NPR Programs: Talk of the Nation

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering $10 million to the first individual or company to develop an energy-efficient LED replacement for the standard 60-watt incandescent bulb. DOE lighting program manager James Brodrick discusses the L Prize, and what makes a better bulb.

Faced with declining fish stocks, many nations are looking for sustainable ways to have their fish — and eat it too. But how much fishing is too much? Oceanographer Sylvia Earle discusses this and other topics in her book The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One.

At the 2009 International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, undergraduates from all over the world unveiled the living machines they'd created with snippets of DNA, from bacteria that change color when they detect pollutants to ones that secrete non-toxic superglue.

Football players take a lot of hits, but when does hard-headed play go too far? New research suggests that head trauma can do lasting damage. Two brain researchers talk about what happens in the brain when a player gets hit, and how athletes can better protect themselves.

As health care legislation moves through Congress, bioethicist Thomas H. Murray asks if enough attention is being paid to concepts such as justice, fairness and liberty. Murray and health care economist Len Nichols discuss the role of values in the health care debate.

The GOP claimed victories a number of victories in the 2009 elections. And a Gallup study found American conservatives now outnumber moderates. Guests examine whether the U.S. is becoming more conservative, or if it's the definition of conservative that's changing.

President Obama became the country's first black president one year ago, and the term "post-racial" became a household phrase. But the conversation is far from over. What events of the past year triggered conversations about race in your life?

October 29th marked the 40th anniversary of the Internet. We'll talk with Scott Fahlman, the computer researcher who invented the virtual smiley face, about how emoticons and abbreviations have changed electronic communication.

Hendrik Hertzberg, author of Obamanos!, assesses the year since President Obama's election. And former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee and NPR political editor Ken Rudin talk about gains Republicans made in the 2009 elections.

The September issue of Glamour magazine features a model who is considered plus-sized. Cindi Lieve, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, and Washington Post fashion editor Robin Givhan examine whether or not the fashion industry is "sizing up."

Bruce Buschel is opening his own restaurant and has compiled a list of dos and don'ts for his wait staff. Buschel shares the little nuances waiters can adopt that could mean the difference between a great tip and no tip at all.

The threat of the H1N1 flu virus has many employers taking precautions to prevent its spread in the workplace. And while it may be an easy decision to allow one member of staff to stay home with the flu, decision-making gets tougher when half of the work force falls ill.

The movie about Michael Jackson's preparation for a series of concerts in London, This Is It, mixes rehearsal footage with production elements from the planned shows. Dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen loved the film.

Carole King's Tapestry has become one of the biggest selling albums of all time. Now, the singer-songwriter is focused on environmental activism, and is working to push Congress to pass a bill to help the Northern Rockies.

The Department of Justice will no longer prosecute medical marijuana users who comply with state laws. Some reform advocates hope the move means decriminalization of pot may be in the works. Drug czar Gil Kerlikowske talks about the direction of U.S. drug policy.