Talk of the Nation on Xtra HD

Obama's Former Legal Adviser Urges U.S. To 'Disciple Drones'

editor — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:03:00 +0000

Transcript

JOHN DONVAN, HOST:

Last month, Harold Koh, who is a lawyer who worked for President Obama, gave a speech where he criticized the way the president is running the drone war against terrorist targets overseas, which is an interesting thing because Koh himself provided much of the legal underpinning that the president relies on to keep the use of drones within the boundaries of national and international law.

A Look Ahead To The Future Of Afghanistan

editor — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:34:00 +0000

Twelve years after the war began, Afghanistan's president announced Tuesday that Afghan forces officially assumed control of security for the country. U.S. and NATO troops will remain until the 2014 deadline, but the Afghan military is now expected to fight without NATO support.

When A Language Dies, What Happens To Culture?

editor — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:34:00 +0000

Nearly half of the 7,000 languages spoken in the world are expected to vanish in the next 100 years. One of them is Athabaskan, a language of the Siletz tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Bud Lane, vice chairman of Siletz tribal council, explains the importance of language diversity.

Breaking Bad News To Kids: How Media Has Tweaked The Process

editor — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:34:00 +0000

Parents have always had to break hard news to kids, from family hardships to national tragedies. Now there are more ways for children to learn about news faster — through 24 hour news and social media. So, what's changed in how parents broach these subjects? How can media help, or hurt?

Reflections On 30 Years Of NYC: A Look Ahead With Margot Adler

editor — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:16:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. For the past several weeks, we've taken the opportunity to reconnect with some of our favorite guests and colleagues in a series of conversations looking ahead.

After SCOTUS DNA Ruling, What Changes For Police?

editor — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:54:00 +0000

The Supreme Court ruled in June that police can routinely take DNA samples from people who are arrested for comparison against a national database. The decision raises major questions about how law enforcement and criminal justice processes will change.

'Cows' To The Rescue! Soil's Secrets For Saving The Earth

editor — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:45:00 +0000

In her book Cows Save The Planet, journalist Judith Schwartz argues that the key to addressing carbon issues and climate change lies beneath our feet. Schwartz says that proper management of soil could solve a long list of environmental problems.

"The thing to realize is that while we think about this as a sky thing — that it's all about all the fossil fuels that we're burning and all that spewing into the atmosphere — it's actually also a ground thing," she tells NPR's Neal Conan.

Schwartz explains how livestock can help restore the land and get the carbon cycle back in balance.

Is Big Change Ahead In Iran? A Biography Of The President Elect

editor — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:45:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

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

In Tehran today, the first news conference of Iran's president-elect ended abruptly when a man in the audience jumped up to protest the absence of the man many believe was elected president four years ago, Mir-Hossein Mousavi has been held under house arrest since 2011.

Decoding 'the Most Complex Object in the Universe'

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:03:00 +0000

Transcript

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I'm Ira Flatow. Your brain has nearly 100 billion neurons, and one of my next guests compares that complexity to the Amazon rainforest. In fact, he says there about as many trees in the Amazon as there are neurons in your brain. Think about what the Amazon looks like for a second.

And the roots and the branches and the leaves and the vines, all of that can be compared to the tangled network formed between your brain cells because many of your neurons are in fact wired to tens of thousands of other neurons.

With Climate Change, No Happy Clams

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Transcript

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

Think for a minute about the victims of climate change. You might envision the polar bear, right? You see a lot of that in the news, atop a block of melting ice or - where there's no ice to grab onto, or the great ice sheet covering Greenland drip, drip, dripping away, or the tiny island of Tuvalu whose people and beaches might soon be swallowed by rising seas.

But today I want you to consider another victim, the humble oyster, because carbon emissions don't just mean a warmer planet.

Rolling Out Bamboo Bicycles

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Transcript

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

Up next, Flora Lichtman is here with us for our Video Pick of the Week. Hi, Flora.

FLORA LICHTMAN, BYLINE: Hi, Ira.

You went with something Seattlely(ph). How would I describe it - Seattle-like this week for this week's video.

That's right. When in Mayor McSchwinn's city, you have to go with the bikes. Lightening it up for pick of the week, but - as usual.

(LAUGHTER)

LICHTMAN: Oh, yes.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Talks Climate and Carbon

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Transcript

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

This is SCIENCE FRIDAY, I'm Ira Flatow. He's been called Mayor McSchwinn for riding his bicycle to work. He's pledged to turn his town of Seattle into a model for what one city can do to lower its carbon footprint, and for good reason. As the climate changes, coastal cities like Seattle are challenged by rising sea levels.

Seattle saw its highest tide on record last December. So what's a Seattle mayor to do? Well, we're going to ask him today. We're at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is here.

Looking Back, and Up, at a Seattle Icon

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Transcript

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

We are broadcasting today from the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. And just steps away from this building, right outside is something that should be familiar to anyone who's ever received a postcard from Seattle or taken home a pen or a glass or anything tchotchke of any kind. And it's the Space Needle, built in connection with the 1962 World's Fair. It is an iconic part of the Seattle skyline.

KNUTE BERGER: And joining me now to talk about the history of the Space Needle and its engineering, its design is Knute Berger.

Human Genes Not Patentable, Supreme Court Says

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that the mere act of isolating a DNA sequence does not make human genes patentable. Mary-Claire King, who helped discover the breast cancer gene at the center of the court dispute, discusses the ruling and its implications for genetics.

Denis Hayes on Being Green

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Since his days as head of the Solar Energy Research Institute under President Jimmy Carter, Denis Hayes has been pushing to add more renewable energy sources to the country's energy portfolio. Hayes discusses the current U.S. market for renewables such as solar and wind, and gives his take on where he sees America's energy future headed.

A Superpower And An Emerging Rival: A Look Ahead At China

editor — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:19:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. In an extraordinary step, President Obama and China's new leader, Xi Jinping, met at a California ranch last weekend to reset relations between the two largest economies in the world and between an established superpower and an emerging rival.

Relations between China and the U.S. have deteriorated in recent years. Washington's issues include hacking, human rights, North Korea and wide-ranging territorial claims. A more muscular China worries the U.S.

From 'Casablanca' To 'Toy Story': Famous Farewells In Film

editor — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:46:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

And today, film farewells. We consider the great goodbye scenes in movie - boy loses girl for good; hero sets off to certain doom; or a Mother's Day remembrance from Jimmy Cagney.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "WHITE HEAT")

JAMES CAGNEY: (as Cody Jarrett) Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

(EXPLOSION)

CONAN: Of course, "White Heat." Call and nominate your favorite goodbye scene, 800-989-8255. Email us: talk@npr.org. And of course, Murray Horwitz, our favorite film buff, joins us here in Studio 42.

India.Arie Returns To Start A New 'SongVersation'

NPR Staff — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:46:00 +0000

When singer-songwriter India.Arie broke through in 2001, her debut album Acoustic Soul went double platinum, and her music and influence continued to gain momentum in the years that followed. Since her debut, she's been nominated for 21 Grammys — and won four — while selling 10 million albums worldwide.

In 2009, feeling boxed in by the expectations of the music industry, she says she confronted herself by asking, "Who am I?" To figure out the answer, she embarked on a self-imposed hiatus.

What Flocks Of Geese And Fish Can Teach Us About The Future

editor — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:46:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

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

We've all seen a flock of birds shift direction instantaneously mid-flight, or a school of fish swirl in what looked like tightly choreographed maneuvers. That's called collective behavior and it fascinated and baffled scientists. Why do they do it? How? Telepathy? Now technology is revolutionizing the way researchers can track, visualize and even create swarms, and what they're finding will make you go wow.

Ed Yong is a freelance science writer, who, luckily for us, covers the wow beat.

The Legacy Of Watergate And The Semantics Of Scandals

editor — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:11:00 +0000

Forty years after the Senate committee hearings on the Watergate scandal, Political Junkie Ken Rudin talks with Lowell Weicker, who served on the Senate Watergate committee. Former White House speechwriters Paul Glastris and Peter Robinson talk about writing speeches amid scandal.

Life Resumes: Looking Ahead With Suleika Jaouad

editor — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:59:00 +0000

Two years after Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, she is cancer free. A month before her 25th birthday, she is starting to travel and think about her career again. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, Jaouad reflects on regaining a bit of normalcy.

Fighting To Breathe: Living With COPD

editor — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:59:00 +0000

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that slowly robs sufferers of the ability to breathe. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassed only by cancer and heart disease. There are treatments, but no cure for the disease.

Unhappy Endings: When Our TV Show Worlds Get Rocked

editor — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:42:00 +0000

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Lynn Neary.

Fans of "Game of Thrones" are well-aware by now that George R. R. Martin, author of the popular book series, is not afraid to kill off his characters. Those who read the books are way ahead of those who discovered the series through HBO. TV viewers were stunned when the first season ended with the graphic beheading of the man everyone thought was the hero of the saga.

As An Indie Musician, Chad Lawson Finds 'The Space Between'

editor — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:34:00 +0000

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

Yesterday, Apple introduced its new radio music streaming service, iTunes Radio. When the service launches in the fall, it will offer users more control over what music they hear. Whether or not Apple will further revolutionize the way we stream music remains to be seen, but it is expected to be a top competitor to Pandora. And one thing is apparent: The Internet is flooded with new music, and independent musicians are clamoring to be heard. Musician and composer Chad Lawson is one of them.

Justice And Jury Selection: Judging Jurors Before A Trial

editor — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:20:00 +0000

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Lynn Neary in Washington; Neal Conan is away. For the second day in a row, lawyers questioned potential jurors in the George Zimmerman trial. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, last year.

Zimmerman claims that he was defending himself against Martin while serving as a neighborhood watch volunteer. But Martin supporters say the teenager was unarmed and targeted by Zimmerman because he was black.

'One And Only': The Argument For Raising Just One

editor — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:10:00 +0000

In 1907, the first president of the American Psychological Association called only children "sickly, selfish, strange and stupid." He concluded that "being an only child is a disease in itself."

In her book One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One, journalist Lauren Sandler takes on these stereotypes and sifts through a huge body of research that debunks many of the worst myths about only children.

Sandler, an only child and mother of one, says she didn't realize the extent of the stereotypes until she had an only child of her own.

"I hear from

'Matilda' Star Mara Wilson On Why Child Stars 'Go Crazy'

editor — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:35:00 +0000

After years in movies and TV shows, some child actors end up making headlines later in life for stints in rehab, or ongoing legal battles. But not all former child stars become tabloid fodder. Some leave Hollywood behind and pursue other careers.

Mara Wilson, who starred in Matilda, Mrs. Doubtfire and Miracle on 34th Street, was able to avoid the drama.

Opinion Roundup: Edward Snowden And The NSA Leaks

editor — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:31:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. And we focus today on what we now know about U.S. government information sweeps of telephone and Internet data and on the man who now admits he disclosed the top secret documents to The Guardian and the Washington Post.

In a few minutes, we'll hear from former CIA director James Woolsey, we'll gather reaction from the talk shows and the op-ed pages, and we'll want to hear from you too.

The Promise In Unraveling The Mysteries Of Rare Diseases

editor — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:31:00 +0000

As a child, Jeannie Peeper was diagnosed with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, an extremely rare disease that causes a second skeleton to grow inside the body. Peeper and science writer Carl Zimmer discuss the efforts of a small group to fund research to battle the disease.

Promising Results In Early Trial of Novel MS Treatment

editor — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:33:00 +0000

Transcript

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I'm Ira Flatow. In the disease multiple sclerosis, the body's own immune cells stage a mutiny. Those cells, white cells, normally go after foreigners in the body like bacteria or other invaders that make us sick. But in MS, the immune cells go after the body itself, attacking the myelin covering that wraps around nerve cells.