Talk of the Nation

KBSX News: Mon-Fri at 12 p.m.

Talk of the Nation is NPR’s midday news-talk show. Journalist Neal Conan leads a productive exchange of ideas and opinions on the issues that dominate the news landscape. From politics and public service to education, religion, music and healthcare, Talk of the Nation offers call-in listeners the opportunity to join enlightening discussions with decision-makers, authors, academicians, and artists from around the world.

Official Website: http://www.npr.org/programs/talk-of-the-nation/

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NPR Story
9:23 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Resetting the Theory of Time

Generations of physicists have claimed that time is an illusion. But not all agree. In his book Time Reborn: From the Crisis in Physics to the Future of the Universe, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that time exists--and he says time is key to understanding the evolution of the universe.

NPR Story
9:23 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Researchers Report Cloning Advance For Producing Stem Cells

Scientists reported this week in the journal Cell that they had used somatic cell nuclear transfer techniques to create a source of embryonic stem cells from the skin cells of a patient. George Daley, director of the stem cell transplantation program at Boston Children's Hospital, and Josephine Johnston of the Hastings Center discuss the research.

NPR Story
9:23 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Insects May Be The Taste Of The Next Generation, Report Says

A report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says insects offer a huge potential for improving the world's food security. Peter Menzel, co-author of Man Eating Bugs, describes some insect-based cuisine and the western aversion to creepy-crawly snacks.

Middle East
12:01 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Ex-Ambassador To Iraq Weighs In On Talking To 'Monsters'

As the death toll in Syria climbs and critics blast the Obama administration for not taking more decisive action, former ambassador Christopher Hill points instead to a failure of diplomacy in an op-ed in the New York Times. Hill talks about what the U.S. faces in facilitating talks between the regime and Syrian rebels.

Economy
11:59 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Will Strong Summer Travel Be A Turning Point For Airlines?

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 2:56 pm

As the summer travel season approaches, air travel provides a barometer for the health of the U.S. economy — and airlines report they're having a good year. After years of financial troubles, industry representatives hope U.S. travelers are more willing to fly. NPR senior business editor Marilyn Geewax explains what summer travel tells us about the health of the economy.

U.S.
11:59 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Managing The $30 Million 'One Fund' To Aid Boston Victims

Days after the marathon bombing, officials established the One Fund for Boston to assist victims and their families. Attorney Ken Feinberg, who managed similar funds after Sept. 11 and Virginia Tech and is managing this fund, says there's no easy way to decide who gets how much of the $30 million that's been donated.

Health
12:10 pm
Wed May 15, 2013

Analyzing The Language Of Suicide Notes To Help Save Lives

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 2:37 pm

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

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U.S.
12:06 pm
Wed May 15, 2013

Looking Ahead: Chris Hedges On Poverty, Politics, U.S. Culture

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. Today as part of our Looking Ahead series, we'll talk with writer Chris Hedges, former New York Times foreign correspondent and old friend and colleague who's joined us many times over the years, going back to what's probably still his best known book, "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning."

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Your Health
12:00 pm
Wed May 15, 2013

Treadmill Desks And The Benefits Of 'Walking Alive'

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan.

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Asia
12:23 pm
Tue May 14, 2013

The Legacy Of Gen. Ridgway And America's War In Korea

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 10:07 am

The ongoing conflict between North Korea and South Korea is the legacy of the Korean War, which can help explain relations between the two countries. In a new book, historian Victor Davis Hanson discusses how the strategies of U.S. Gen. Matthew Ridgway helped to turn around what appeared to be "a lost war."

Hanson, author of The Savior Generals, tells NPR's Neal Conan that although the three-year war "ended right where it began," it did allow for South Korea to flourish as a democracy.

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Health
12:07 pm
Tue May 14, 2013

The Promise And Limitations Of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is nothing new, but advancements in technology have made it even more widely available. Neurologists can now treat Parkinson's patients from miles away, therapists can reach service members overseas, and general practitioners can work in rural areas without actually going there at all.

From Our Listeners
12:00 pm
Tue May 14, 2013

Letters: New Orleans, Buzz Aldrin

NPR's Neal Conan reads from listener comments on previous show topics, including postcards from New Orleans and our talk with astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Law
12:25 pm
Mon May 13, 2013

Why We Can't Look Away From True-Life Courtroom Dramas

The trial of Jodi Arias, convicted of murdering her boyfriend, has become a national media sensation. Former Law and Order producer Robert Nathan and authors Laura Lippman and Walter Mosley explore why Americans are so drawn to real-life courtroom dramas.

Business
12:21 pm
Mon May 13, 2013

Bangladesh Reveals Uphill Battle For Fair Trade Clothes

Originally published on Mon May 13, 2013 1:24 pm

Retailers are under pressure after a building collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh. But global demand for inexpensive clothing shows no sign of abating. The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse and Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, unravel the prospects for improved safety in the garment industry.

World
12:07 pm
Mon May 13, 2013

Drawing Security Lessons From Benghazi Mission Attack

Originally published on Mon May 13, 2013 12:33 pm

The debate continues over the handling of the September attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. But retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson says some important lessons have already been learned about strengthening diplomatic security and inter-agency communication.

NPR Story
9:22 am
Fri May 10, 2013

Microexpressions: More Than Meets The Eye

Originally published on Fri May 10, 2013 11:23 am

David Matsumoto, a psychology professor at San Francisco State University, trains national security officials and police officers to recognize "microexpressions"--fleeting, split-second flashes of emotion across someone's face. Matsumoto says those subtle cues may reveal how an interview subject is feeling, helping officials to hone their line of questioning.

NPR Story
9:22 am
Fri May 10, 2013

The Myth Of Multitasking

Originally published on Fri May 10, 2013 11:23 am

How long can you go without checking email, or glancing at your smartphone? Clifford Nass, a psychology professor at Stanford University, says today's nonstop multitasking actually wastes more time than it saves--and he says there's evidence it may be killing our concentration and creativity too.

NPR Story
9:22 am
Fri May 10, 2013

Exploring An Ever-Expanding Universe

Originally published on Fri May 10, 2013 11:23 am

Saul Perlmutter shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate. Perlmutter explains how supernovae and other astronomical artifacts are used to measure the expansion rate, and explains what physicists are learning about "dark energy" — the mysterious entity thought to be driving the acceleration.

Health
12:00 pm
Thu May 9, 2013

No Longer Experimental, Egg Freezing May Appeal To More Women

Originally published on Thu May 9, 2013 12:44 pm

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

Between the ages of 36 and 38, Sarah Elizabeth Richards spent $50,000 to have her eggs frozen. That wiped out her savings and the money her parents had set aside for a wedding, and she writes, it was the best investment I ever made. Improved technology gives women the choice to freeze their eggs when they're younger and schedule motherhood when they're ready. The experimental status of this procedure was lifted last year.

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NPR Story
11:40 am
Thu May 9, 2013

Buzz Aldrin's Case For A 'Mission To Mars'

Credit NASA/AFP/Getty Images
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity on July 20, 1969.

Originally published on Thu May 9, 2013 12:40 pm

Buzz Aldrin's name is practically synonymous with space exploration. As one of only 12 people to ever set foot on the moon, the former astronaut is a pioneer in the field.

Today, Aldrin continues to advocate for what he considers the next phase of space discovery — putting humans on the red planet. Host Neal Conan talks with Aldrin about his experience as an astronaut, his new book, Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration and his ideas for the future on Mars.

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