Talk of the Nation http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5&ft=1&f=5 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. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Talk of the Nation http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5&ft=1&f=5 A Look Ahead To The Future Of Afghanistan 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. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193135995/a-look-ahead-to-the-future-of-afghanistan?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193135995/a-look-ahead-to-the-future-of-afghanistan?ft=1&f=5 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.

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]]> When A Language Dies, What Happens To Culture? 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. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193135997/when-a-language-dies-what-happens-to-culture?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193135997/when-a-language-dies-what-happens-to-culture?ft=1&f=5 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.

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]]> Breaking Bad News To Kids: How Media Has Tweaked The Process 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? Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193135999/breaking-bad-news-to-kids-how-media-has-tweaked-the-process?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193135999/breaking-bad-news-to-kids-how-media-has-tweaked-the-process?ft=1&f=5 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?

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]]> Obama's Former Legal Adviser Urges U.S. To 'Disciple Drones' 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." Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193136001/obamas-former-legal-adviser-urges-u-s-to-disciple-drones?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/18/193136001/obamas-former-legal-adviser-urges-u-s-to-disciple-drones?ft=1&f=5 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."

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]]> 'Cows Save The Planet': Soil's Secrets For Saving The Earth Journalist Judith Schwartz believes that the key to addressing carbon issues and climate change lies beneath our feet. In her book <em>Cows Save The Planet</em>, she argues that proper management of soil could solve a long list of environmental problems. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:45:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/191670717/cows-to-the-rescue-soils-secrets-for-saving-the-earth?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/191670717/cows-to-the-rescue-soils-secrets-for-saving-the-earth?ft=1&f=5 Journalist Judith Schwartz believes that the key to addressing carbon issues and climate change lies beneath our feet. In her book Cows Save The Planet, she argues that proper management of soil could solve a long list of environmental problems.

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]]> After SCOTUS DNA Ruling, What Changes For Police? 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. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/192740045/after-scotus-dna-ruling-what-changes-for-police?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/192740045/after-scotus-dna-ruling-what-changes-for-police?ft=1&f=5 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.

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]]> Is Big Change Ahead In Iran? A Biography Of The President-Elect Iranians elected Hasan Rowhani, a reformist-backed cleric, as president — a surprise to many who expected an ultraconservative candidate to win. Former NPR foreign correspondent Mike Shuster provides analysis, and responds to opinion pieces about what has changed after the election. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/192740050/is-big-change-ahead-in-iran-a-biography-of-the-president-elect?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/192740050/is-big-change-ahead-in-iran-a-biography-of-the-president-elect?ft=1&f=5 Iranians elected Hasan Rowhani, a reformist-backed cleric, as president — a surprise to many who expected an ultraconservative candidate to win. Former NPR foreign correspondent Mike Shuster provides analysis, and responds to opinion pieces about what has changed after the election.

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]]> Reflections On 30 Years Of NYC: A Look Ahead With Margot Adler From the AIDS movement to the Sept. 11 attacks to Occupy Wall Street, NPR's Margot Adler has covered important issues facing New York City for more than three decades. As part of <em>TOTN's</em> "Looking Ahead" series, Adler reflects on her years in the business and the future of New York City. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/192740054/looking-ahead-with-nprs-margot-adler?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/192740054/looking-ahead-with-nprs-margot-adler?ft=1&f=5 From the AIDS movement to the Sept. 11 attacks to Occupy Wall Street, NPR's Margot Adler has covered important issues facing New York City for more than three decades. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, Adler reflects on her years in the business and the future of New York City.

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]]> Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Talks Climate and Carbon Like any major city near a coast, Seattle likely won't be immune from rising sea levels and other effects of global warming. Mayor Mike McGinn discusses the city's plans for addressing climate change, including his push to divest Seattle's pension funds from fossil fuel investments, and the city council's plan to make Seattle carbon neutral by 2050. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614356/seattle-mayor-mike-mcginn-talks-climate-and-carbon?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614356/seattle-mayor-mike-mcginn-talks-climate-and-carbon?ft=1&f=5 Like any major city near a coast, Seattle likely won't be immune from rising sea levels and other effects of global warming. Mayor Mike McGinn discusses the city's plans for addressing climate change, including his push to divest Seattle's pension funds from fossil fuel investments, and the city council's plan to make Seattle carbon neutral by 2050.

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]]> Decoding 'the Most Complex Object in the Universe' The human brain contains some 100 billion neurons, which together form a network of Internet-like complexity. Christof Koch, chief scientific officer of the Allen Institute for Brain Science, calls the brain "the most complex object in the known universe," and he's mapping its connections in hopes of discovering the origins of consciousness. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614360/decoding-the-most-complex-object-in-the-universe?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614360/decoding-the-most-complex-object-in-the-universe?ft=1&f=5 The human brain contains some 100 billion neurons, which together form a network of Internet-like complexity. Christof Koch, chief scientific officer of the Allen Institute for Brain Science, calls the brain "the most complex object in the known universe," and he's mapping its connections in hopes of discovering the origins of consciousness.

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]]> Looking Back, and Up, at a Seattle Icon Seattle's Space Needle opened in 1962 as part of the World's Fair. Knute Berger, author of <em>Space Needle: The Spirit of Seattle</em>, discusses the history and engineering behind the tower, and explains why a symbol of "the future" from days gone by still has relevance today. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614365/looking-back-and-up-at-a-seattle-icon?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614365/looking-back-and-up-at-a-seattle-icon?ft=1&f=5 Seattle's Space Needle opened in 1962 as part of the World's Fair. Knute Berger, author of Space Needle: The Spirit of Seattle, discusses the history and engineering behind the tower, and explains why a symbol of "the future" from days gone by still has relevance today.

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]]> Human Genes Not Patentable, Supreme Court Says 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. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614367/human-genes-not-patentable-supreme-court-says?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614367/human-genes-not-patentable-supreme-court-says?ft=1&f=5 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.

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]]> Denis Hayes on Being Green 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. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614372/denis-hayes-on-being-green?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614372/denis-hayes-on-being-green?ft=1&f=5 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.

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]]> With Climate Change, No Happy Clams Carbon emissions are slowly acidifying ocean waters, forcing marine life to adapt. Oysters and other shellfish, for example, may have a harder time building their shells, according to NOAA's Richard Feely. At Quilcene, Washington's Taylor Shellfish Hatchery, research director Benoit Eudeline says he's already seeing those effects. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614377/with-climate-change-no-happy-clams?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614377/with-climate-change-no-happy-clams?ft=1&f=5 Carbon emissions are slowly acidifying ocean waters, forcing marine life to adapt. Oysters and other shellfish, for example, may have a harder time building their shells, according to NOAA's Richard Feely. At Quilcene, Washington's Taylor Shellfish Hatchery, research director Benoit Eudeline says he's already seeing those effects.

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]]> Rolling Out Bamboo Bicycles Valid Cycles specializes in handcrafted bamboo bicycle frames. To be bike-ready, the bamboo must be cooked in an oven, stripped, and sealed. But after that, the founders of Valid Cycles say the bikes last as long as a metal one. We stopped by their shop — a barn in Woodinville, Washington — for a look at how the bikes are put together. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614379/rolling-out-bamboo-bicycles?ft=1&f=5 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/14/191614379/rolling-out-bamboo-bicycles?ft=1&f=5 Valid Cycles specializes in handcrafted bamboo bicycle frames. To be bike-ready, the bamboo must be cooked in an oven, stripped, and sealed. But after that, the founders of Valid Cycles say the bikes last as long as a metal one. We stopped by their shop — a barn in Woodinville, Washington — for a look at how the bikes are put together.

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