Talk of the Nation

Doctors often struggle with conversations about death — navigating the murky waters of when and how to convey the risks of procedures and prospects for life expectancy. When doctors are less than forthcoming, out of sensitivity or haste, difficult situations become even more complex.

For centuries, explorers tried to find la Ciudad Blanca, a fabled city in the rain forests of Central America. Dense jungle impeded efforts to uncover it. Douglas Preston tells the story of a team who used light detection technology to survey the iconic ruins from the air.

Two Israeli airstrikes outside of Damascus in one weekend signal escalating tensions between Syria and its neighbors. The Syrian government has said the attacks "open the door to all possibilities," giving rise to concerns that the conflict could spill over the border.

Job seekers often rely on friends, family members and other connections to land jobs. Nancy DiTomaso, professor at Rutgers Business School, explains her research that shows that such seemingly harmless favoritism in networking is driving black unemployment in the U.S.

Reporting in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers write of finding fossils of bacteria-like organisms that lived nearly two billion years ago. Paleobiologist Martin Brasier of the University of Oxford explains that these ancient creatures belched hydrogen sulfide, the stench of rotten eggs, after meals--suggesting the early Earth may have been a smelly place.

David Boyle and Michele Bertomen wanted to build their own house on a 20 by 40 foot lot they purchased in Brooklyn. Bertomen, an architect, drew up plans and the bid was over $300,000. Inspired by Bertomen's students at New York Institute of Technology, the couple built their house from five shipping containers, which cost a few thousand dollars a piece.

In 2011, researchers at CERN found a way to trap and hold particles of antihydrogen for about 15 minutes at a time. Jeffrey Hangst, spokesman for the ALPHA project at CERN, describes how scientists are trying to measure basic properties of the particles, such as their mass.

When the Great Storm of 1900 battered Galveston, Texas, the town simply lifted itself up--in some places as much as 17 feet. Could a similar approach save cities today? Randy Behm of the US Army Corps of Engineers and Dwayne Jones of the Galveston Historical Foundation talk about the costs and feasibility of raising a town, albeit with better technology than Galveston's hand-cranked jacks and mules.

This spring the massive "Brood II" batch of 17-year cicadas is expected to emerge from the ground in backyards and parks all along the Eastern U.S. The insects will mate, lay eggs, and start the cycle all over again. Cicada expert John Cooley explains the unusual biology and evolution of periodical cicadas.

Food writer Michael Pollan once advised "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Now, he tells us how to cook it. In his new book Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation, he takes a tour of the most time-tested cooking techniques, from southern whole-hog barbecue and slow-cooked ragus to sourdough baking and pickle making.

Technology's already changed our lives in ways we couldn't have imagined just a few years ago. As part of Talk of the Nation's "Looking Ahead" series, Farhad Manjoo, technology columnist for Slate.com, discusses what's changing and how it will change us.

Caroline Kennedy isn't just an advocate for reading poetry. In her latest book, Poems to Learn by Heart, Kennedy stresses the importance of memorizing poetry and presents a collection of poems that she believes kids and adults alike should internalize.

The bombings in Boston killed three and injured over 250 people. Remarkably, all of the wounded are expected to live. Scores of emergency workers mobilized to triage, tourniquet and treat injured runners and bystanders, and hospitals quickly organized surgeries, saving lives.

After years in the Middle East, NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro has started the next chapter of her reporting life in Brazil. From her base in Sao Paulo, she'll focus on the country's environmental wealth, efforts to curb crime and the preparation for the World Cup and Olympic Games.

Extroverted job candidates may have an easier time impressing prospective employers. A study finds that once extroverts are in the workplace, their overall team performance can disappoint. USA Today "On the Job" columnist Anita Bruzzese discusses how bosses can harness the strengths of introverts.