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The crunchy green microplants have long been touted as raw food chock full of nutrients. But that very freshness is also why they've caused more than 54 disease outbreaks since 1990, including a mega-outbreak of E. coli in Germany in 2011 that killed 53 people.

Earthquakes, terrorist attacks and muggings have all scared people to death. Sporting events, too, sometimes cause frenzied fans to drop dead. Neurologist Martin Samuels of Brigham and Women's Hospital explains how positive or negative excitement can lead to a heart-stopping surge of adrenaline.

In Medusa's Gaze and Vampire's Bite: The Science of Monsters, science journalist Matt Kaplan writes of real-life zombies in Haiti, poisoned by a witch's brew of pufferfish and tree frogs, and discusses how rabies infection could explain the vampire's aversion to garlic, water and sunlight.

Moogfest, the festival of electronic and visionary music, takes place on Saturday and Sunday in Asheville, N.C., the city music pioneer Bob Moog called home. Moog was the inventor of the Moog synthesizer. He died in August 2005. Fresh Air listens to an interview from February 2000.

The world's most powerful laser beams are going to be built in Europe. Scientists say that a blast from them could destroy nuclear waste in seconds — meaning it wouldn't have to be stored for centuries.

September marked the centennial of the birth of composer John Cage and celebrations are being held around the world in his honor. His compositions include spoken texts, radios, toys and the sounds of vegetables being chopped. Cage died in 1992. Fresh Air listens back to an interview with Cage from 1982.

Mitt Romney's pledge to add 12 million jobs to the economy over four years may sound like a very big number, especially coming out of a deep recession followed by three years of lackluster job growth. But some economists say it's realistic, and even if President Obama wins re-election.

It's still unclear whether Sandy, which was both downgraded then upgraded early Saturday morning, will be a devastating storm or just a bad one. It is clear, however, that Sandy will be remembered as the storm that broke all the rules and baffled the nation's top weather forecasters.

An Italian court on Friday sentenced former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to four years in jail for tax fraud in connection with the purchase of broadcasting rights by his Mediaset television company. Weekend Edition host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Sylvia Poggioli.

It was a week of cross country campaigning for President Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. NPR's Scott Horsley and Ari Shapiro were there and join Weekend Edition host Scott Simon to talk about the campaign.