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Noah talks to the Rev. Krister Stendahl (KRIS-ter STEN-dall), former Dean of Harvard Divinity School, about the theological implications of the discovery of the possibility of life on Mars. Bishop Stendahl says that this is akin to a Copernican revolution; it changes our conception of the nature of our universe. He says that this makes the Creation, and therefore God, a little bigger than we thought they were.

The new anti-terrorism law instructs officials to deport legal immigrants who have crimes on their records, even relatively small offenses that were committed and paid for years ago. Advocates for immigrants are protesting and even the Immigration and Naturalization Service says the law is keeping its resources tied up on people who are not dangerous to society. NPR's John Nielsen has a report.

NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports that Turkey has signed a 20-billion-dollar deal to buy natural gas from Iran. Turkey's decision to do business with Iran could result in U.S. sanctions. The agreement comes less a week after President Clinton signed a law authorizing U.S. sanctions against foreign companies choosing to invest in Iran and Libya.

NPR's Joe Neel reports that scientists have identified a gene that appears to protect people against HIV. The gene appears to prevent the AIDS virus from infecting critical immune system cells known as T-cells. Studies suggest that 1 percent of people of Caucasian descent carry the protective variation of the gene. The findings are being reported in the journals Cell and Nature.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service announced this morning that it has already begun implementing a new immigration law. Immigration rights groups are pursuing a challenge to a key part of this law after losing a bid to stop the measure from taking effect today. At issue is a piece of last year's massive immigration law that expedites the deportation of travelers carrying fraudulent or invalid documents. NPR's Barbara Bradley reports.

NPR's Richard Harris reports on new research suggesting that plants communicate with one another using chemicals that float through the air. A report in the journal Nature suggests that plants infected with a virus produce a chemical that can waft to uninfected plants and help them guard against infection. Scientists don't know to what extent this happens in gardens, fields and meadows.

Weekend Edition host Scott Simon talks with David Wise, author of Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI's Robert Hanssen Betrayed America, about the nature of the U.S. intelligence community since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (6:50)

U.S. colleges and universities will soon be required to enter all foreign students' addresses and course loads into a central database for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Federal officials say the new database could help identify potential terrorists. NPR's Neda Ulaby reports.

Scientists studying butterflies in motion take note of a variety of wing maneuvers used by the graceful creatures. The research, published in the journal Nature, adds to efforts to help engineers design innovative aircraft, including tiny flying robots. NPR's Eric Niiler reports.

NPR's Jackie Northam reports on the Immigration and Naturalization Service proposal to consider domestic abuse a legal basis for seeking asylum in the US. If the rules take effect after the comment period, battered women will be considered members of a "social group" being persecuted. Women trying to leave their home countries, as well as women in the US seeking to stay permanently, will be eligible. Critics of the rule say it could trigger thousands of asylum claims.