On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

The brain is the organ that makes us who we are. It’s our conduit between reality and thought. But somehow, we’ve only scratched the surface in understanding how the brain actually works. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has an epiphany: Retrofitting should be the defining goal of our civilization. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Lewis and Clark became American legends. But they didn’t explore the West alone. A new book profiles the forgotten members of the Corps of Discovery and their remarkable stories. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib is a pro-Palestinian, anti-Hamas expert who grew up in Gaza City. He says a realistic path to peace in the Middle East requires different thinking. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Texas has a new statewide mandatory reading list for all public school students -- with whole books on the curriculum. Should other states follow suit? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Wisconsin elected the first-ever socialist member of Congress in 1910, and Milwaukee was run by socialist mayors for some 50 years. Now, a Democratic socialist is leading a primary race for Wisconsin governor. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump has called ABC "the worst" and "the most biased network." Now the FCC is threatening to cancel the broadcast licenses of eight ABC TV stations. ABC says that's "retaliation." *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how “affective polarization” and partisan hatred has come to define American political culture. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Would-be homeowners across the Sun Belt increasingly find themselves in competition with deep-pocketed private equity firms. Can a new housing law level the playing field? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Ty Cobb served as special White House counsel in the first Trump administration. Now, he’s one of the president’s loudest critics. Ty Cobb talks about why he thinks the president is no longer fit for office. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

How can you wear an XS shirt in one fabric, brand or style -- but an XL in another? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Redistributing wealth through things like taxpayer-funded welfare programs gets a lot of pushback in the U.S. But what if income inequality could be fixed, not after the fact, but before it happened? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Billions of dollars of federal grants support everything from medical research to community services. Now, the Trump administration wants to tie that money to the president’s political priorities. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Humans have been obsessed with fitness for centuries. But how did this fascination start? In the new book “When Fitness Went Global” historian Conor Heffernan examines the rise of physical culture worldwide. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In the 1980s, artists like John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen sang swelling anthems about working people, family farms and factory towns. But heartland rock is also deeply political -- and often misunderstood. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is asking Congress for a record amount of money, $1.5 trillion, as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran continues. What do those taxpayer dollars pay for? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Companies rushed to replace workers with AI. Now, some of these same companies are hiring back human workers. What happened? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut says the “current version of capitalism isn’t working” for Americans. What’s his plan for his party — and our country? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wants to shut down immigration because he believes many immigrants refuse to "assimilate." But what does assimilation mean to immigrants themselves? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

When his mother fell for an online romance scam, Carlos Barragán flew to Nigeria to track down the con artist. What he uncovered was so much bigger. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Donald Trump is escalating his efforts to reshape how American elections are run within the law and on the ground. How will his pressure campaign impact voters ahead of the 2026 midterms? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. has become an increasingly erratic superpower. Now, the world’s middle powers are rising. What's next for places like India and Canada in a shifting global order? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Approximately 20% of all food waste in America is linked to confusion over date labels. Now, California is banning most food expiration labeling. So, what do expiration dates really tell us? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mathematician Eugenia Cheng wants us to rethink our relationship to math -- and equality. We hear how different paths lead to identical outcomes in math, and how that can help us all in real life. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

For generations, Ellis Island has been America’s great symbol of immigration. But another gateway has shaped the nation just as profoundly: El Paso, Texas. We trace one hundred years of migration, violence and memory along the U.S.–Mexico border. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Donald Trump says “communism is the greatest threat" facing the U.S. And democratic socialists have won a string of elections across the country. What are the differences between communism and socialism — and why are Americans talking about them now? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

We all have our blind spots, but with AI and the spread of misinformation, we are more vulnerable to them than ever. Can we learn from a master illusionist on how to avoid falling trap to them? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Sports fans and casual viewers can become obsessed with a good underdog story. But what draws us towards the longshot winners and unlikely success stories? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Jackpod is taking a short break but we will be back with new episodes as soon as possible. Join the On Point Club for access to other exclusive content. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres across the U.S. this summer. Now, firefighters are turning to new technology to help battle blazes, from AI cameras to vegetation-munching robots. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

We sit down with On Point's "money ladies" for tips and tricks on how to manage your finances in difficult times. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Pancreatic cancer has long been considered a death sentence. But a revolutionary new treatment has been shown to double survival times. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. produces billions of pounds of commercial beef every year. But it’s getting more and more expensive for Americans to get beef on the table – and for ranchers to raise the cattle it comes from. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Roughly one in eight Americans say they are taking a GLP-1 drug -- and not just for weight loss. Studies show it can help heart disease, sleep apnea, addiction and even brain health. We speak with one of the lead scientists who discovered this gut hormone on how these drugs actually work in our bodies. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

An accent doesn’t just tell someone where you are from – but who you are – your cultural background, race, age and class. How the way we talk tells people more than we think. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

For people with disabilities, artificial intelligence tools are helping them see, hear, experience, and move through the world in profound new ways. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. Supreme Court left some of its biggest decisions for last this session. Justices delivered a series of major opinions with consequences that will impact nearly every corner of the country. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. is celebrating its 250th birthday this summer. But native people are often left out of America's founding narrative. Does uncovering that history change how we think of the country? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A road trip is the iconic American vacation -- with a richer and more complicated history than it may seem. What the American road trip reveals about who we are. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has been listening to what Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy has been saying in town hall style interviews as he promotes his book, “Crisis of the Common Good.” *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

From vaudeville to era-defining sitcoms, Black comedy has brought us some of our biggest stars and iconic characters. In the book "Black Out Loud," journalist Geoff Bennett explores how Black comedy has influenced how America sees itself. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

For a democracy to be by the people and for the people, what do the people need to know? The Freedom of Information Act is central to answering that question. What FOIA has uncovered in its 60 years, and what it's up against now. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. is one of the largest sugar producers in the world. And for more than 200 years, the sugar industry has gotten special protections from the government. Why? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Spotify is set to launch a new tool that will enable subscribers to create cover versions and remixes of their favorite songs – using AI. What that could mean for musicians, their fans and the music on your playlist. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Curses, superstitions and pre-game rituals have been part of baseball for as long as the game has been around. What’s behind the magical traditions of America’s pastime. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on why he feels ambivalent about the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump promised regime change in Iran, no nuclear development and a restabilization of the region. Now that the U.S. and Iran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, did we get any of that? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered what many consider the best abolitionist speech of all time. He asked, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?” What makes it such a masterpiece — and what can we take from it today? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

As America’s 250th anniversary approaches – the birth of this nation will be celebrated by millions. But what does it mean to be truly patriotic in the U.S.? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The oyster is a huge part of coastal culture and economy in the U.S. But a historic sewage spill and climate change could put decades of restoration efforts at risk. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint