Talk of the Nation

Talk of the Nation®

with Neal Conan

About the Program

Talk of the Nation with host Neal Conan is known for intelligent and thought-provoking discussion. Guests, contributors, and listeners explore today's most compelling issues — from breaking news, science, and education to religion and the arts.

Starting June 30th, 2006, both hours of Science Friday, broadcast during Talk of the Nation, will be broadcast on MPR News stations.

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Latest Show
Document 'How Soldiers Die': A History Of Combat Deaths
 In <em>The Last Full Measure: How Soldiers Die In Battle</em>, Michael Stephenson traces the history of combat and how soldiers die in the line of duty. He describes how soldiers fight and die, how those who have lived deal with the experience of combat, and what it reveals about warfare and human nature. (05/29/2012)
Document Journalist Interviews, Films 'Al Qaeda In Yemen'
 Ghaith Abdul-Ahad traveled deep into al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) territory to find out what the organization has to say for itself for his documentary, <em>Al Qaeda In Yemen</em>. He shares AQAP's response to U.S. and Yemeni military attacks and how the group controls the city of Jaar. (05/29/2012)
Document Egyptian Election Marred By Violence
 Election results set the stage for a runoff vote between the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafik, the last prime minister under former President Mubarak. International monitors called the election one of Egypt's most transparent, but violent protests broke out after the final tally. (05/29/2012)
Document Few Good Options Remain To End Syrian Attacks
 The U.S. joined Britain, Germany, and other Western countries in expelling senior diplomats from Syria in response to the weekend assault that killed more than 100 civilians. Syria's government denies any responsibility for the attacks, the latest in a year-long struggle for control of the country. (05/29/2012)
Document Letters: Organ Donations And Changing Hospitals
 NPR's Neal Conan reads from listeners' comments on previous <em>Talk of the Nation</em> topics, including whether or not to compensate for organ donations and changing hospital practices to better serve patients. (05/29/2012)
Document Cycle Of Deployment Strains Military Marriage
 As he rose through the ranks, Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris saw his marriage to his wife, Lisa, slowly unravel. In 2009, the two decided to try to make their marriage work. Now they tour the country, sharing the lessons they've learned with troops. <em>Originally broadcast on May 10, 2012.</em> (05/28/2012)
Document Watching Your Child Go Off To War
 With pride and sadness, writer David Freed watched his son go off to the war in Afghanistan. In the <em>Los Angeles Times</em>, Freed suggests that politicians who vote or make orders to deploy service members don't understand what it means to have a loved one serve. Originally broadcast April 4, 2012. (05/28/2012)
Document What's The Secret To Great Tomato Flavor?
 Horticulturalist Harry Klee is on a mission to bring great taste back to the supermarket tomato. To do so, he asks taste-testers to rate the most flavorful fruits, and analyzes each winning variety's chemical profile. Then he uses his 'chemical recipe' to breed high-yield, better-tasting hybrid tomatoes. (05/25/2012)
Document Breaking Out Of A Web Of Fear
 Reporting in the <em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,</em> researchers write that a brief therapy session with people who had a lifelong phobia of spiders resulted in lasting changes to brain areas that process fear. A panel of experts discuss the results, debilitating fear and ways to overcome it. (05/25/2012)
Document Humans, The World's 'Superomnivores'
 In his book <em>The Omnivorous Mind: Our Evolving Relationship with Food</em>, neuroanthropologist John S. Allen discusses the history of human eating, from foraged foods on the savannah to four-star meals cooked by celebrity chefs, and discusses why crunchy foods like tempura and fried chicken have universal appeal. (05/25/2012)
Document Monster Turtle Fossil Discovered In Colombian Mine
 Reporting in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, researchers write of discovering a car-sized turtle they named <em>Carbonemys cofrinii</em>. Edwin Cadena, who found the fossil, describes the giant reptile's lifestyle 60 million years ago, and what it may have dined on--like baby alligators. (05/25/2012)
Document Tick Talk: Lyme Disease Under The Microscope
 Banking giant JPMorgan's multibillion-dollar trading loss is blamed on an executive's absence due to Lyme disease. And a mild winter has some scientists predicting a busy tick season ahead. A panel of experts discuss how the infection is contracted, why it's often misdiagnosed and the most effective treatment options. (05/25/2012)
Document From 'App' To 'Tea': English Examined In '100 Words'
 Linguist David Crystal believes every word has a story to tell, even the ones as commonplace as "and." In <em>The Story of English in 100 Words,</em> he compiles a collection of words — classic words like "tea" and new words like "app" — that explain how the English language has evolved. (05/25/2012)
Document Get Onboard: It's Time To Stop Hating The Bus
 Everyone loves to hate the bus, but in a piece for Salon.com, Will Doig argues that the bus is actually mass transit's best hope. He offers high- and low-tech solutions to help the oft-maligned bus system improve its image and its efficiency. (05/25/2012)
Document Gjelten: How Things Have Changed At The CIA
 The CIA has faced intense criticism for reporting, incorrectly, that Saddam Hussein's Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten got direct access to CIA analysts to discuss the lessons learned from Iraq, and how they're applying them to a new intelligence target: Iran. (05/24/2012)
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