On Point | Podcast - podcast cover

On Point | Podcast

Hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti, On Point is a unique, curiosity-driven combination of original reporting, newsmaker interviews, first-person stories, and in-depth analysis, making the world more intelligible and humane. When the world is more complicated than ever, we aim to make sense of it together. On Point is produced by WBUR.

Episodes

An African history of Africa with Zeinab Badawi

Everybody’s heard about Ancient Egypt. But just downriver, the kingdom of Kush was one of the most powerful states in the Nile valley. Sudanese-British journalist Zeinab Badawi gives us a lesser-known history of one of Africa’s great historical triumphs.

Jan 22, 202547 min

A new chapter in America's child welfare system

At the end of last year, Congress passed the largest overhaul of the nation’s child welfare system in more than 15 years. The reform includes more support for kinship care, aging out youth and efforts to prevent the separation of families due to poverty. How these reforms will make a difference for children and families in the U.S.

Jan 21, 202547 min

The Republican Congress' 2025 agenda

The Republican legislative agenda is set to tackle tax cuts, increase border security, and open up American energy production. But how does the GOP aim to accomplish these goals?

Jan 20, 202547 min

The Jackpod: Throughline

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on federal charges against Donald Trump for election interference in 2020; what has changed since then and what has not.

Jan 16, 202539 min

How the civil service system changed American government

The Pendleton Act of 1883 established a non-partisan civil service. President-elect Donald Trump says he’ll upend the law, firing non-partisan employees and replacing them with loyalists. We'll look at how the U.S. came to have a civil service in the first place.

Jan 14, 202547 min

Does a picture prove anything anymore?

Millions of people now own smartphones where, with just a tap, you can erase people from pictures -- and even add AI generated content that never existed. What does this mean for our shared reality?

Jan 13, 202547 min

The Jackpod: Casualties of war

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the causes and consequences of the U.S.’s decade-long war with ISIS and its impact on American democracy.

Jan 10, 202535 min

What you need to know about bird flu

A Louisiana resident has died from bird flu. Just as during the COVID outbreak, there's a lot of misinformation circulating about H5N1. We'll get a clear assessment on bird flu, how it's changing, and efforts to control it.

Jan 08, 202547 min

The Internet Archive is in danger

More than 900 billion webpages are preserved on The Wayback Machine, a history of humanity online. Now, copyright lawsuits could wipe it out.

Jan 07, 202547 min

Could mandating mental health care help the most vulnerable?

Brandon del Pozo says when it comes to the severely mentally ill, society has made a mistake prioritizing personal liberty over compassionate care. The former New York City police officer, now researcher, argues that sometimes the most humane mental health care is forced treatment.

Jan 06, 202547 min

'Vivaldi smells like breakfast sausage'

Smell can trigger memories and influence emotions. New research is giving us insight into how that happens, including why some people can "smell" music and why losing the sense of smell can alert us to what might make us sick.

Jan 03, 202547 min

The 'money ladies' financial guide for 2025

On Point’s 'money ladies' Michelle Singletary and Rana Foroohar are back to start 2025 with frank talk about the macro and micro of the American economy in a new year, and under a new presidential administration.

Jan 02, 202547 min

Adam Nimoy on growing up the son of Spock

Adam Nimoy's father, Leonard Nimoy, played Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the most famous alien in television history. In reality, he was a tough, uncompromising father. In a conversation live from CitySpace, Nimoy discusses his book “The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy."

Dec 20, 202447 min

The Jackpod: The fullness

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has been finding his own sense of spiritual fullness in poetry, inspired by philosopher Charles Taylor’s recent book, Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment.

Dec 19, 202439 min

Why Argentina's Javier Milei has the attention of Trump advisors

Argentina's president Javier Milei cut 30,000 government jobs. The country’s inflation rate dropped more than 20%, but poverty is soaring. Trump advisors Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy celebrate Milei as the perfect model to slash government in the U.S.

Dec 19, 202447 min

How AI is polluting our culture

Rebroadcast: Our online feeds are already full of artificially generated sludge. It’s tainting our discourse, our culture and the quality of information. One neuroscientist argues all of this AI junk threatens our very humanity.

Dec 19, 202447 min

How artificial intelligence can help American workers

Rebroadcast: Labor economist David Autor’s research shows how historically, technological advances hurt the incomes of middle- and working-class Americans. But when it comes to AI, Autor says the exact opposite could happen.

Dec 19, 202448 min

How insurance companies use AI to deny claims

UnitedHealth is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company misused AI to deny specific insurance claims. The suit raises questions about how health care companies use AI and how it affects the care people receive.

Dec 18, 202447 min

How South Korea became a global beauty powerhouse

Rebroadcast: 10-step skincare routines, products made from snail mucus. South Korea now exports more cosmetic products than smartphones. But pursuing beauty ideals can come at a social, emotional and physical cost.

Dec 18, 202446 min

What we lose if snow disappears

Rebroadcast: Snowpack is getting less reliable in American winters. And in many places, that's not just an environmental problem, but an emotional one, too.

Dec 18, 202446 min
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