Accessibility links
Christopher Intagliata Christopher Intagliata is a senior editor at All Things Considered, where he writes news and edits interviews with politicians, musicians, restaurant owners, scientists and many of the other voices heard on the air.
Headshot of Christopher Intagliata
Stories By

Christopher Intagliata

Friday

Technology

Here's What 'All Things Considered' Sounds Like — In Blackbird Song

A Finnish computer scientist had a dream that a blackbird was speaking to her in human language. So she devised a computer program to transform the sounds of the human voice into birdsong.

Here's What 'All Things Considered' Sounds Like — In Blackbird Song

Listen · 2:33
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/988200892/988200893" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Europe

Julie Fisher, First U.S. Ambassador To Belarus Since 2008, Awaits Travel To Minsk

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Julie Fisher, the first U.S. Ambassador to Belarus since 2008, about last year's disputed presidential election and where diplomatic relations currently stand.

Julie Fisher, First U.S. Ambassador To Belarus Since 2008, Awaits Travel To Minsk

Listen · 7:54
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/988200851/988200852" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Author Interviews

'Empire Of Pain: The Secret History Of The Sackler Dynasty' Profiles Pharma Family

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Patrick Radden Keefe about his book Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty. The book profiles the family that founded oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma.

'Empire Of Pain: The Secret History Of The Sackler Dynasty' Profiles Pharma Family

Listen · 8:04
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/986929541/986929542" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Mummified Parrots Reveal 'Sophisticated' Trade In Ancient South American Desert

Researchers identified a mummified Blue-Fronted Amazon parrot, recovered from an ancient cemetery in the Atacama Desert. Calogero Santoro, Universidad de Tarapacá and José Capriles, Penn State hide caption

toggle caption
Calogero Santoro, Universidad de Tarapacá and José Capriles, Penn State

Animals

Mummified Parrots Reveal 'Sophisticated' Trade In Ancient South American Desert

Scientists found remains of parrots in the Atacama desert, far from the birds' home in the Amazon. The discovery allowed scientists to reconstruct ancient trading routes used to transport the birds.

Mummified Parrots Reveal 'Sophisticated' Trade In Ancient South American Desert

Listen · 2:14
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/983853813/983925135" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

Scientists Get Closer To Redefining The Length Of A Second

Scientists have made new more accurate comparisons between types of atomic clocks. Jun Ye hide caption

toggle caption
Jun Ye

Science

Scientists Get Closer To Redefining The Length Of A Second

A group of scientists from Boulder, Colo., compared three different atomic clocks. It's a step toward redefining the length of a second.

Scientists Get Closer To Redefining The Length Of A Second

Listen · 2:54
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/982395425/982519135" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

Research News

Hark! Glow-In-The-Dark Shark Sparks Biology Landmark

A kitefin shark is the largest known bioluminescent vertebrate, according to a new study. The shark lives in the dimly lit "twilight zone" of the ocean, and may glow to camouflage itself as it hunts.

Hark! Glow-In-The-Dark Shark Sparks Biology Landmark

Listen · 2:33
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/976589520/976589521" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Obituaries

Coronavirus Victims: Gospel Blues Performer John Wilkins

The Rev. John Wilkins of Hunters Chapel in Mississippi spent his life performing gospel blues in and out of the church. He died of COVID-19 at age 76.

Coronavirus Victims: Gospel Blues Performer John Wilkins

Listen · 4:04
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/958472476/958472477" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

The Evolutionary History Of Penguins Is Far From Black And White

Barbijo penguins gather on South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, in 2019. But that's probably not where their ancestors lived. Johan Ordonez/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Johan Ordonez/AFP via Getty Images

Science

The Evolutionary History Of Penguins Is Far From Black And White

New research suggests that penguins' ancestors originated not in frozen Antarctica but, instead, off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand, adapting to new climes over 22 million years.

The Evolutionary History Of Penguins Is Far From Black And White

Listen · 2:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/903593291/903607124" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Thursday

Everyone Needs A Buddy. Even Sharks

Gray reef sharks hang out together in French Polynesia. Bernard Radvaner/Corbis/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Bernard Radvaner/Corbis/Getty Images

Animals

Everyone Needs A Buddy. Even Sharks

Contrary to the image of sharks as lone predators, new research has found evidence that some species are social creatures who return repeatedly to the same fellow sharks, often for years.

Everyone Needs A Buddy. Even Sharks

Listen · 2:25
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/902157235/902170310" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Thursday

Science

Scientists Discover A New Material For Cleaning Up Oil Spills

Scientists have come up with a novel material for cleaning up oil spills on land. Mats of human hair and dog fur successfully absorb oil from hard surfaces — but not so well from sand.

Scientists Discover A New Material For Cleaning Up Oil Spills

Listen · 2:44
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/892034420/892034421" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

California Gov. Newsom: Federal Government Has Responsibility To Help States Recover

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new criteria related to coronavirus hospitalizations and testing that could allow counties to open faster than the state during a news conference in Napa, Calif., on Monday. Rich Pedroncelli/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Coronavirus Updates

California Gov. Newsom: Federal Government Has Responsibility To Help States Recover

California led the nation in issuing a statewide stay-at-home order. And it's paying an economic price: a $54 billion deficit. As the state reopens, it seeks to balance the economy and public health.

California Gov. Newsom: Federal Government Has Responsibility To Help States Recover

Listen · 5:57
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/858962067/858977851" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Jason Isbell On The Past Lives That Inspired His New Album, 'Reunions'

Jason Isbell released his band's new album Reunions, out today, one week early to independent record stores."I feel like it's important that we take care of the people who take care of us," he says. Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Jason Isbell On The Past Lives That Inspired His New Album, 'Reunions'

Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell talks about releasing his new album early to independent record stores and reconnecting with a younger version of himself after being sober for almost a decade.

Jason Isbell On The Past Lives That Inspired His New Album, 'Reunions'

Listen · 7:59
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/856319176/857105201" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

So Your Sourdough Starter Failed? That's OK, Science Needs It

Researchers are studying the mysteries of sourdough starter. The Pizza Bike/Flickr hide caption

toggle caption
The Pizza Bike/Flickr

Coronavirus Updates

So Your Sourdough Starter Failed? That's OK, Science Needs It

The Wild Sourdough Project is studying how different regions and flours influence a sourdough starter's composition and aroma.

So Your Sourdough Starter Failed? That's OK, Science Needs It

Listen · 2:20
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/841443442/841925751" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday