Opinion

Former President Barack Obama extends his hand as he attends Cook County jury duty at the Daley Center on Wednesday in Chicago.

Even (Former) Presidents Have To Go To Jury Duty

10:48am November 11, 2017

by Scott Simon

Barack Obama reported for jury duty in Cook County and was dismissed. NPR's Scott Simon says the fact that former presidents show up for jury duty says something vital about the political system.

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President Donald Trump shakes hands with EPA chief Scott Pruitt on June 1 after speaking about the U.S. role in the Paris climate change accord in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

Certain And Confident: Predicting The Future In A Climate-Changing World

1:36pm November 10, 2017

by Adam Frank

The Climate Science Special Report, released by the White House last week, is a valuable read — it's a primer on how science works when it overlaps with the need to make informed bets on our future.

Sports

Why Some Sports Teams Don't Play To Win

5:41am November 08, 2017

by Mike Pesca

Commentator Mike Pesca talks about the strategy behind some pro sports franchises that go through "rebuilding" seasons of frequent losing, and the pitfalls for fans.

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech to U.S. troops at the Yokota Air Base outside Tokyo on Sunday. Japan is the first stop on his five-nation trip.

3 Central Questions As President Trump Visits Asia

10:27am November 06, 2017

The president's visit will be a defining moment. Will the region be reassured and put at ease or left only further concerned that the era of Pax Americana may finally be ending?

Flowers are placed on a bike at a memorial on Thursday at the scene of Tuesday's terrorist attack along a bike path in Lower Manhattan.

National

After An Attack, New Yorkers' Brave Act: Keep Going

4:45am November 04, 2017

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the spirit of New Yorkers in the aftermath of Tuesday's terrorist attack in Manhattan.

American science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson, photographed during a discussion with SFX Magazine on June 8, 2012.

Writing On The Terrifying Beauty Of The Human Future

12:13pm November 02, 2017

by Adam Frank

Author Kim Stanley Robinson deserves a place as a true visionary: He has done more than just write good science-fiction — he's mapped out new territory in what it means to be human, says Adam Frank.

Did The EPA Censor Its Scientists?

9:15am October 29, 2017

by Adam Frank

Last week, EPA scientists were pulled from speaking at a meeting where they would address climate change. New EPA leaders were quickly accused of censoring their own scientists, says Adam Frank.

A survey says Americans are by far most afraid of corrupt government officials.

National

Top American Fears: Sharks And Zombies Or Corrupt Officials?

7:10am October 28, 2017

by Melissa Block

NPR's Melissa Block reflects on the results of an annual survey about what most scares Americans. The American health care system, pollution and another world war rank in the top 10.

The Astronomers Monument in Griffith Observatory, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, Calif. shows Johannes Kepler in the center flanked by Isaac Newton, on the left and Galileo Galilei on the right.

When The State Sinks, Science Is The Anchor

9:07am October 26, 2017

by Marcelo Gleiser

As history has shown, political and ideological repression passes — but scientific knowledge remains, says astrophysicist Marcelo Gleiser.

In A Climate Of Fear, A Comedian Remembers What Makes Her Brave

2:14pm October 24, 2017

by Zahra Noorbakhsh

A rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes made comedian Zahra Noorbakhsh uneasy about performing live. Then she remembered a childhood experience that helped her regain her footing.

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