archive
Commentary
Astronaut Chris Hadfield's Most Excellent Adventure
May 18, 2013 Hadfield just spent 146 days up at the International Space Station, during which time he performed rock concerts and shared his dazzling photographs with nearly a million Twitter followers.
Simon Says
Mom's X-Ray Vision Also Sees The Best In Us
May 11, 2013 Mothers know us better — sometimes better than we know ourselves. As any child will tell you, they really do have eyes in the back of their heads. When times are tough, they also have our back.
Simon Says
A 'Tough, Smart, Proud Town' Meets Terror With Determination
April 20, 2013 The bombing attack at the Boston Marathon Monday could have caused scrambling and panic. Instead, the tragedy revealed the city's character as people rushed to help each other.
Remembrances
How Did All Those People Get Inside Jonathan Winters?
April 13, 2013 Winters was best known for creating a repertory company of characters that he carried around in his head. In 2000, he told NPR's Scott Simon how he built that cast, after taking some advice from another performer.
Simon Says
At The Spelling Bee, Spelling Is No Longer Enough
April 13, 2013 Starting this year, competitors in the National Spelling Bee will not only have to know how to spell a word, but they'll also have to know what it means.
Simon Says
Roger Ebert: Elegance And Empathy
April 6, 2013 Roger Ebert wrote simply, abundantly, gorgeously — and on deadline for 46 years at the Chicago Sun-Times. Over the years, his work reminded us that empathy is the grace note of a good life, not just great art.
Simon Says
Humble Gestures Are New Pope's Symbol Of Service
March 30, 2013 Pope Francis surprised many this week by washing the feet of young inmates in prison instead of priests in a grand basilica. The ceremony emulates the way Jesus washed the feet of his 12 disciples. On this Easter weekend, we consider the meaning behind Pope Francis' break with tradition.
Simon Says
Resurrected Frog Gives Us Cause To Brood
March 23, 2013 This week scientists announced they have reproduced the genome of an extinct amphibian, the gastric brooding frog. But animals are more than just their genomes, so NPR's Scott Simon wonders if it's necessary — or kind — to bring them back.