Talk of the Nation from NPR

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

editor — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:05:00 +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?

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

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

Harold Koh, who was a legal architect for President Barack Obama's drone policies, criticized the administration's lack of transparency on its use of drones. In a speech at Oxford University, the former legal adviser for the State Department suggested the U.S. "discipline drones."

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.

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.

Rolling Out Bamboo Bicycles

editor — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:13:00 +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.

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.