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Every episode
On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti
30 episodes
Brainwaves: Is AI actually thinking?
Aug 19, 2026 · 34 min
The rate at which artificial intelligence is able to replicate human behavior has increased in recent years. Does that mean it's thinking like us? In the third episode of "Brainwaves," what artificial intelligence teaches us about our own capacity for thought. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
Brainwaves: Are you in there?
Aug 18, 2026 · 36 min
Consciousness is how we are able to feel, dream and imagine. And yet -- scientists haven't figured out how consciousness definitively works. What we know, what we don’t and what that tells us about our brains. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
Brainwaves: Why is the brain such a mystery?
Aug 17, 2026 · 36 min
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
The Jackpod: Fixing the past to save the future
Aug 17, 2026 · 42 min
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
It wasn't just Lewis and Clark
Aug 14, 2026 · 41 min
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
Are we thinking about the Israel-Hamas conflict all wrong?
Aug 13, 2026 · 42 min
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
Should states decide what kids read in school?
Aug 12, 2026 · 38 min
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
How socialism shaped Wisconsin
Aug 11, 2026 · 38 min
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
Why ABC says the FCC is attempting censorship
Aug 10, 2026 · 41 min
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
The Jackpod: The politics of us against them
Aug 10, 2026 · 49 min
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
Can Congress stop Wall Street from buying up your neighborhood?
Aug 7, 2026 · 41 min
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 once advised President Trump. Now he calls him 'evil'
Aug 6, 2026 · 39 min
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
Why women's clothing sizes are so confusing
Aug 5, 2026 · 38 min
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
Could 'predistribution' solve America's wealth gap?
Aug 4, 2026 · 37 min
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
Trump’s latest bid to rewrite the rules of federal funding
Aug 3, 2026 · 40 min
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
Your fitness resolution is 200 years old
Jul 31, 2026 · 34 min
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
When heartland rock ruled the airwaves
Jul 30, 2026 · 39 min
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
Does the U.S. need a $1.5 trillion defense budget?
Jul 29, 2026 · 39 min
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
Can AI really do our jobs?
Jul 28, 2026 · 41 min
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
Sen. Chris Murphy’s vision for America
Jul 27, 2026 · 44 min
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
What immigrants say it means to assimilate in the U.S.
Jul 24, 2026 · 44 min
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
'The Yahoo Boys' behind online romance scams
Jul 23, 2026 · 45 min
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
Is Trump undermining faith in American elections?
Jul 22, 2026 · 40 min
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
Are 'middle power' countries having a moment?
Jul 21, 2026 · 34 min
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
Why expiration dates in America are going bad
Jul 20, 2026 · 44 min
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
Can math equations solve inequality?
Jul 17, 2026 · 35 min
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
How El Paso shaped modern America
Jul 16, 2026 · 36 min
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
The real differences between communism and socialism
Jul 15, 2026 · 37 min
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
A master magician on how to avoid your blind spots
Jul 14, 2026 · 37 min
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
Why do we love an underdog?
Jul 13, 2026 · 39 min
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
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