All Things Considered for May 17, 2017 Hear the All Things Considered program for May 17, 2017

All Things Considered

Isabel Seliger for NPR

Space

Total Failure: When The Space Shuttle Didn't Come Home

In Part 1 of the series Total Failure, a former NASA official recalls the disastrous mission of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003 and how the accident changed his life forever.

A wooden puzzle in the silhouette of a human head might look fun if the stakes weren't so high. A doctor named Howard Knox invented The Feature Profile Test — the formal name for this puzzle —after officials struggled to administer IQ tests to immigrants because of issues with language and literacy. Stephen Lewis/Art + Commerce/Smithsonian Magazine hide caption

toggle caption
Stephen Lewis/Art + Commerce/Smithsonian Magazine

This Simple Puzzle Test Sealed The Fate Of Immigrants At Ellis Island

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/528813842/528822205" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

During the cruise ship season, tourists flood the streets of Ketchikan. The borough of Ketchikan is home to about 13,000 people. In just one day, Ketchikan may see 13,000 cruise ship visitors. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Elissa Nadworny/NPR

Leaving Timber Behind, An Alaska Town Turns To Tourism

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/528453624/528822211" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

President Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office on March 14. Trump is traveling to the kingdom Friday on his first foreign trip. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Evan Vucci/AP

President Trump's First Foreign Trip Will Include Red-Carpet Welcome In Saudi Arabia

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/528778789/528822217" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Stephen Colbert headlined CBS's glitzy presentation to advertisers at this year's upfronts in New York City. CBS Photo Archive/CBS via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
CBS Photo Archive/CBS via Getty Images

TV Networks Unveil Fall Seasons At 2017 Upfronts

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/528822177/528822178" 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