NPR Programs: Talk of the Nation

President Obama's Science Spending

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0500
The president's proposed budget was unveiled this week. How did science make out? This hour Ira Flatow and guests look at the budgets of the major U.S. scientific institutions. How are research, alternative energy development and space travel affected? And will Congress sign on?

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Fossilized Feathers Hint At Dinosaur Color

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0500
Dinosaurs are often portrayed as a drab green or grey, but some may have been much brighter. Reporting in Science, Jakob Vinther and colleagues analyzed the fossilized feathers of 150-million-year-old dinosaur Anchiornis huxleyi and found its plumage was surprisingly flashy.

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Is Depression Overdiagnosed In America?

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0500
Roughly 27 million Americans took prescription antidepressants in 2005, making them the most commonly prescribed class of medications in America. Ira Flatow and guests discuss depression, from how it's diagnosed and treated to how antidepressants stack up against psychotherapy and placebos.

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Experts: 'Gene Doping' To Be Next Sports Scandal

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0500
Cheating athletes used to rely on steroids to pump up performance. Then they discovered erythropoietin and human growth hormone. What's next? Gene doping, or genetic manipulation, according to Dr Theodore Friedmann, chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency's Gene Doping Expert Group.

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Understanding The Sweeping New Credit Card Rules

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0500
New rules for credit card companies take effect in February. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary explains the new rules and what they mean — and don't mean — for consumers. Also, giving up extras for 21 days: can it help you spend smarter?

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