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Sunday

How One Woman Nearly Deciphered A Mysterious Script

An ancient tablet contains records written in Linear B — a script that was discovered in the 19th century and remained undeciphered for decades. Sharon Mollerus/Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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Sharon Mollerus/Wikimedia Commons

Author Interviews

How One Woman Nearly Deciphered A Mysterious Script

For decades, no one could crack the code to a mysterious ancient script called Linear B. In her new book, Margalit Fox tells the story of the forgotten woman who almost figured it out.

How One Woman Nearly Deciphered A Mysterious Script

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LOOKING BACK: RFK's 'Ripple Of Hope' Speech In South Africa

A Meeting Of Great Minds: During his 1966 visit to South Africa, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy met with anti-apartheid activist Chief Luthuli and later spoke publicly about their meeting. Because of a government ban on media coverage of Luthuli, it was the first news many had of their leader in more than five years. Shoreline Productions hide caption

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Shoreline Productions

The Two-Way

LOOKING BACK: RFK's 'Ripple Of Hope' Speech In South Africa

Speaking in Cape Town on Sunday, President Obama recalled what some say was Robert Kennedy's greatest speech — the senator's 1966 address at a South African university.

Thursday

Moonshine As Moneymaker? Eastern Tennessee Will Drink To That

Ole Smoky's bottles are designed in keeping with the local eastern Tennessee tradition to "pass the jar." Moonshine was typically drunk out of old Mason jars. Van Gallik/Courtesy of Ole Smoky hide caption

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Van Gallik/Courtesy of Ole Smoky

The Salt

Moonshine As Moneymaker? Eastern Tennessee Will Drink To That

Locals in eastern Tennessee have been making moonshine for centuries. But until a few years ago, it was pretty hard for most distillers to do so legally. Now, entrepreneurs have turned their moonshine heritage into a way to boost the local economy and help farmers, too.

Wednesday

It's Time To Move On From The Past

Celebrity chef Paula Deen appears on NBC News' Today show on Wednesday. NBC, Peter Kramer/AP hide caption

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NBC, Peter Kramer/AP

Can I Just Tell You?

It's Time To Move On From The Past

In her regular "Can I Just Tell You" essay, host Michel Martin shares her thoughts on the Paula Deen controversy. Martin says it might be time for a truth and reconciliation commission in the U.S., to help people move on from insensitive things they did in the past.

It's Time To Move On From The Past

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Timeline: Gay Marriage In Law, Pop Culture And The Courts

Mike McConnell (left) and Jack Baker --€” the couple in the Baker v. Nelson case — attempt to get a marriage license in Minneapolis in May 1970. The AP reported in December 2012 that the two are still together. R. Bertraine Heine/Minnesota Historical Society/AP hide caption

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R. Bertraine Heine/Minnesota Historical Society/AP

Same-Sex Marriage And The Supreme Court

Timeline: Gay Marriage In Law, Pop Culture And The Courts

A lot has changed in the decades since the Supreme Court dismissed a gay marriage case for lack of a "substantial federal question" in the 1970s. Now that the court has once again weighed in on the issue of gay marriage, here's a look at how the debate has touched American life.

Actor Wilson Cruz

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Old Safe Reveals Historical Relics Of Women's Suffrage Group

Safe cracker Elaad Israeli works the dial on an old safe found by the National Council of Women of the United States. Margot Adler/NPR hide caption

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Margot Adler/NPR

Old Safe Reveals Historical Relics Of Women's Suffrage Group

On the 125th anniversary of the the National Council of Women of the United States, the organization teamed up with the University of Rochester to open an old safe painted with the words: "Woman Suffrage Party." No one knew what was in the safe or when it had last been opened.

Old Safe Reveals Historical Relics Of Women's Suffrage Group

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Tuesday

Movie Interviews

'Let The Fire Burn': A Philadelphia Community Forever Changed

On May 13, 1985, after a long standoff, Philadelphia municipal authorities dropped a bomb on the headquarters of the African-American radical group MOVE. In the documentary Let the Fire Burn, director Jason Osder uses archival footage to chronicle the years of tension that ended in tragedy.

'Let The Fire Burn': A Philadelphia Community Forever Changed

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Monday

Fighting Dementia by Preventing Depression

Depression is common among old people, affecting up to 25 percent. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Shots - Health News

Fighting Dementia by Preventing Depression

Alzheimer's disease and depression have a lot in common, and people with depression face a greater risk of dementia as they age. Researchers aren't sure why and are seeking clues. They are trying to find out if treating depression will then help prevent or delay dementia.

Fighting Dementia by Preventing Depression

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Sunday

West Virginia's Birthday Recalls A State Born Of Civil War

Lincoln Walks at Midnight stands outside the state capitol in Charleston, W.Va. The statue depicts President Abraham Lincoln contemplating the prospect of statehood for West Virginia. Vicki Smith/AP hide caption

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Vicki Smith/AP

News

West Virginia's Birthday Recalls A State Born Of Civil War

As West Virginia celebrates its 150th birthday this week, the state's chief historian tells the story of how western Virginians created a secession within a secession.

West Virginia's Birthday Recalls A State Born Of Civil War

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Friday

Mastering A Sea Monster: From Greece, A Lesson In Grilling Octopus

For octopus flesh to be tender enough to grill, it must be dried in the sun at least one full day. Joanna Kakissis for NPR hide caption

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Joanna Kakissis for NPR

The Salt

Mastering A Sea Monster: From Greece, A Lesson In Grilling Octopus

The Greeks have been eating octopus since ancient times, but there's an art to grilling these tentacled sea creatures. An octopus has to be dried in the sun for at least a day first. Otherwise, the flesh just steams and turns into "a rubbery mass."

Mastering A Sea Monster: From Greece, A Lesson In Grilling Octopus

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Thursday

Author Interviews

'Blood & Beauty' Breathes New Life Into The Borgias

In the 1500s, Italy was bursting with some of the most influential and vivid figures in history. In her latest book, Blood & Beauty: The Borgias, novelist Sarah Dunant explores the story of the powerful and notorious family.

'Blood & Beauty' Breathes New Life Into The Borgias

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Gourmands Through The Ages: 'A History Of Food In 100 Recipes'

Detail from a painting found on the walls of a 4,000-year-old tomb in Luxor, Egypt, that depicts bread making. Werner Forman Archive hide caption

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Werner Forman Archive

The Salt

Gourmands Through The Ages: 'A History Of Food In 100 Recipes'

From ancient Egyptian bakers to Gordon Ramsay, every era has its foodies. And without them, the history of food would be pretty darn boring, says William Sitwell. His new book chronicles how these epicures shaped our palates, and the recipes they left behind.

Gourmands Through The Ages: 'A History Of Food In 100 Recipes'

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Wednesday