When disaster strikes, photojournalists run toward it instead of away. Usually, with a camera in hand. Their job is to get up close to tragedy and danger, to document things we need to see, in the hopes of somehow making a difference.  This hour we’re talking with some of the world’s great photojournalists.  And, remembering NPR war photographer David Gilkey – killed with his translator this week while on assignment in Afghanistan. Is the Risk of Photojournalism Worth It?; James Nachtwey on Covering Conflicts on the Ground; The Aesthetic Beauty of War Photography; Capturing Manufactured Landscapes; Photography Beyond Tragedy; Revisiting Susan Sontag On the Pain of Others.

In this hour, we explore the cultural shift in outsiders. They used to be the outcasts, misfits, and underemployed. Today, outsiders are indie, alternative and ahead of their time. How Outsiders Are Redefining Normal; Colin Wilson's "The Outsider"; How to Unleash Your Inner Misfit; Joseph Mitchell's Literary Journalism; Existentialism is Still Relevant Today.

If you live in Wisconsin, chances are you've heard of the Wisconsin Idea. It's the century-old dream of sharing the best of higher education with the entire state -- bringing the values of the liberal arts, scientific knowledge and search for truth to everyone. It's a cherished tradition, but is it working? In this special episode recorded in front of a live audience in Madison, To the Best of Our Knowledge explores the political, racial and literary dimensions of the Wisconsin Idea. A State of Resentment; How Racism Undermines the Wisconsin Idea; The Natural Beauty of the Wisconsin Idea.

What does it take to survive?  We'll meet the oldest living things on the planet and get a list of everything you’ll need to know after the apocalypse. But there’s one thing no one can survive. And that’s death. Or maybe not... Plus, the great Norwegian jazz pianist Tord Gustavsen on groove and sacred music. Erasing Death - Dr. Sam Parnia; The Oldest Living Things in the World - Rachel Sussman; Sonic Sidebar: Patchwork Flight (radio drama); The Knowledge - Lewis Dartnell; Tord Gustavsen's Sacred Music.

With the help of a smartphone app, you can now order dinner, hire a driver, or even schedule a housecleaner. Whatever it is you need, there's probably an app for that. But does all this convenience come at a cost? This hour, the rise of the on-demand economy, and how it's changing the nature of work. How The Sharing Economy Is Reshaping Capitalism; America In The Age Of Instant Gratification; What It's Like To Work In The On-Demand Economy; Temporary And Part-Time: The Rise Of A New Precarious Workforce; Are Human Beings Actually Rational?; Why Do We Work?.

As the Dalai Lama enters his ninth decade, we reflect on his legacy and remarkable personal history. Also, how various Eastern spiritual traditions have taken root in the West - from yoga to meditation. And the legacy of California's famous utopian experiment at Esalen and its "religion of no religion." The Happy Buddhist; Can a Video Game Teach Kids to Meditate?; Meditation on Death Row; The Religion of No Religion; A Rapper's Homage to Ganesh.

So much of our daily lives gets turned into data -- our online shopping purchases, phone calls, family photos. We're all surrounded by data, and learning how to harness it could be more transformative than we realize. This week, a look at the new data specialists using their knowledge of numbers to change everything, from music to baseball to health. Can Tracking Your Period Change Women's Health?; Runs, Hits, and Algorithms: How Data is Changing Baseball; By Transforming Data into Music, New York's Income Inequality Gets Amplified; A Novelist Assesses the Beauty of Computer Code; The Box of a Trillion Souls: Stephen Wolfram on the Distant Future; Their Lovely Bones: The Decorated Skeletons of Europe.

74 is the new 24 Giorgio Moroder—The 75-year-old Father of Disco—is Back; Buffy Sainte-Marie on Her New Album, "Power in the Blood"; The Benefits of Playing Music in Your Vintage Years; Old Masters and Young Geniuses; Philip Glass on his Memoir "Words Without Music".