On Point

President Trump's order to attack a Venezuelan boat on drug smuggling suspicions has alarmed some Republican lawmakers.

Charlie Kirk helped shape conservative politics over the last decade. His assassination raises a question for all Americans: Can anything turn back the rising tide of political violence in America?

A growing number of young people say their mental health diagnosis is an important part of their identity. But by medicalizing imperfection – could young people be losing what makes them uniquely human?

The Jackpod is on hiatus this week. But in the meantime: Send us topics or ideas you want to hear on The Jackpod via the On Point VoxPop app.

For decades, kids in St. Louis County caught crawdads in Coldwater Creek, made mudpies, went swimming -- and were exposed to nuclear waste. Hear the story of how St. Louis became a dumping ground for radioactive waste generated by the Manhattan Project.

The trucking industry, and more broadly the freight industry, still hasn't fully recovered from the business impacts of COVID. What's behind that?

River Selby served as a hotshot – an elite wildland firefighter. Selby shares the reality of the life and work of firefighters trying to save America's western forests. And how despite fire seasons getting longer and longer, fewer people want to join hotshot crews.

One in 31 American children have autism spectrum disorder, according to the CDC. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has vowed to find the cause. But experts are skeptical.

The Humvee is an American military icon. Yet the Department of Defense has announced the vehicle's retirement. What does this say about our shifting military priorities?

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on President Trump's marathon cabinet meeting, how his cabinet addresses him, and what that says about his presidency.

President Trump demanded cuts from private businesses. Blacklisted major law firms. And threatened companies to invest more in America. The uncertain legal landscape for U.S. businesses today.

AI is doing students' homework, writing their essays -- and probably replacing a lot of their future jobs. Is it time to rethink what schools are for?

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Blight says President Donald Trump is attacking American history and scholarship for political ends. Blight says it's time for historians to fight back.

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.

A bonus episode in our series "Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America's Boys." Dr. Kevin Simon, attending pediatric psychiatrist at Boston Children's Hospital, shares his experience and expertise in a conversation recorded on stage at WBUR CitySpace.

Teenage boys are experiencing increasing rates of loneliness and suicidal thoughts -- which is having a direct impact on their achievement in school. How can schools address that? The final part in On Point's special series “Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America's Boys.”

After decades of decline, male teachers now make up less than a quarter of the public-school teaching force. What's driving men away, and what would it take to bring them back? On Point's weeklong series exploring boys and education continues.

Data show boys are falling behind in school. Black boys are falling behind the most. What's happening in classrooms that are bucking that trend? On Point's weeklong series exploring boys and education continues.

'Boys will be boys.' How are perceptions about boys' behavior in the classroom shaping their entire education? It's part two of On Point's weeklong series, "Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America's Boys."

Boys fall behind girls in education in the U.S. starting as young as eight years old. Understanding how boys learn is key to knowing why that's happening. It's part one of On Point's weeklong series “Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America's Boys.”

Everybody's heard about Ancient Egypt. But just downriver, the kingdom of Kush was one of the most powerful states in the Nile valley. Sudanese-British journalist Zeinab Badawi gives us a lesser-known history of Africa's great historical triumphs.

The dating scene can be a frustrating place to be right now. From dating app burnout to the struggle to meet IRL, single folks are fed up. Why modern dating feels so broken and what can be done to fix it.

AI is everywhere, and increasingly, people are turning to it for therapy. What's at stake when we lose that human to human-therapist connection?

Florida citrus production has dropped more than 90% in the past two decades -- a blow for the state's economy and cultural identity. What's driving the decline of Florida's orange groves, and what can be done about it?

Alexis Okeowo says Alabama, where she grew up, shows the best and worst of the American experiment. In her new book, "Blessings and Disasters," she wrestles with the state's complicated past.

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?

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how the Trump administration has transformed which reporters get to be in the White House briefing room and travel with the president.

A dozen states are banning people from buying sodas and some sugary snacks using federal food assistance. The effort is part of the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will the restrictions convince people on SNAP to eat less junk food?

The U.S. Congress cut federal funding for public media, shuttering the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. What does that mean for the future of local news across the country?

The Trump Administration ordered universities to turn over data to prove they're not considering race in admissions. But education expert Richard Kahlenberg argues that for college admissions to look at merit fairly, they need to look at class.

A recent study shows that people using AI to write for them experience some negative cognitive effects. Why? Because there's something special about what writing does in your brain.

The U.S. House will consider whether grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park should be taken off the endangered species list. How delisting would impact grizzly bears and the people living near them.

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on a wild idea from the '90s that could offer young Americans greater financial security, and how it would benefit Democrats to publicly embrace bold ideas like it.

After months of wrangling, the U.S. and the EU have reached a trade agreement. The EU made big compromises, like a 15% tariff on most EU exports. How will the deal affect Americans?

Summers are getting hotter every year. When it comes to adapting to a hotter planet, in the United States, it's cities that are taking the lead. In Atlanta, they've passed a nation-leading "cool roof ordinance."

The retired conservative federal judge says a war against the judiciary in America has been waged by "a tyrannical wannabe king."

Food security levels in the Gaza Strip have reached their most dire levels since the conflict between Hamas and Israel began. Humanitarian experts say immediate action is needed to save hundreds of thousands of people from starvation.

Could sunlight help treat disease? A growing number of studies find potential benefits of UV light therapy for conditions like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and Crohn's disease.

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how Donald Trump projects strength through his lack of inhibition and self-constraint.

A majority of registered voters think the Democrats are out of touch with Americans' everyday concerns according to recent polling. Social inequality scholar Joan Williams discusses her book "Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class – And How to Win Them Back."

Financial Times reporter Patrick McGee argues in his new book 'Apple in China' that China wouldn't be the China it is today without Apple.

Last month, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired an influential committee of vaccine advisers to the CDC. What that decision could mean for vaccines and America's public health.

One hundred years ago, teacher John Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution in a Tennessee public school. His trial became a national sensation. Today, we're still fighting over what should be taught in public schools.

AI researcher Ethan Mollick says most public conversation focuses too much on potential AI catastrophes and not enough on making the technology work for people. Mollick says if we don't change that, none of us will be prepared for the near future where “everything will change all at once.”

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a model of government inefficiency and the prospects for FEMA reform.

Mortality rates, mental health conditions, obesity and chronic disease rates are all up significantly in American children. Why are kids in the U.S. so unhealthy?

Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown knows more about the Jeffrey Epstein case than just about anyone. What does she think might be in the files the Trump administration hasn't released?

The Trump administration is attacking American academic institutions on multiple fronts, including cutting grant funding and targeting foreign exchange programs. That gives other countries a chance to surpass the U.S. in scientific discovery.

It can cost a fan up to $5,000 a year to follow major sports, between merchandise and game tickets and TV streaming access. Is the pursuit of profit harming sports fans?

Our planet's rich nature sounds are disappearing, drowned out by human-made noise. Sound recordist Matt Mikkelsen travels the world, listening to and working to preserve our vanishing soundscapes.

What's it like standing on the slopes of an active, erupting volcano? Volcanologist Tamsin Mather takes us on her journey to some of the world's biggest volcanoes.