More than 30 years ago, sociologist James Davison Hunter coined the term "culture wars." Since then, those wars have poisoned American politics. Today, Hunter says cultural resources that create a sense of national solidarity could end America's culture wars. But what exactly are cultural resources? And can they be renewed?
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.
The last time Congress passed a law to protect children on the internet was 26 years ago. That’s before Facebook or the iPhone was even created. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree regulation is long overdue. It’s the 'how' that’s the question.
More than a quarter of young Americans have cut ties with one of their parents. Sometimes on the advice of therapists, who say families are traumatizing. But some families say they’re the ones being traumatized. We discuss the debate over family estrangement.
High housing costs are pushing more Americans to find roommates, including baby boomers and empty nesters. We take a look at the growing trend of intergenerational living.
Anti-tourism protests spread around the world this summer. Some cities are charging tourist entry fees, banning cruise ships or imposing fines for bad behavior. Some say the solution to the world’s growing wanderlust isn‘t for people to travel less but to travel better.
Techno libertarians, white nationalists and JD Vance are all linked to a movement known as the 'New Right.' What is this movement and how has it influenced the Republican candidate for vice president?
Kamala Harris is making her prosecutorial experience center stage in her presidential bid against Donald Trump. What Harris’s record tells us about who she is, what she believes, and how she might govern if elected.
Today’s autocratic rulers don’t share a specific ideology. But they do share a thirst for power. In her latest book, Autocracy, Inc., Anne Applebaum says the new twist is that those autocrats now work together to keep that grip on power.
Celebrated author Amy Tan doesn’t just write best-selling novels. She’s a passionate birder, too. Her book 'Backyard Bird Chronicles' describes the transformative experience of birding in her own backyard.
With nearly three quarters of Israelis wanting Benjamin Netanyahu out of office, On Point news analyst Jack Beatty says the Israeli prime minister is on borrowed political time. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden is out of political time after dropping out of the 2024 race.
No matter how much order, sense, or predictability we try to bring to our lives, uncertainty and the anxiety it can create are always there. But new thinking on uncertainty shows us how it can be a good thing.
Is the government covering up what it knows about UFOs, now called Unexplained Aerial Phenomena? We dive into 75 years of UFO history and the beginnings of government mistrust.
In places where human beings have done everything they can to pave and plow over nature, what might happen if we just left those places alone?
Utah’s Great Salt Lake is the largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere. Since the 1980s, the lake has shrunk by two-thirds, and is projected to disappear entirely in the next five years. If it does, it will lead to massive environmental, economic and public health issues.
After surviving an attempted assassination, Donald Trump promised he would seek unity as he accepted the GOP’s nomination. We take a look at what Trump said, and whether or not that message was embraced by delegates, Republican party leaders, and Trump's base nationwide.
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has a tale of two parties: “Republicans united in the shimmer of victory, Democrats divided in the shadow of defeat.”
Donald Trump has transformed Republican politics, and Republican policy, as reflected in the GOP's newest platform. Analysts say it echoes the language of its presidential candidate, instead of previously held Republican views, on a range of issues from the economy to abortion.
Sharks are full of secrets, despite being some of the oldest creatures on the planet. Marine biologist Jasmin Graham has spent a decade studying them — and trying to bring more women of color like her into the field.
Dr. Anthony Fauci was the government’s top infectious disease official during the COVID-19 pandemic. What has his career in public service taught him?
An assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump two days before the Republican National Convention. Politicians across the board are condemning political violence and violent rhetoric. Can we turn away from both?
For 40 years, federal judges deferred to the expertise of government agencies to interpret ambiguous language in laws. But after a recent Supreme Court decision, that power now lies in the hands of the judiciary.
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty traces how the politics of revenge triumphed over the politics of remedy in the years between D-Day and the attack on the U.S. Congress. This special episode was recorded in front of a live audience at WBUR CitySpace.
Donald Trump has openly admired authoritarians around the world. Now he’s pledging to rule like one. An examination of the promises, powers and plans of a second Trump presidency.
Boeing has pled guilty to federal charges related to two deadly 737 MAX crashes. What went wrong in the Boeing C-suite?
Jason De León spent nearly seven years embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico. How that experience changed his perspective on the smugglers’ world.
There's a troubling trend in medicine -- increasing cancer diagnoses in people younger than 50. But why? Dr. Kimmie Ng and Dr. Tim Rebbeck join Meghna Chakrabarti.
The world of fine art is full of multimillion dollar one-of-a-kinds and breathtaking masterpieces. But it’s also rife with fraudsters and forgers. When fakes demand a fortune, what does that say about the intrinsic value of art?
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty Joe Biden’s display of frailty in his old age at the CNN debate and what that could mean for his campaign for a second term in the Oval Office.
State and federal government is so focused on policymaking that it often fails to provide the services its laws intend. In her new book “Recoding America,” author Jennifer Pahlka outlines why the government doesn’t work and how to fix it.
