The Salt
8:22 am
Fri February 22, 2013

For Fruit Flies, Alcohol Really Is Mommy's Little Helper

Originally published on Mon February 25, 2013 10:26 am

Many a mom has reached for a glass of wine after a long day of tending children. But only fruit fly moms use their version of Chardonnay to guard their babies from harm.

When fly moms see marauding wasps, they seek out the alcohol in fermenting fruit, and lay their eggs there, according to new research. The alcohol is toxic to the wasps, but not to the fruit flies. They've evolved a tolerance for hooch.

Read more
Monkey See
8:16 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Our Oscars Omnibus

Originally published on Fri February 22, 2013 9:27 am

  • Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour

In an instance of truth in advertising, this week's NPR round-table pop-culture podcast offers almost a full hour of mostly Oscars analysis. All four of us saw all nine Best Picture contenders, so we'll be covering everything from what happened when Stephen Thompson finally sat down to watch Les Miserables after quoting the featurette for months to Glen's surprising theories about Amour. (Very surprising.)

Read more
The Two-Way
8:15 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Which Is The Most Miserable U.S. City? Detroit.

Credit Carlos Osorio / AP
A pedestrian walks in downtown Detroit on Oct. 24, 2012.

Forbes magazine is out with its latest ranking of "Most Miserable Cities" in the U.S. and of 20 metropolitan areas listed, Detroit is on top.

Read more
Ask Me Another
8:15 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Steve Guttenberg: How To Make It In Hollywood

Credit Josh Rogosin / NPR
"About the third or fourth time [I sneaked into a famous casting director's office], I jumped up on his desk and started dancing. So he said, 'Look. Just sit down. I'll give you five minutes.' And it was like having five minutes with God."

Originally published on Fri February 22, 2013 8:37 am

The Two-Way
8:13 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Tebow Won't Attend Controversial Megachurch Opening

Credit Jeff Zelevansky / Getty Images
Tim Tebow, center, leads a prayer after the Jets' loss to San Diego Chargers on December 23.

Originally published on Fri February 22, 2013 8:54 am

Tim Tebow has bowed out of a promise to appear at the opening of a new megachurch in downtown Dallas whose pastor has been criticized for making derogatory remarks about non-Christians and homosexuals.

Read more
NPR Story
8:10 am
Fri February 22, 2013

The Guttenberg Bible

Credit Josh Rogosin / NPR
Actor Steve Guttenberg steps up for his Ask Me Another Challenge, entitled "Three Men and a Baby." His task? Guess which of three men is the father of some famous babies.

Originally published on Thu April 4, 2013 4:43 pm

You may know this week's V.I.P. (Very Important Puzzler) Steve Guttenberg from such iconic films as Diner, Cocoon, and Three Men and a Baby. But he wears plenty of other hats – author, reality show contestant, even Guinness World Record holder. In this episode we'll explore all things Gute. Plus, we'll dine out on some soft rock, give movies the Randy Newman treatment, and find out that Mark Twain isn't all he's cracked up to be.

Read more
'It's All Politics': NPR's Weekly News Roundup
7:25 am
Fri February 22, 2013

It's All Politics, Feb. 21, 2013

Credit Jim Watson / AFP/Getty Images
President Barack Obama points to the crowd after delivering remarks on immigration in Las Vegas in January.
  • Listen to the Roundup

Since President Obama and congressional Republicans have decided to blame each other for the impending sequester, this week's podcast is dedicated to pointing fingers at everyone, including Jesse Jackson Jr., Pete Domenici and Joe "Buy a Shotgun" Biden. And if the podcast is not interesting? Blame NPR's Ken Rudin and Ron Elving.

Read more
Monkey See
7:00 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Best Original Song, Least Original Category

Credit Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Randy Newman performs "We Belong Together," his Academy-Award-winning entry in the Best Original Song category from the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. Newman has been nominated 15 times for the award.

Originally published on Sat February 23, 2013 11:24 am

If you only read the cheery, overly optimistic press releases from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on its upcoming musical throw-down this Sunday – Adele will be performing! And Norah Jones! And Barbara Streisand! And there's going to be some kind of tribute to musicals of the last 10 years (but not all of them)! – you might think that the Academy loves and understands music.

Read more
The Two-Way
6:31 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Storm Buries Kansas, Missouri, As It Heads East

Credit Orlin Wagner / Associated Press
Scene along I-35 near Kansas City on Thursday.

Originally published on Fri February 22, 2013 9:39 am

The biggest winter storm this season is causing delays and cancellations, and has brought traffic to a near-standstill in the Plains and Midwest, but it's providing much-needed relief for drought-stricken farmers.

According to Weather Underground Chief Meteorologist Jeff Masters, Wichita has its fifth biggest snowfall on record.

Winter Storm Q has dumped up to 17 inches of windswept snow in parts of Kansas and Missouri and is expected to extend its reach well into the Midwest on Friday.

Read more
The Two-Way
6:29 am
Fri February 22, 2013

Top Stories: Judge Ruling On Pistorius Bail; Winter Storm Affects Millions

Good Friday morning, here's our early story:

Will Pistorius Get Bail?

And here are more early headlines:

Winter Storm Pounding Many States, Threatening 20 Million People. (USA Today)

Hardliner Nominated As Tunisia's Next Prime Minister. (Al Jazeera)

Read more

Pages