Talk of the Nation

The Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on Wednesday on the relevance and constitutionality of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The court is tasked with determining whether states with a history of discrimination still need to get federal approval before changing election procedures.

If Congress fails to make a deal on government spending and taxation before Friday, federal cuts of more than 85 billion dollars will be enacted. NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley discusses the politics of a potential deal and the options for avoiding sequestration.

A new report released by an American security firm alleges the Chinese military is linked to extensive cyberattacks against American corporations and government agencies. Is China engaged in cyberwarfare? How should the Obama Administration respond to cybersecurity threats?

Despite inhabiting sewers and cesspools, cockroaches are quite clean — or at least their exteriors are, according to entomologist Coby Schal of North Carolina State University. That's because cockroaches are constantly grooming themselves, particularly their antennae. Publishing in PNAS, Schal and colleagues investigate why they groom.

The book club regulars visit Gorillas in the Mist, Dian Fossey's memoir of her years studying mountain gorillas in a remote African rainforest. Gorilla expert Annette Lanjouw joins the club to give an update on how this endangered subspecies of gorilla is faring.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, residents are using wood stoves to heat their homes during the frigid winter months. But, smoke created by these wood burners is contributing to some of the worst air pollution in the country. Cathy Cahill discusses air quality in the Last Frontier.

A week after a meteor exploded over Russia on the same day that an asteroid swung closely past Earth, experts discuss how the potential threats posed by near-Earth objects should be addressed. Astronomers Donald Yeomans and John Tonry weigh in on how to keep the planet safe.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And, it turns out, the dentist--because that fibery skin is good for your teeth. Dentists Mark Ryder of the University of California San Francisco and Mark Wolff of New York University answer your toothy questions in this episode of our "Ask an expert" series.

From creating human ears, to gun parts and even bars of chocolate, 3-D printing has opened seemingly limitless possibilities for the field of manufacturing. The technology's potential also raises a variety questions, including copyright and regulatory issues.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the extension of some military benefits to same-sex partners of service members. While the Defense of Marriage Act is law, however, gay military partners are not entitled to all of the same benefits as their straight counterparts.

Under revised rules of the Affordable Care Act, religious groups can be exempt from paying their employees' insurance coverage for birth control. Religious exemptions are nearly as old as the nation and have been on the rise in recent decades.

North Korea's third test of nuclear devices, turned the eyes of the world onto the isolated nation. The history of the nation remains unknown to many. Nicholas Eberstadt, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, shares his recommended reads on the most closed country in the world.

Before films hit theaters they are heralded by trailers that can either drive people to the box office or keep them away. Stephen Garrett, owner of the trailer production company Jump Cut Creative, talks about what it takes to lure audiences without spoiling a film.

More than 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest Chinese rule, according to Tibetan advocacy groups. Self-immolations in Tunisia and Vietnam also gained international attention, but the motives and effectiveness of the practice are widely debated.

NPR's Neal Conan reads from listener comments on previous show topics, including life-changing radio moments and opinions on defense spending.