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Sputnik launch surprised Minnesota rocket designers 50 years ago

Minnesotan rocket designers were caught off gaurd by Sputnik. Americans thought the Vanguard project would lead the U.S. ahead of the U.S.S.R. in the space race.

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Sputnik and the beginning of the space age

Sputnik and the beginning of the space age

On the 50th anniversary of the Soviet launch of the Sputnik satellite, Midday examines its historical and political role in starting the global space race.

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New North Shore guidebook explains Minnesota's origins

New North Shore guidebook explains Minnesota's origins

If you've ever walked along the North Shore of Lake Superior, you might have wondered how the rugged scenery came to be. A geologist and a naturalist have teamed up to write a guidebook for hikers in the eight state parks along the North Shore.
by Stephanie Hemphill

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Moving mountains to build islands on the Mississippi

Moving mountains to build islands on the Mississippi

The U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service, along with the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies, is rebuilding some of the lost islands on the Upper Mississippi Refuge.
by Sea Stachura

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Language is more than words

Language is more than words

Psychologist Steven Pinker has been thinking a lot about the words we use, and the way we use them. He argues that language doesn't simply convey messages, but provides a window into our thoughts, emotions, and social relationships.

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Brian Cox, the rock star physicist

Brian Cox, the rock star physicist

He's gone from concert halls to the laboratory, and now British physicist Brian Cox is working on the world's largest particle collider, a machine that will recreate the conditions of the big bang. He joins Midmorning to discuss what he says is a huge leap for science.

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The man behind the genome

The man behind the genome

For the first time, scientists have mapped the complete genetic code of an individual human being. Among the discoveries, there's a lot more uncertainty in where all the genetic material comes from.

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Texting, not talking

Texting, not talking

Mobile phone text messaging has spawned a lexicon of its own. These tools have also led to ever-shorter communiques. Future Tense host Jon Gordon considers how this style of communication affects the English language.

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Earthquake science

Earthquake science

A number of earthquakes have rocked countries around the world lately. Scientists say there's still much to learn about why and when earthquakes happen.

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'The Brain on the Stand'

'The Brain on the Stand'

George Washington University law professor Jeffrey Rosen says progress in neuroscience and technology has the potential to radically transform the legal system.

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