The Jackpod: Making America safe for cancer
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the Environmental Protection Agency’s new mission under the leadership of its new administrator, Lee Zeldin.
May 30, 2025•39 min
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
Steph Curry, 'Moreyball' and the NBA's 3-point revolution
NBA teams have nearly tripled the number of 3-point attempts since the turn of the century. Fans now say it's hurting the game. Is the NBA taking too many 3s?
May 29, 2025•46 min
The push to eliminate honors programs in schools
In an effort to reduce inequality in education outcomes, some school districts are removing honors classes or other programs for high achievers. Some students, parents and teachers say the push to "de-track" or "de-level" classrooms is limiting learning for everyone.
May 28, 2025•46 min
The struggle to update America's aging air traffic control system
The Trump administration says it's going to modernize air traffic control equipment. Many administrations before have promised the same thing. So why hasn't it happened?
May 27, 2025•47 min
The power of solitude
Rebroadcast: Being alone often gets a bad rap. But research shows alone time can actually boost overall well-being, increasing our emotional regulation, contentment and creativity.
May 26, 2025•42 min
How AI is changing the job marketplace
AI is playing a larger role in the job hunting and hiring process. It helps job seekers fine-tune their resumes and cover letters, and employers winnow down applicants. But the new technology isn’t getting it all right.
May 23, 2025•44 min
The Jackpod: Chainsaw
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty assesses what Elon Musk and his Department of Government of Efficiency have achieved as Musk’s appointment as special government employee is due to expire.
May 22, 2025•40 min
What life is really like in El Salvador under Bukele’s 'iron fist'
El Salvador was once the murder capital of the world. Now under President Nayib Bukele, it’s safer than Canada. But with 2% of its population locked up -- what is the real cost of this newfound safety?
May 22, 2025•45 min
Trump and trickle-down corruption
A $400 million jet from Qatar. His own crypto coin. Is President Donald Trump normalizing corruption?
May 21, 2025•44 min
Inside the wrongful conviction of Ben Spencer
No witnesses. No physical evidence. An ironclad alibi. Nevertheless, a Texas jury sentenced Ben Spencer to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Journalist and author Barbara Bradley Hagerty shares what it took to set Spencer free.
May 20, 2025•42 min
What happens when you train your AI on AI-generated data?
AI companies say they are running out of high-quality data to train their models on. But they might have a solution: data generated by artificial intelligence systems themselves. The pros and cons of synthetic data.
May 19, 2025•46 min
Protecting from harm or censorship? Policing educational material in Texas
Texas state legislature just passed a bill that would send doctors, teachers, librarians and more to jail if they provide kids with "harmful" materials. But who decides what's harmful, and what's not?
May 16, 2025•44 min
The Jackpod: Stephen Miller and the wages of ostracism
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the life and experiences of the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and their connection with Trumpism.
May 15, 2025•39 min
India and Pakistan on the brink of war. Again.
A ceasefire deal has put a pause on conflict between India and Pakistan. But experts say the two nuclear powers have a lot to work out if the Kashmir region is to move toward long-term peace.
May 15, 2025•45 min
The challenges facing the first-ever American pope
The world's 1.4 billion Catholics have a new pope, Leo XIV. But the church he now leads is far from unified. What does the global Catholic Church want from a new pope -- and can he deliver it?
May 14, 2025•44 min
What is Tren de Aragua? The criminal organization's origins, activities and reach within the U.S.
The Biden administration first labeled Venezuelan gang as a multi-national criminal organization. President Trump has now put Tren de Aragua at the center of the debate over immigration and deportation. But will his methods neutralize the threat Tren de Aragua poses to the U.S.?
May 13, 2025•46 min
How the Trump administration's defense policies are affecting women in service
As the U.S. military faces a recruiting crisis, women have been consistent enlistees into America’s armed forces. So why is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceling a program supporting them?
May 12, 2025•45 min
How closely is Trump following the Project 2025 blueprint?
The vast majority of Trump’s executive orders have come from The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, and the so-called "America First" plan. How the Trump administration is turning Project 2025 and the so-called 'America First' agenda into reality.
May 09, 2025•44 min
The Jackpod: The past is a foreign country
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on what President Trump does and doesn’t know about U.S. history and what that means for the country today.
May 08, 2025•36 min
Feeding America's insatiable appetite for lumber
The Trump administration wants to expand the American lumber industry by logging more trees in national forests and raising tariffs on lumber imports. The impact that could have on the domestic timber industry.
May 08, 2025•46 min
Trump's push to shrink FEMA
Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last year. President Donald Trump promised North Carolinians he wouldn’t forget them. But recently, Trump's FEMA rejected the state's request for extended relief funding.
May 07, 2025•47 min
The real story of REAL ID
Starting May 7, you will have to have a REAL ID to board a U.S. domestic flight. But so much has changed in the 20 years since Real ID was first proposed, is REAL ID 20 years out-of-date?
May 06, 2025•46 min
Did 'An Abundance of Caution' during COVID do more harm than good for America's students?
Millions of healthy children didn't set foot in a classroom for more than a year during the COVID pandemic. Journalist David Zweig says those school closures may have done more harm than good.
May 05, 2025•46 min
The real story of birthright citizenship
President Trump believes that if you're born in the United States, you should not automatically be a citizen. Historian Heather Cox Richardson says Trump is willfully misinterpreting American history and the Constitution.
May 02, 2025•47 min
The Jackpod: All Americans
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the centrality of the rule of law in the U.S. And the findings of a Pew Research poll that 88% of Americans believe that President Trump should follow Supreme Court orders.
May 01, 2025•44 min
The transformation of Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas was known as a funky, liberal haven in a deep red state. Now, there’s big tech money pouring in and huge growth. How has life changed there?
May 01, 2025•46 min
Will the FDA's proposed food dye ban make kids healthier?
Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Skittles, Mountain Dew Baja Blast. These foods all contain petroleum-based synthetic food dyes the FDA wants to phase out by the end of next year. Will the ban change American eating habits?
Apr 30, 2025•46 min
Why some are calling Tesla vandalism 'domestic terrorism'
The Tesla Takedown protests have been mostly peaceful, but there have been a few incidents of vandalism and even property destruction. Now, Elon Musk and his allies are calling the entire protest movement "domestic terrorism." Is that a fair label?
Apr 29, 2025•47 min
The 'money ladies' take stock of our current economy
Tariffs, mortgage rates, clashes with the fed – all make for uncertainty in the economy. On Point’s “Money Ladies” Michelle Singletary and Rana Foroohar join us to talk about your money, the global economy and America’s future.
Apr 28, 2025•45 min
Ask the ethicist: How to create guardrails for the AI age
Will AI devastate humanity or uplift it? Philosopher Christopher DiCarlo's new book examines how we can navigate when AI surpasses human capacity.
Apr 25, 2025•47 min
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