Dec 13th, 2004 · The consumer robot Asimo can follow directions, walk up stairs, and even hula. His creators at Honda say a commercial version could soon be available to assist the elderly and the handicapped. But critics scoff at the notion that robots will be practical or cost-effective any time in the near future. Hear NPR's Laura Sydell.
Nov 17th, 2004 · Commentator and medical school student Joe Wright muses about the use of placebos to treat adults and children.
Aug 13th, 2004 · All Things Considered talks with visitors at the National Museum of American History's exhibit of Julia Child's actual kitchen, taken from her home in Cambridge, Mass., and reassembled in Washington, D.C. The visitors comment on how practical the kitchen appears to be, and how the famous gourmet touched their lives and influenced their relationship with food and cooking.
Jun 25th, 2004 · NPR's Melissa Block talks with author Trevor Corson about the love of lobster, fishing town economics and the practical jokes among Maine's lobstermen. Corson's new book is The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean.