Talk of the Nation

Schedule

88.5-3

Monday - Thursday

2:00 pm

When Americans want to be a part of the national conversation, they turn to Talk of the Nation, 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 health care, 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.

Find more information about Talk of the Nation.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

One Year Later, Arab Spring Still Reverberating

The demonstrations that spread across the Middle East in 2011 unseated leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Yemen's president has agreed to step down and violence continues in Syria. NPR foreign correspondents discuss developments since the Arab Spring and what they mean for the region and the U.S.

Tilda Swinton Faces A Parent's Nightmare In 'Kevin'

In the film We Need To Talk About Kevin, Academy Award-winning actor Tilda Swinton plays the mother of a disturbed and manipulative son. Kevin systematically undermines his parents' marriage as he gets older — and then goes on a horrific, Columbine-reminiscent killing spree.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Defense Cuts To Reshape U.S. Military Strategy

The Obama administration has laid out billions in cuts to the U.S. military over the next decade. Some say the cuts will weaken the armed forces, while others argue it's time to reconsider the type of military presence the U.S. should maintain. NPR's Tom Bowman describes the proposed cuts and their potential implications for future military operations.

Op-Ed: For Candidates, Private-Public Line Blurry

Politicians often reveal personal stories on the campaign trail. But those revelations often draw criticism from opponents. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat says politicians can and should contest the critiques, but that many have lost the right to complain about them.

FAA Rules May Interrupt Endangered Crane Migration

Operation Migration uses ultralight planes to guide whooping cranes in migration from Wisconsin to their winter home in Florida. But a Federal Aviation Administration investigation has grounded a flock of whooping cranes and an ultralight guiding plane.

Demystifying The Role Of Political Independents

Approximately 40 percent of U.S. voters identify as independents, giving them considerable clout with political candidates. Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page and George W. Bush campaign strategist Daron Shaw discuss who makes up the independent electorate, and if its influence is sometimes overstated.

Friday, January 6, 2012

One Scholar's Take On The Power of The Placebo

A placebo can take the form of a sugar pill or even a fake surgery. It's often used to test the effectiveness of a trial drug. Ted Kaptchuk, director of Harvard University's Program in Placebo Studies and the Therapeutic Encounter, discusses potential applications for the healing power of placebos.

Levitating Fruit Flies To Learn About Space Travel

Physicist Richard Hill and colleagues at the University of Nottingham have a powerful magnet that they have used to levitate fruits, beer and most recently, fruit flies. It's a low-cost way to study the effects of zero gravity on biological systems, Hill says.

Winter Wonderland? Wonder No Longer

The winter solstice has come and gone, making it officially winter in the U.S., with cooler temperatures, less sunlight, and, in some places, snow, ice, and frost. A panel of experts discusses the different phenomena that combine to make up the season we call winter, and give tips for how best to appreciate the natural world in wintertime.

Debate Persists Over Publishing Bird Flu Studies

A federal advisory board has urged scientific journals not to publish the research from two labs that have developed an airborne flu virus. Microbiologist Vincent Racaniello discusses why the move sets a bad precedent. Biosecurity expert D.A. Henderson talks about the risks of publishing the research.

Parasitic Fly Threatens Honey Bee Populations

Honey bee colonies around the United States are in decline, threatened by several different diseases and parasites. John Hafernik, a professor of biology at San Francisco State University, describes how a parasitic fly that was thought to prey upon bumblebees may pose a new threat to honey bee populations in the U.S.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Cynthia Tucker Reflects On Opinion Journalism

After more than 20 years as a columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Pulitzer Prize-winner Cynthia Tucker left to become a visiting professor at the University of Georgia. She edited the editorial page for the paper for eight years until she was reassigned as a political columnist.

Should Patients See Their Doctors' Notes?

More than 90 percent of patients in one survey said they'd want to know what doctors write in their charts. The majority of doctors, though, are reluctant to share their notes. Time's Alice Park explains why patients want to see their charts — and why many physicians are wary of the idea.

In 2012, New State Laws On Large And Local Issues

New state laws reflect controversial national issues such as immigration. They also regulate local concerns from requiring teaching about important gay figures in California schools to limiting when New Yorkers can fertilize their lawns. NPR's Corey Dade and Pam Fessler discuss 2012's new laws.

Reality Sets In Between Toddler And Teen Years

Middle childhood was often thought of as a developmental placeholder between toddler and teen years. But a special issue of Human Nature explains that's when children learn to reason, control impulses, understand and accept mortality and plan for the future, among other developmental milestones.

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Arts & Culture

WAMU 88.5

Celebrate Hawaii At The Smithsonian This Weekend

Hawaii is thousands of miles from D.C., but this weekend you'll be to celebrate island arts and culture at the Smithsonian.

Food

NPR

A Seat At The Table With The 'Queen Of Creole Cuisine'

Leah Chase's restaurant in New Orleans has served the likes of Thurgood Marshall, Sarah Vaughn and Duke Ellington. Now the legendary chef has earned the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award. Host Michel Martin speaks with Chase about her latest accomplishment.

Politics

NPR

Why Former Gitmo Chief Left In Protest

President Obama is once again calling for the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be shut down, even though new polls suggest most Americans want it to stay open. But the chorus of critics has gained one surprising member: former Guantanamo Chief Prosecutor Morris Davis. Host Michel Martin talks with Davis about why he now feels the facility should be closed.

Technology

NPR

Viewers To Decide If Amazon's Sample Shows Make The Cut

Amazon is piloting 14 possible shows for its streaming video service. The audience will vote on which shows it likes best. TV critic Eric Deggans says the process and the shows would like to be breaking ground for a new media — but they aren't.

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Talk of the Nation

Arts & Culture

Celebrate Hawaii At The Smithsonian This Weekend

Food

A Seat At The Table With The 'Queen Of Creole Cuisine'

Politics

Why Former Gitmo Chief Left In Protest

Technology

Viewers To Decide If Amazon's Sample Shows Make The Cut

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