On Point

Smell can trigger memories and influence emotions. New research is giving us insight into how that happens, including why some people can "smell" music and why losing the sense of smell can alert us to what might make us sick.

On Point’s 'money ladies' Michelle Singletary and Rana Foroohar are back to start 2025 with frank talk about the macro and micro of the American economy in a new year, and under a new presidential administration.

Adam Nimoy's father, Leonard Nimoy, played Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the most famous alien in television history. In reality, he was a tough, uncompromising father. In a conversation live from CitySpace, Nimoy discusses his book “The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy."

Americans are now more likely to use cannabis than alcohol on a daily basis. But as cannabis use continues to climb, are research and policies keeping up?

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has been finding his own sense of spiritual fullness in poetry, inspired by philosopher Charles Taylor’s recent book, Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment.

Rebroadcast: Half of 5-year-olds in America today can expect to live to age 100. So how can we age well and live with purpose well into retirement?

Rebroadcast: Our online feeds are already full of artificially generated sludge. It’s tainting our discourse, our culture and the quality of information. One neuroscientist argues all of this AI junk threatens our very humanity.

Rebroadcast: Labor economist David Autor’s research shows how historically, technological advances hurt the incomes of middle- and working-class Americans. But when it comes to AI, Autor says the exact opposite could happen.

Argentina's president Javier Milei cut 30,000 government jobs. The country’s inflation rate dropped more than 20%, but poverty is soaring. Trump advisors Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy celebrate Milei as the perfect model to slash government in the U.S. 

Rebroadcast: 10-step skincare routines, products made from snail mucus. South Korea now exports more cosmetic products than smartphones. But pursuing beauty ideals can come at a social, emotional and physical cost.

Rebroadcast: More Americans are saying they don’t want to have children. But what does life without children really look like?

Rebroadcast: Snowpack is getting less reliable in American winters. And in many places, that's not just an environmental problem, but an emotional one, too.

Rebroadcast: Ultra-processed foods now make up the majority of calories in the typical American diet. Studies show the health effects are about as bad as smoking. What would it take to get back to eating real food?

UnitedHealth is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company misused AI to deny specific insurance claims. The suit raises questions about how health care companies use AI and how it affects the care people receive.

Three term Democratic Representative Andy Kim is now New Jersey's newest Senator. He’s been listening to Americans who supported both himself and President-elect Donald Trump. His lessons from those conversations.

The New York Police Department says it utilizes the largest networks of cameras, license plate readers and radiological sensors in the world. So, how did the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s alleged killer manage to escape the city before his arrest in Pennsylvania?

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer and what that could mean for American workers.

Trump has said America should have its own Bitcoin stockpile and even created his own cryptocurrency company. Crypto fans are cheering the incoming administration, but others worry this could be a dangerous scam.

Homelessness is on the rise. So are encampment sweeps. What does this mean for our cities and the people living on their streets? It’s our latest collaboration with the investigative newsroom, ProPublica.

Conservative politics and labor advocacy don't often go hand in hand, unless you are columnist Sohrab Ahmari. Ahmari says conservative politicians have the chance to change material conditions for workers. And labor advocates have the chance to forge a new political path.