All Things Considered for March 15, 2016 Hear the All Things Considered program for March 15, 2016

All Things Considered

Taking an intelligence test at the University of Maryland: In one month of brain training, former NPR correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty vastly increased her scores in intelligence tests. Courtesy of Barbara Bradley Hagerty hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Stuck In The Middle: Work, Health And Happiness At Midlife

Forget About It: Your Middle-Aged Brain Is Not On The Decline

You forget someone's name, or why you ran downstairs. Your brain is getting older, and the connections are weakening. But research shows the middle-aged brain is actually operating at its peak.

Going slow isn't necessarily the best route to ditching cigarettes. Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images

To Quit Smoking, It's Best To Go Cold Turkey

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/470124189/470567051" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

When it comes to chronic pain relief, the CDC is asking doctors and patients to think about alternatives to opioids. Robin Nelson/Zumapress.com/Corbis hide caption

toggle caption
Robin Nelson/Zumapress.com/Corbis

CDC Has Advice For Primary Care Doctors About Opioids

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/470559682/470567059" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Former Houston Rockets basketball player Yao Ming arrived at China's Great Hall of the People to attend the opening session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing on March 3. Many prominent Chinese figures take part, though delegates lack real power. Andy Wong/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Andy Wong/AP

China's Legislative Session: Many Stars, But Little Power

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/470533082/470567065" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

South Korean professional Go player Lee Sedol reviews the match with other professional Go players after the fourth match against Google's artificial intelligence program, AlphaGo. Handout/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Handout/Getty Images

Achievement Unlocked: Google AlphaGo A.I. Wins Go Series, 4-1

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/470500441/470567073" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Taking an intelligence test at the University of Maryland: In one month of brain training, former NPR correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty vastly increased her scores in intelligence tests. Courtesy of Barbara Bradley Hagerty hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Forget About It: Your Middle-Aged Brain Is Not On The Decline

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/469822325/470567081" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Actor Henry Godinez as the philosophy professor Oscar Amalfitano, in "Part II: The Part About Amalfitano," from the Goodman Theatre's lengthy production of 2666. Liz Lauren/Goodman Theatre hide caption

toggle caption
Liz Lauren/Goodman Theatre

Have 5 Hours To Spare? See Bolaño's Epic '2666' Onstage

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/470549734/470567093" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Searching for a song you heard between stories? We've retired music buttons on these pages. Learn more here.

All Things Considered