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 Speedskater Shani Davis: 'Progress Is Being Made'
 The Winter Olympics begin Friday in Vancouver, where speedskater Shani Davis hopes to add to the medals he won in 2006. Of his status as the first black athlete to win an individual event gold medal at the winter games, Davis said that while it's nice to be a pioneer, "I was just happy to accomplish my dreams and goals in speedskating." (02/09/2010)
Document What To Look For At Winter Games In Vancouver
 The Winter Olympics are set to begin, bringing sports from skeleton to speed skating to luge. The main story so far has been the lack of snow — and cold — in Vancouver. NPR Correspondents Howard Berkes and Tom Goldman give a preview of the Games. (02/09/2010)
Document How 'Soul Train' Got America Dancing
 The hourlong dance variety show <em>Soul Train</em> was the longest-running syndicated show in history when it signed off in 2006. Adolfo "Shabba Doo" Quinones, one of the program's original dancers, celebrates <em>Soul Train</em>'s 40th anniversary with a look back at the show's impact on fashion, dance and culture. (02/09/2010)
Document Reporter's Notebook: Beaubien Returns From Haiti
 NPR correspondent Jason Beaubien was one of the first reporters to reach Port au Prince after the powerful earthquake in January. He shares his experiences covering the quake's aftermath, the recovery effort and the struggle to re-establish essential services. (02/09/2010)
Document Understanding Iran, 31 Years After Revolution
 Feb. 11 marks the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. NPR's Mike Shuster and former Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns look back at the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, assess Iran's nuclear ambitions today, and weigh the Obama administration's options for responding. (02/09/2010)
Document Letters: Images From Haiti, Pay Inequities At Home
 Listeners weigh in on what happens when women make more money than their spouses, and respond to <em>Talk of the Nation</em>'s conversation on troubling images from Haiti. (02/09/2010)
Document Democratic Congressman John Murtha Dies At 77
 Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) died Monday of complications from surgery at the age of 77. Murtha was a retired Marine Corps Officer, a Vietnam veteran, one of the most outspoken critics of the U.S. war in Iraq and a strong defender of Congressional deal-making. NPR’s Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving remembers Murtha and his legacy. (02/08/2010)
Document The Future Of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
 President Obama has promised to repeal the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy &mdash; the law that prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces. The nation's top defense officials now agree it's time to retire the 16-year-old law. Two former military officers weigh in from both sides of the debate. (02/08/2010)
Document Imagining 'The Next Hundred Million' Americans
 The U.S. population is expected to reach 400 million by mid-century. In his book, <em>The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050,</em> Joel Kotkin argues that future will be green, diverse and suburban. Kotkin explains how the nation's changing demographics will transform American life and communities. (02/08/2010)
Document Super Bowl Ads: More Male Anxiety Than Usual?
 Mary Elizabeth Williams of Salon.com reviews the best and the worst of Sunday night's Super Bowl ads. As per usual, there were car and beer spots aplenty. But Williams argues that the commercials weren't particularly memorable or clever … and says 2010's ads were filled with a whole lot of male anxiety. (02/08/2010)
Document Do Blizzards Put A Freeze On Ethics?
 From saving hard-shoveled parking spots with traffic cones to hoarding milk, the record snowfall across the Mid-Atlantic has pushed many residents into survival mode. NPR's Neal Conan talks with callers about the dog-eat-dog ethics of navigating a blizzard. (02/08/2010)
Document Is Depression Overdiagnosed In America?
 Roughly 27 million Americans took prescription antidepressants in 2005, making them the most commonly prescribed class of medications in America. Ira Flatow and guests discuss depression, from how it's diagnosed and treated to how antidepressants stack up against psychotherapy and placebos. (02/05/2010)
Document President Obama's Science Spending
 The president's proposed budget was unveiled this week. How did science make out? This hour Ira Flatow and guests look at the budgets of the major U.S. scientific institutions. How are research, alternative energy development and space travel affected? And will Congress sign on? (02/05/2010)
Document Fossilized Feathers Hint At Dinosaur Color
 Dinosaurs are often portrayed as a drab green or grey, but some may have been much brighter. Reporting in <em>Science</em>, Jakob Vinther and colleagues analyzed the fossilized feathers of 150-million-year-old dinosaur <em>Anchiornis huxleyi</em> and found its plumage was surprisingly flashy. (02/05/2010)
Document Experts: 'Gene Doping' To Be Next Sports Scandal
 Cheating athletes used to rely on steroids to pump up performance. Then they discovered erythropoietin and human growth hormone. What's next? Gene doping, or genetic manipulation, according to Dr Theodore Friedmann, chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency's Gene Doping Expert Group. (02/05/2010)
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THU1:00 pmNewsFind a station
FRI1–3 pmNewsFind a station

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