Talk of the Nation
'Matilda' Star Mara Wilson On Why Some Child Actors Lose It
After years in movies and TV shows, some child actors end up making headlines for stints in rehab and legal drama later in life. Others leave Hollywood behind and pursue different careers. Mara Wilson, star of Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, explains the challenges of transitioning to adulthood.
Opinion Roundup: Edward Snowden And The NSA Leaks
The man who leaked details of two secret U.S. surveillance programs told The Guardian that he hopes to trigger a national debate about the NSA programs that gathered phone and Internet records. NPR's Neal Conan reads from a range of reaction to the leaks and the motives of the leaker.
The Promise In Unraveling The Mysteries Of Rare Diseases
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
Reporting in the journal Science Translational Medicine researchers say a new method for essentially resetting the immune systems of patients with multiple sclerosis appears to be safe. Study co-author Stephen D. Miller of Northwestern University, describes the novel approach tested in this small, phase 1 clinical trial and explains how it might one day also be used to treat other autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.
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Comet Shines Light on Sun Dynamics
In 2011, Comet Lovejoy traveled through the sun's corona and lived to tell the tale. But its tail was the most telling. Reporting in the journal Science, Cooper Downs, an astrophysicist at Predictive Science Inc., says that the wiggly path of the comet's tail helps explain the sun's magnetic field.
Strengthening Buildings In Tornado Alley
Scenes of destroyed homes and businesses were common following the recent Oklahoma tornadoes. David Prevatt, a structural engineer at the University of Florida, says that improving resistance to tornadoes will require better building materials and techniques, plus a strong dose of political will.
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Whole Genome Scans Could Reveal Too Much
When doctors run out of clues on how to treat a cancer patient, they sometimes order a scan of all the patient's genes. But such a test can turn up unexpected results, such as greater risk of another disease. When are doctors obligated to tell the patient what they know? And do patients have the right not to know?
Tracing The Origins Of French Winemaking
Many people associate France today with the production of great wines. But winemaking isn't native to the French. Patrick McGovern, an archaeologist of fermented beverages, has dated the beginning of viniculture in France to around 500 B.C. and contact with the Etruscans.
How To Survive A Mass Extinction
In her new book Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction writer Annalee Newitz looks back at Earth's previous mass extinctions to see what lessons might be learned, and how earthlings might prepare themselves to survive a future planet-wide catastrophe.
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Comet Shines Light on Sun Dynamics
In 2011, Comet Lovejoy traveled through the sun's corona and lived to tell the tale. But its tail was the most telling. Reporting in the journal Science, Cooper Downs, an astrophysicist at Predictive Science Inc., says that the wiggly path of the comet's tail helps explain the sun's magnetic field.
Strengthening Buildings In Tornado Alley
Scenes of destroyed homes and businesses were common following the recent Oklahoma tornadoes. David Prevatt, a structural engineer at the University of Florida, says that improving resistance to tornadoes will require better building materials and techniques, plus a strong dose of political will.
Whole Genome Scans Could Reveal Too Much
When doctors run out of clues on how to treat a cancer patient, they sometimes order a scan of all the patient's genes. But such a test can turn up unexpected results, such as greater risk of another disease. When are doctors obligated to tell the patient what they know? And do patients have the right not to know?
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Tracing The Origins Of French Winemaking
Many people associate France today with the production of great wines. But winemaking isn't native to the French. Patrick McGovern, an archaeologist of fermented beverages, has dated the beginning of viniculture in France to around 500 B.C. and contact with the Etruscans.
How To Survive A Mass Extinction
In her new book Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction writer Annalee Newitz looks back at Earth's previous mass extinctions to see what lessons might be learned, and how earthlings might prepare themselves to survive a future planet-wide catastrophe.
From 'RoboCop To 'Robot & Frank': Best RoboMovies Of All Time
Science fiction movies throughout time are populated with robots. But when it comes to films with a tight focus on robots only a handful may come to mind. In advance of Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, TOTN's favorite film buff Murray Horwitz discusses the best robot movies of all time.
The NSA, Verizon And The Future of Domestic Spying
According to a top-secret court order obtained by The Guardian, the National Security Agency has collected the phone records of millions of U.S. Verizon customers since late April. The Guardian's Spencer Ackerman explains the coming debate over the scale of domestic spying operations.
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Looking Ahead To The Future Of Syria's Crisis
To date, the civil war in Syria has claimed tens of thousands of lives and, according U.N. estimates, has caused more than a million refugees to flee to neighboring countries. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, NPR foreign correspondent Deb Amos discusses where the conflict may go.
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From 'RoboCop To 'Robot & Frank': Best RoboMovies Of All Time
Science fiction movies throughout time are populated with robots. But when it comes to films with a tight focus on robots only a handful may come to mind. In advance of Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, TOTN's favorite film buff Murray Horwitz discusses the best robot movies of all time.
The NSA, Verizon And The Future of Domestic Spying
According to a top-secret court order obtained by The Guardian, the National Security Agency has collected the phone records of millions of U.S. Verizon customers since late April. The Guardian's Spencer Ackerman explains the coming debate over the scale of domestic spying operations.
Looking Ahead To The Future Of Syria's Crisis
To date, the civil war in Syria has claimed tens of thousands of lives and, according U.N. estimates, has caused more than a million refugees to flee to neighboring countries. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, NPR foreign correspondent Deb Amos discusses where the conflict may go.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
