The small Utah county fighting a massive data center
A rural county at the edge of the Great Salt Lake. A multimillionaire celebrity businessman. A shadowy state agency. What Box Elder County, Utah’s fight over a 40,000-acre data center...
What Yale saw when it looked in the mirror
Conservative critics say America's elite colleges don't encourage political diversity and have biased admissions. A Yale University commission recently concluded that those critics may be right.
The Jackpod: The times they are a-changin’
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how the growth of inequality in the U.S. is creating a new political order willing to embrace raising tax rates.
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...
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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?
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 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.
Why is the U.S. reluctant to adopt the Scandinavian prison model?
A handful of states from California, Pennsylvania to Maine have tried to adopt a more rehabilitative Scandinavian prison model. But such models have failed to be replicated at large scale....
How can you be drunk without drinking?
A mysterious condition can push your blood alcohol level sky-high — even if you haven’t had any drinks. What causes auto-brewery syndrome — and what are the legal and medical...
Why conservative judges think Trump has gone too far
Several federal judges have issued opinions saying the Trump administration is flouting the rule of law and the principles of democracy. How effective has the bench been in checking executive...