On Point Radio

10/11/2024

Since 2020, many voters have dug into their positions. Others have changed. Some have turned away from politics entirely. Several Americans who shared their stories during the 2020 election, join us to discuss election 2024.

10/03/2024

Local election officials are working hard to make sure the 2024 election goes off without a hitch. And they're doing that despite being criticized, hounded, attacked, and threatened.

Three county elections officials, Democrats and Republicans, from Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania share their experiences from the frontlines of America's elections.

Local election officials are working hard to make sure the 2024 election goes off without a hitch. And they're doing that despite being criticized, hounded, attacked, and threatened. Three county elections officials, Democrats and Republicans, from Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania share thei...

10/01/2024

Every presidential path to victory in 2024 leads through Pennsylvania. In Cambria County, voters flipped from blue to red in a few short election cycles. What clues does the county hold for 2024?

09/30/2024

Zyn ni****ne pouches have exploded in popularity, generating millions of dollars for to***co giants — and a new subculture on the internet, or “Zynternet.”

Zyn ni****ne pouches have exploded in popularity, generating millions of dollars for to***co giants — and a new subculture on the internet, or “Zynternet.” Zyn has even found its way into national politics. What's behind the rise of Zyn?

09/26/2024

"We have to be cautious, I think, in this situation, not to assume that his restraint in the past will translate into restraint moving forward."

Ukraine wants to use western long-range weapons to strike targets inside of Russia. Vladimir Putin says if President Biden approves such use of western weapons, it will mean massive war. Could a decision to help Ukraine win its war spark a larger geopolitical catastrophe?

09/25/2024

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09/25/2024

Menstruation is a definitive experience of a woman's life, and an indicator of her health. So why has period blood or menstrual fluid been largely under-researched?

09/19/2024

Vice President Harris proposes giving a $25,000 grant to first-time homebuyers to help solve America’s housing crisis. Many are skeptical. But Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has championed a similar program in his state.

09/10/2024

Phoenix, Arizona has crossed a troubling milestone. More than one hundred days of temperatures over 100 degrees. Across the country, extreme heat kills more Americans than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined. So why don’t we label is a disaster?

09/06/2024

The Barred Owl is considered “invasive” in the Pacific Northwest and it’s pushing the Northern Spotted Owl to extinction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a plan -- kill nearly half a million Barred Owls over the next 30 years.

08/29/2024

Rebroadcast: Most of the world’s cobalt is extracted in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But to get it, hundreds of thousands of Congolese people labor with no other means to survive. On episode three of On Point’s special series -- cobalt and the human cost of mining.

08/27/2024

Rebroadcast: The U.S. sits on some of the largest lithium reserves in the world. It’s a key element for clean energy. The first episode of On Point’s weeklong exploration “Elements of energy” takes us inside America’s push for a lithium boom.

08/19/2024

The world is awash in plastic waste. Oil companies claim to have a solution, an advanced form of chemical recycling. But can it deliver on its promise?

08/16/2024

Disabled and sunk ships. Frightened sailors. Not because of sharks – but because of whales and orca.

Scientists seeing an increase in unexpected large marine mammal interactions. Why?

Disabled and sunk ships. Frightened sailors. Not because of sharks – but because of whales and orca. Scientists seeing an increase in unexpected large marine mammal interactions. Why?

08/09/2024

More than 30 years ago, sociologist James Davison Hunter coined the term "culture wars." Since then, those wars have poisoned American politics. How could we end America's culture wars?

08/08/2024

The last time Congress passed a law to protect children on the internet was 26 years ago. That’s before Facebook or the iPhone was even created. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree regulation is long overdue. It’s the 'how' that’s the question.

08/06/2024

High housing costs are pushing more Americans to find roommates, including baby boomers and empty nesters.

We take a look at the growing trend of intergenerational living.

High housing costs are pushing more Americans to find roommates, including baby boomers and empty nesters. We take a look at the growing trend of intergenerational living.

08/06/2024

More than a quarter of young Americans have cut ties with one of their parents. Sometimes on the advice of therapists, who say families are traumatizing. But some families say they’re the ones being traumatized. We discuss the debate over family estrangement.

08/02/2024

Anti-tourism protests spread around the world this summer. Some cities are charging tourist entry fees, banning cruise ships or imposing fines for bad behavior. Some say the solution to the world’s growing wanderlust isn‘t for people to travel less but to travel better.

08/02/2024

Techno libertarians, white nationalists and JD Vance are all linked to a movement known as the 'New Right.' What is this movement and how has it influenced the Republican candidate for vice president?

07/22/2024

Dr. Anthony Fauci was the government’s top infectious disease official during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What has his career in public service taught him?

Dr. Anthony Fauci was the government’s top infectious disease official during the COVID-19 pandemic. What has his career in public service taught him?

07/22/2024

Sharks are full of secrets, despite being some of the oldest creatures on the planet. Marine biologist Jasmin Graham has spent a decade studying them — and trying to bring more women of color like her into the field.

07/22/2024

Donald Trump has transformed Republican politics, and Republican policy, as reflected in the GOP's newest platform.

Analysts say it echoes the language of its presidential candidate, instead of previously held Republican views, on a range of issues from the economy to abortion.

Donald Trump has transformed Republican politics, and Republican policy, as reflected in the GOP's newest platform. Analysts say it echoes the language of its presidential candidate, instead of previously held Republican views, on a range of issues from the economy to abortion.

07/10/2024

Jason De León spent nearly seven years embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico. How that experience changed his perspective on the smugglers’ world.

07/08/2024

The world of fine art is full of multimillion dollar one-of-a-kinds and breathtaking masterpieces. But it’s also rife with fraudsters and forgers. When fakes demand a fortune, what does that say about the intrinsic value of art?