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How America Can Take the Lead in Science and Technology

We look into what the U.S. needs to do to become a world leader in science and technology once again. Brian Greene is a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and host of PBS series “The Elegant Universe”; he also helped put together the World Science Festival, happening in New York May 28-June 1.

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Robots and Humans

Robot expert Dr. Cynthia Breazeal talks about how robots and humans interact, and the limits of artificial intelligence. She’s Director of the Personal Robots Group at MIT Media Lab and Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT, and will be speaking on a panel, “Pioneers in Science,” this afternoon at the World Science Festival.

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Gowanus Transformations

After it became a canal in the mid-19th century, the Gowanus turned into an important manufacturing hub. A new exhibit at the Brooklyn Historical Society, “Gowanus Transformations,” celebrates 150 years of Gowanus manufacturing, which continues today despite many changes in the neighborhood.

We hear from two Gowanus manufacturers: Danny Maldari makes pasta at Maldari & Sons; Jeremy Chernick is manager of J & M Special Effects. Also: Phaedra Thomas of Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp.

Slideshow of Gowanus Manufacturing

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6,000 Years of Humans and Horses

Humans domesticated horses some 6,000 years ago, and since then the two species have shared a powerful bond. A new exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, ”The Horse,” looks at how horses and humans have interacted in cultures throughout the world. Ross McPhee is curator.

Slideshow of Images from “The Horse” at the AMNH

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Underreported: Lebanon’s New President, Michel Suleiman

Lebanon’s new President, Michel Suleiman, has just taken office after a 6-month presidential void. We find out more about why President Suleiman has become a symbol of unity, and whether he can help heal the country's deep divisions. Dr. Fawaz Gerges is an author, Mideast scholar and Beirut native who holds the Christian A. Johnson Chair in International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College. His new article for Dissent magazine is "Hezbollah and the Future of Lebanon."

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Underreported: Longest-Serving Inmate

The longest-serving inmate in the United States prison system is William Heirens, also known as the Lipstick Killer for the message left scrawled in lipstick at a crime scene. He’s been continuously incarcerated for 62 years and counting. Journalist Adam Higginbotham tells us about Heirens’s many years in prison. His article in the June GQ magazine is “The Long, Long Life of the Lipstick Killer.”

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