On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Ohio oil operator Bob Wilson’s wells are flooding with toxic fracking wastewater from nearby injection sites, devastating his business and threatening local gas supplies.

This episode examines the backlash against Flock Safety’s AI-powered license plate readers, highlighted by residents in Bandera, Texas, who…

On Point explores how GPS transformed navigation and modern infrastructure, featuring author Catherine Dunn and experts on spatial cognition and signal vulnerabilities.

Host Meghna Chakrabarti and labor economist Catherine Ann Edwards explore the evolving definition of the American working class, moving beyond…

On Point’s Jackpot features Sharon McMahon, known as America’s Government Teacher, who discusses her journey from classroom educator to viral civics explainer.

Host Amory Sievertson interviews Cornell entomologist John Lee about the decline of native North American ladybugs due to invasive species like the multicolored Asian lady beetle.

This episode examines California’s ambitious new laws aimed at overhauling the state’s plastic recycling system, including stricter labeling rules and extended producer responsibility.

This episode examines how AI is reshaping creativity, sparked by the controversy surrounding Mia Ballard’s novel *Shy Girl*.

Comedian Jared Freed discusses his new book, *Walking Red Flag*, offering a male perspective on modern dating challenges.

James Spooner discusses his graphic memoir, *It Starts With Anger*, detailing his journey as a biracial teen finding identity in the 1990s punk scene.

On Point analyst Jack Beattie interviews author Ann Larson about her book *Clean Up on Aisle 5*, which exposes the physical toll and poverty wages faced by grocery workers.

In this episode, host Meghna Chakrabarti and neuroscientist Jacob Harth discuss strategies for maintaining brain health, introducing the "SWEET" acronym for sleep, water, eating, exercise, and time.

This episode of On Point explores the neuroscience behind near-death experiences, featuring stories from survivors like Joan Pavlinski.

Host Meghna Chakrabarti explores whether AI truly thinks by testing its ability to create humor with AI expert Melanie Mitchell.

Host Meghna Chakrabarti interviews neuroscientist Christoph Koch about consciousness, featuring the story of Martin Pistorius, who was trapped in a locked-in state for 13 years.

Meghna Chakrabarti interviews MIT cognitive neuroscientist Nancy Kanwisher about the challenges of mapping the brain’s 100 trillion synaptic connections.

Meghna Chakrabarti and Jack Beattie discuss retrofitting American homes with heat pumps and solar panels to meet AI data center energy demands, citing Rewiring America’s research.

Meghna Chakrabarti interviews Craig Fairman about his book *This Vast Enterprise*, which reexamines the Lewis and Clark expedition by highlighting…

Ahmed Fuad Al-Khatib discusses his memoir, arguing that Hamas’s two-decade rule has devastated Gaza by prioritizing armed resistance over development.

Host Meghna Chakrabarti contrasts her childhood experience of reading whole classic books with her children’s exposure to excerpts and skills-based learning.

This episode explores Wisconsin’s history of "sewer socialism" and compares it to current gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong’s democratic socialist platform.

The FCC threatens to revoke broadcast licenses for eight ABC-owned local stations, ostensibly over DEI policies but widely viewed as retaliation for Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue.

Meghna Chakrabarti and Jack Beattie analyze affective polarization, discussing how partisan hatred has replaced policy debates and fuels dangerous misconceptions about political violence.

This episode examines the rise of corporate ownership in the US housing market, tracing its roots to post-2008 government auctions that sold foreclosed homes to investors.

Former White House Counsel Ty Cobb discusses Donald Trump’s dangerous narcissism and the Republican Party’s complicity in undermining democratic norms.

Meghna Chakrabarti explores why women’s clothing sizes are so inconsistent, featuring fit expert Allison Haynes and stylist Bridget Reyes.

Meghna Chakrabarti interviews Yale professor Jacob Hacker, who coined the term "predistribution," to discuss ensuring equitable wealth distribution before taxes are applied.

On Point examines the Trump administration’s proposal to politicize federal grant-making, allowing political appointees to override merit-based reviews.

Host Meghna Chakrabarti interviews historian Connor Heffernan about his book on the 19th-century origins of global fitness culture.

Meghna Chakrabarti interviews music journalist Erin Osmond about her book, *Won't Back Down*, which explores the Heartland Rock movement of the 1970s and 80s.