• Are we on the verge of a new Cold War?
    Oct 19 2026

    The Pentagon is rethinking America's nuclear weapons strategy – including lowering the barrier for their use in the battlefield. Why national security analyst Joe Cirincione says this could spark a new nuclear arms race.

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    42 mins
  • The bored and the beautiful: How the smartphone killed boredom
    Sep 25 2026

    Social media. Streaming. Swiping. Today, it's normal to reach for our phones when we're bored. But researchers say passive boredom like scrolling is not the kind of boredom that sparks creativity. How can we reclaim boredom in the digital age?

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    38 mins
  • What we can actually do to save the planet
    Sep 24 2026

    An ever-warming world, rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers — it’s easy to despair over the climate crisis. But scientist Tim Lenton says not every tipping point leads to doom.

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    39 mins
  • A road trip through American history
    Oct 2 2026

    Historian Beverly Gage hit the road to learn about our country's history. She visited more than 300 historic sites -- from museums and battlefields to roadside attractions. What she learned about how America honors its history.

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    40 mins
  • Senior Class: The silver ballot box
    Oct 6 2026

    Old voters dominate the ballot box in local, primary, and at times, national elections. They ensure issues like Social Security and Medicare drive the national conversation. How strong is this group's sway on electoral politics in the U.S.?

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    47 mins
  • The Jackpod: Ten seconds to midnight
    Sep 28 2026

    On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on why the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has set its Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight, its highest estimate of the likelihood of global catastrophe.

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    42 mins
  • The forgotten history of Britain's slave trade
    Sep 28 2026

    The UK abolished the slave trade more than 200 years ago. But the wealth it created still shapes the country today. A new database reveals the businesses, families and monarchs enriched by slavery. And it’s forcing a reckoning in the UK that's long overdue.

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    42 mins
  • How the 'super' El Niño could reshape global weather
    Sep 29 2026

    El Niño has become an annual global climate phenomenon. But this year, scientists are warning of a record-setting 'super' El Niño. What that could mean for the weather everywhere on planet earth.

    *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

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    40 mins