Weekend Edition Sunday on NPR & Classical Music

Two Swedish economists have studied the survival data from shipwrecks over the last three centuries and found that women are less likely to survive than men. Guest host Linda Wertheimer has more.

NPR's Joe Palca will be at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California to monitor the Mars mission landing Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. PDT. Palca talks with guest host Linda Wertheimer about the Mars landing and purpose of the mission.

India's massive power outages last week shocked many people who thought that India was on course to become a new economic super power, like China, where such outages are unheard of. NPR's Julie McCarthy and Frank Langfitt join guest host Linda Wertheimer to discuss attitudes toward infrastructure in the two emerging economies.

Sunday night at the Olympics, South African Oscar Pistorius runs again in a preliminary heat in the 400-meter sprint. His first heat Saturday made history because Pistorius has artificial legs. He's the first amputee to run an Olympic race. NPR's Howard Berkes looks at an unprecedented Olympic quest some are not ready to accept.

The Greek economic crisis has barely grazed the tiny island of Folegandros. It lives off boutique tourism and island weddings that keep its small hotels, windmill houses and tavernas full. Joanna Kakissis sends a postcard of a very multinational wedding on the island.

Moderate Republicans have come under attack in primaries across the country this year, but the split in the GOP is perhaps older and sharper in Kansas — and it comes to a head Tuesday.

"I think the lines have been drawn in the sand. Bridges have been burned. Everybody is all-in this election," says Jim Denning, one of the conservative candidates for the state's Senate.

The Republican statehouse primary is a savage fight fueled by money from the Koch brothers and labor unions, with big consequences for the citizens of Kansas.

Marilyn Monroe died 50 years ago Sunday at the age of 36. Host Linda Wertheimer speaks with film expert Murray Horwitz about Monroe's film legacy and her comedic skills.

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

There is still a week to go at the Olympics, but it's a good bet that after all the drama ends, Britons will look back on last night as the moment the Games turned in their favor - maybe not in the overall medal count but the host country got a huge psychological lift as Team Great Britain snagged three track and field gold medals on the Games' biggest stage. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.

It was a big day for sprinters in track and field Saturday. NPR's Mike Pesca joins guest host Linda Wertheimer with news from the 2012 London Olympics and the many ways to break a tie.

Women will be a key voting group in this tight presidential election. This weekend, the Obama campaign is hosting two summits for women voters in Florida. Guest host Linda Wertheimer speaks with Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee and Congresswoman for Florida's 20th District, about the issues at hand.