a nap.

Most of us check in with email these days even when we’re on vacation, if for no other reason than to clear out irrelevant messages. But for furloughed government workers, it was actually illegal to do that. So many returned to work yesterday to find hundreds of unread emails. The Washington Post spoke with an expert who suggests breaking the backlog down and responding to a set number of messages each day.

A set of fossilized skulls found in a cave in the republic of Georgia has sparked debate over our ancestral family tree. The Los Angeles Times says researchers now believe there were fewer species of human ancestors than previously thought. They now believe Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis and Homo erectus were all the same species.

It’s not easy being a supermodel. Bar Refaeli says she’s stumped by her inability to land a steady boyfriend. The New York Daily News recapped her interview with an Israeli paper where she also spoke about the end of her six-year relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio. Refaeli says she’s looking for someone who comes from a warm family like hers and shares her values.

USA Today’s Susan Page goes over the winners and losers in the budget and debt ceiling showdown. She counts President Obama among the winners for refusing to negotiate while blasting Republicans for not doing their jobs. She says the Tea Party also gained, despite losing the battle. But she says House Speaker John Boehner looked “hapless and humiliated” and the GOP brand itself took a big hit.

Warren Buffett weighs in on the debt ceiling debate in today’s New York Daily News. He says he agrees that Congress should argue about budgets, but says it’s ridiculous to play games with the debt ceiling. Buffett says Congress should get rid of the debt ceiling altogether.

Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar has a plan for what to do with some of his billions. The Washington Post says he’s launching a new general-news site aimed at uncovering official secrets. And he’s partnering up with Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian journalist who reported information provided by Edward Snowden about the National Security Agency’s massive surveillance program.

There’s an effort underway to bring some sense of calm and comfort to the typically chaotic airport security areas. The Wall Street Journal says security lines at Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte-Douglas Airports now feature mood lighting and music meant to instill a sense of calm. Information screens will tell passengers how long they’ll be waiting. And once you get through security, you can sit on a leather couch to put your shoes and belt back on.

The San Francisco Chronicle explores the rising costs of participating in youth sports. The Chronicle says specialization is turning soccer, baseball and volleyball into upper-class sports in America. Parents are spending thousands on leagues and trainers for their kids, with the hope of attraction attention from college coaches even though scholarships for sports are not as plentiful as many believe.

Facebook has made changes to its privacy rules for teenagers. Until now, users between 13 and 17 couldn’t make their Facebook account fully public. Now teens will be able to override the default settings and post photos that can be seen by anyone, not just friends and friends of friends. The New York Times says the move is very attractive for Facebook’s advertisers who are eager to tap the impressionable teenage market.

With a recent study showing Oreo cookies to be as addictive as cocaine, the Hartford Courant has some tips to help you break your addiction. The first step is realizing you have an addiction. But the key is learning other ways to activate your brain’s pleasure centers.

Here’s one from the “why didn’t we think of this before” files. An iPhone case that doubles as a charger. The New York Times says the PocketPlug may be a little pricey at $70, but then again, what’s it worth to you to never have to go looking for an iPhone charger?