Ongoing Coverage:

Talk of the Nation on HD-2

Monday - Thursday 1:00pm-2:30pm
Neal Conan, Ira Flatow

Talk of the Nation® links the headlines with what's on people's minds, providing a springboard for listeners and experts to exchange ideas and pose critical questions about major events in the news and the world around them. Each day, Talk of the Nation combines the award-winning resources of NPR News with the vital participation of listeners. The result is a spirited and productive exchange of knowledge and insight that delves deeply into the news and ideas of the day.

Monday through Thursday, host Neal Conan invites callers to discuss areas of topical interest, including politics and public service, education, religion, music, and healthcare. Talk of the Nation goes behind the headlines with decision-makers, authors, thinkers, artists, and listeners around the world, who become part of the conversation by calling 1-800-989-TALK

Each Friday, journalist Ira Flatow is joined by listeners and studio guests to explore science-related topics -- from subatomic particles and the human genome to the Internet and earthquakes. Flatow offers in-depth discussion with scientists and others from all walks of life, giving listeners the chance to hear from the people whose work influences their daily lives.

The posts below are some of the highlights from Talk of the NationVisit the program page on NPR to see a full list of stories.

  

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Space
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Imagining A More Active Moon

The standard picture of the moon is of a long-dead object, geologically speaking. But using observations from cameras on board the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Thomas Watters and colleagues say in the journal Nature Geosciencesthat there are signs of more recent tectonic activity on the moon, within the last 50 million years.

NPR Story
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Science Diction: The Origin Of 'Tuberculosis'

When doctors autopsied tuberculosis patients, they described finding round, white swellings, especially in and around the lungs. Medical historian Howard Markel describes how those potato-like growths led to the disease being called tuberculosis, from the Latin tuber.

NPR Story
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Weaving Around Web Privacy Controls

Web browser manufactures often market their products to consumers with an emphasis on privacy, assuring users that their products can better control how personal information is used online. Carnegie Mellon privacy researcher Lorrie Cranor explains that many companies have developed quiet ways to step around some of that privacy-protecting code.

NPR Story
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Genetic Test Reveals Unexpected Data

Bloomberg News reporter John Lauerman volunteered to have his DNA sequenced by Harvard researchers to demystify the process for the public. What he didn't expect to uncover was that he possessed two gene variants--one linked to rare blood disorders and the other to a higher risk of Alzheimer's.

NPR Story
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Powering Up...With A Microbial Fuel Cell

Reporting in Environmental Science and Technology, researchers write of harvesting electricity from microbe-rich river sediments--enough to power a small LED bulb. Grant Burgess, a marine biotechnologist at Newcastle University, discusses the hunt for electron-burping bugs.

Science
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Secret Life Of Ice

Photographer and videographer Edward Aites, of Seattle, submitted this time-lapse video to Science Friday. He looked at ice through a macro lens and cross-polarizing filters, and found a colorful, surprising landscape. This is ice like you've never seen it before.

NPR Story
12:00 pm
Fri February 24, 2012

Mild Winter May Be Keeping Flu Bugs At Bay

Flu season usually peaks around February. But this year it's missing in action, with the CDC reporting the slowest start to the flu season on record. Peter Palese, a microbiologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center, discusses whether unseasonably warm winter weather may be to thank.

Oscar's Top Documentaries
12:55 pm
Thu February 23, 2012

Wembers Creates 3D Tribute To Choreographer 'Pina'

Credit Donata Wenders
Director Wim Wenders spent a year working with 3-D experts in preparation for the film.

Director Wim Wenders created the 3-D documentary "Pina," in tribute to German choreographer Pina Bausch. When the two met over 20 years ago, they started planning a film that would capture her unique style of modern dance. Bausch died of lunch cancer just days before filming started.

Religion
12:00 pm
Thu February 23, 2012

The Dialogue Around Gay Marriage In Black Churches

A bill that could legalize same-sex marriage has cleared the Maryland House and is expected to pass in the Senate. A majority of black clergy in the state argue that same-sex marriage conflicts with the teachings of the Bible, but some pastors have spoken out in support of the bill.

Movies
12:00 pm
Thu February 23, 2012

When Hollywood Turns The Camera On Itself

Two movies about movies — The Artist and Hugo — are up for the 2012 Academy Award for best picture. Hollywood has a unique way of making films that depict life in Tinseltown. Film buff Murray Horwitz discusses Hollywood films that deal with the glitz, glamor and harsh realities of Hollywood.

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