On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

The holidays are all about giving, whether it's presents, donations or volunteer work. What's causing the warm glow you feel when you give someone a gift? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on Philip Roth’s 2004 novel "The Plot Against America," and its parallels with the U.S. today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Color can affect our mood, memory and relationship to people and places. How is color being used to design the world around us and shape our feelings? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The number of grandparents helping with childcare is going up nationally. According to a 2023 Harris Poll, 42% of working parents rely on grandparents for childcare. What does it mean for the lives of those grandparents and the support they need? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In 2011, Siddhartha Mukherjee won the Pulitzer Prize for his biography of cancer, “The Emperor of All Maladies.” Now, he’s back with an update on how our understanding of cancer has advanced -- and what lies ahead. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

OpenAI’s Sora 2 app lets anyone with a smartphone create AI-generated deepfake videos, from phony footage of a corgi rock climbing to fake videos of kids carrying guns in school. Is it time to stop believing our eyes? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, joins Meghna at WBUR’s CitySpace to discuss The Atlantic's new project examining America at 250 and the most urgent, complex and challenging questions the country is facing. Then, Goldberg interviews Massachusetts Congressman Jake Auchincloss on topics ranging from the state of the Democratic party to the Trump administration's intentions in Venez...

The quest to define and canonize new words in American English is as old as the country itself. In the new book "Unabridged: the thrill of (and threat to) the modern dictionary," author Stefan Fatsis explores how that quest has changed in the age of the internet. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the Trump administration’s new national security strategy and what it could mean for U.S. relations with longstanding European allies. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A government oversight report exposes billions in wasted U.S. aid during Afghanistan’s reconstruction -- highlighting corruption, mismanagement, and the human toll of failed policy. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. Department of Justice says it’s prioritizing denaturalization, or stripping foreign-born Americans of their citizenship. How would that process work and what's at stake? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. is ready for war with Venezuela with more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops now in the region. The Trump Administration says it’s about drugs, but some experts say that's a cover for something else. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A recent analysis finds the majority of presentations at a big annual education research conference were about things like “resistance,” “safe spaces,” and “identity." But many classroom teachers say they want to learn about student behavior, discipline and mental health. Could this gap be damaging American education? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur...

Earlier this fall, there were no rap songs in the Billboard Top 40 for the first time since 1990. Is this just a blip in commercial popularity, or is it a sign that hip-hop is losing its grip on mainstream America? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the modern history of the multi-faceted divide between rural and urban America and why it threatens democracy. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mark Wolf spent four decades as a judge on the federal bench after being appointed by President Ronald Reagan. But Wolf recently resigned, citing the Trump administration’s “deeply disturbing assault" on the rule of law. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Christine Kuehn knew hardly anything about her father’s family. But when a mysterious letter reaches her doorstep in 1994, it kicks off a 30-year journey uncovering her family's Nazi history, and their role in the attack on Pearl Harbor. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

American companies are being targeted by foreign spies, ransomware groups and even fake job applicants from North Korea. One cybersecurity firm speaks out about the threats they're seeing and how they're combating them. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

AI is helping doctors treat patients in American hospitals. But many new doctors say they haven’t been trained in how to use it. Now, Stanford University is mandating AI training for all its medical students. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Meghna recently appeared on this episode of Fake the Nation, joining comedian and host Negin Farsad and comedian/writer Benari Lee Poulton to share their unvarnished takes on topics ranging from why billionaires love owning sports teams, to just what are the best years of your life? Meghna had fun. We hope you enjoy it too. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here...

The world’s largest music streaming service now lets users to monetize music in which they don’t play or sing a single note. How is AI shaping how we make and profit from music? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A stranger holding the door open for you. A friendly wave from a neighbor. An angry driver cuts you off. The new book "The Social Biome" reveals how 'everyday communication connects and shapes us.' *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Studies show that feeling grateful can make you more patient, honest, generous and even help with your sleep and immune system. Psychologist David DeSteno on how to practice gratitude daily. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

People around the world are reading less. In the U.S., the share of people reading for pleasure dropped by 40% in the last 20 years. Writer James Marriott says that puts democracy in danger. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Some Obamacare subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year. This could double premiums for many enrollees. How a government subsidy that was intended to be temporary, became something millions of Americans cannot live without. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint