archive
iRobot: Getting in on the Ground Floor
February 4, 2005 Helen Greiner, one of the founders of the iRobot Corp. talks about the company's consumer hit: the 'Roomba' line of robotic vacuum cleaners. However, Greiner says the company has bigger things in mind than hunting dust bunnies, including military robots and vehicles.
Making False Memories
February 4, 2005 New research looks at how the brain makes memories. Though there's no shortage of research on memory formation, this study has a twist — the researchers imaged the brains of the study subjects as they made memories of events that didn't actually happen.
Costly Repairs, and the Future of the Hubble Telescope
February 4, 2005 The Hubble Space Telescope is in need of repairs to keep it operating safely — however, NASA administrators are not sure that they want to attempt a costly and risky repair mission. And some recent press reports have indicated that funding for a repair mission may already have been stricken from the federal budget.
Missing Matter, Found
February 4, 2005 Researchers say they may have identified some of the "missing matter" in the universe, in intergalactic clouds of very diffuse gas.
Science
Science and Religion: Physical Sciences
January 21, 2005 Where did the universe come from — and where is it going? Some people find answers to such questions in scientific theories, while others look to religion for answers. We talk about whether there can be common ground between science and religion in the study of the physical sciences, including physics and astronomy.
Space
Sorting Data from the Huygens Probe on Titan
January 21, 2005 Scientists are trying to make sense of the data from last week's Huygens probe on Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Space
Scientists Find Meteorite on Mars
January 21, 2005 Scientists operating the robotic Mars rovers say they've made a startling discovery — a large, iron-heavy meteorite resting on the surface of the red planet.
Science
Science and Religion: Biological Sciences
January 21, 2005 How do centuries-old religions adapt to new discoveries or new technologies? How do different religious traditions view genetic engineering, cloning, or stem cell research? Can science and religion co-exist?
Space
Space Science Update: Big Stars, Titan Landing
January 13, 2005 NPR's Madeleine Brand speaks with Ira Flatow, host of Talk of the Nation Science Friday, about the most recent discoveries in outer space, including three giant stars, evidence of black holes and a space probe set to land on Saturn's biggest moon.
Environment
'Talk of the Nation's' Annual Bird Show
December 31, 2004 NPR's Ira Flatow hosts our annual bird show. Call in with your sightings and questions.
Space
New Galaxies Found in Earth's Backyard
December 24, 2004 Astronomers working on NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer project have just discovered new galaxies right here in Earth's backyard. Team member Tim Heckman joins NPR's Ira Flatow to talk about the findings.