Back at Twentynine Palms, Ken Nagy, a professor emeritus in biology from UCLA studying the reproductive habits of the reptiles, held a baby tortoise in one hand, its shell still soft.

WSJ: An Army of Biologists Are on Nature Patrol at Military Bases

Olympus's net loss narrowed as a weaker yen boosted the value of its foreign-currency assets, though soft digital-camera sales still hurt its bottom line.

WSJ: What's News

Similarly, the market appears willing to bet China will succeed in engineering a soft landing for its overheated housing market, but it is still too early to say whether it will succeed.

WSJ: 2012: Taking a Look on Bright Side