How One Man Continues To 'Just Pass It On'
Thomas Weller would have died in a snow bank in 1966 had a stranger not helped him. Weller has been helping strangers in the same way ever since.
News
See Ya, Voyager: Probe Has Finally Entered Interstellar Space
"This is the real deal. Voyager 1 has finally reached interstellar space; the first time a spacecraft has been in the space between the stars," says one project scientist. Launched in 1977, the probe has been surveying the solar system.
In These 'Gardens,' The Tree Rings Of The Radical Left
Jonathan Lethem's Dissident Gardens sketches a history of the American left that is at once intimate and expansive. Out of the lives of a few conflicted characters, reviewer Mohsin Hamid explains, the book lends depth and emotion to events that affected millions.
The Internet's 'Twerk' Effect Makes Dictionaries Less Complete
When dictionaries add trendy words like "twerk," they're prioritizing the fleeting language habits of the young, says Geoff Nunberg. And our fascination with novel words tends to eclipse subtle changes in the meanings of old ones — "which are often more consequential," he says.
Pioneer Billie Jean King Moved The Baseline For Women's Tennis
A new PBS documentary looks at King's legacy as both a tennis champion — she has a record 20 Wimbledon titles — and the leader of a female player uprising that demanded fairer treatment and pay. She tells Fresh Air about the challenges of being a female player before there was a women's league.
5 Years After Financial Crisis, Are Big Banks Still A Threat?
It's been five years since Lehman Brothers collapsed and touched off a banking crisis that is still being felt by the global economy. Today, the banking industry is a lot stronger than it was, but some critics say efforts to reform banking regulations have fallen short of their potential.
For Native Americans, Mental Health Budget Cuts Hit Hard
Suicide rates among Native Americans are already four times the national average. And with recent cuts in federal funding for mental health services across the country, suicide prevention programs may lose ground in the communities that need them most.
Tina Brown To Leave The Daily Beast
Celebrity editor Tina Brown announced Wednesday that she's leaving the news and opinion website to launch her own media company. She has been a regular guest on Morning Edition. Brown plans to produce live forums on news topics.
Why Painting Tumors Could Make Brain Surgeons Better
Cut a tumor from a child's brain and you may save a life. But surgery can hurt the child if healthy brain cells are removed. A Seattle doctor is working on a substance that might help. It binds tightly to cancer cells and makes them glow, so they're easier to distinguish from healthy tissue.
Missouri Tax Posturing May Influence Other States
State lawmakers failed to override the governor's veto of a controversial measure that would have lowered state income taxes. Although Republicans had supermajorities in the House and Senate, Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon was able to rally school districts, which feared their budgets would suffer from the decline in general revenue.