Why American low-cost airlines fail
Spirit Airlines, known for cheap flights, suddenly closed earlier this month. Budget airlines seem to do fine in Europe. Why can’t they survive in the U.S.?
Inside Trump's self-dealing presidency
Since taking office, President Trump’s wealth has grown by at least $1.4 billion. There have been overseas real estate projects, a Trump phone that doesn’t exist and a Trump-branded cryptocurrency....
A Holocaust scholar asks: 'Israel, what went wrong?'
Omer Bartov was born on an Israeli kibbutz, grew up committed to Zionist ideals, and is now professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University. But in his new...
Support WBUR
The hidden chemistry at the heart of the Milky Way
Scientists have taken the largest ever image of the Milky Way. The image shows spectacular detail of our home in the universe, and offers scientists a color-coded guide to some...
What Democrats could learn from the GOP
The Republican Party has a highly sophisticated online and social media operation. Meanwhile Democrats focus on their traditional political talking points. Could the Dems take a page out of the...
The Jackpod: Blue money blues
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has questions about how money is being raised for the Democratic National Committee and Democratic candidates and how that money is being spent.
When thinking ‘inside the box’ is better
You’ve heard the phrase "think outside the box." But what if constraints and limitations actually make us happier and more creative?
Why authoritarians put their faces on everything
Dictators and authoritarian leaders often plaster their faces across the country they control. Is this happening in the United States?
Roundup transformed farming in the U.S. Could it change regulation too?
The Supreme Court will soon rule on who gets to decide when a product needs a cancer warning – and who can sue if they’ve been exposed. At the center...
The 'how' behind the sub-two hour marathon
History was made in this year’s London marathon when two runners broke the iconic two-hour barrier. Was it the shoes? The nutrition? The training? These specific elite athletes?
Why you’re thinking about the Supreme Court in the wrong way
Political partisanship is one way to measure how the Supreme Court justices think about how their rulings affect the nation. SCOTUSblog editor Sarah Isgur says another, she believes more important...
The Jackpod: Sock puppets
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on “the unedifying spectacle of self abasement” from the Moscow show trial of the 1930s, to present-day confirmation hearings for Trump nominees.
Inside the life of a 'degenerate' sports gambler
More than half of men under 50 in the U.S. have an open online sports book. Public health experts warn it's easier than ever to get addicted to gambling. Atlantic...
Who's a 'domestic terrorist' in Donald Trump's America?
President Trump is directing the Justice Department to treat beliefs like "anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity" akin to domestic terrorism. Can the president criminalize beliefs?
Why California wants folic acid in its corn tortillas
In 1998, the FDA required folic acid be added to breads and pastas but not corn masa, a staple in Latino communities. Folic acid is known to prevent neural tube...
Why the tech world is ‘tokenmaxxing'
There’s a new word floating around Silicon Valley and the AI world: 'tokenmaxxing.' It means consuming as many units of AI as possible and often racking up multibillion dollar bills....
Why America isn't ready for the AI revolution
Dean Ball was a top adviser on AI for the Trump White House. He authored its AI policy. But now he says the way the Trump administration is strong-arming tech...
A word about this week’s Jackpod
Senior editor Dorey Scheimer has a message about this week’s Jackpod and a special ‘behind the scenes’ episode of On Point.