Brainwaves: Are you in there?

Brainwaves: Are you in there?

Author: WBUR August 18, 2026 Duration: 35:41
Consciousness is how we are able to feel, dream and imagine. And yet -- scientists haven't figured out how consciousness definitively works. What we know, what we don’t and what that tells us about our brains. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Each weekday, On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti cuts through the noise of the 24-hour news cycle to bring clarity and depth to the stories that matter. Produced by WBUR, this daily news podcast is built on the conviction that understanding requires more than headlines. Meghna Chakrabarti guides conversations that dig into the roots of current events, connecting today’s debates to historical context and the broader human experience. You’ll hear thoughtful interviews with experts, journalists, and people directly affected by the issues, all aimed at answering the pressing questions that often go unasked. The approach is rigorous but accessible, tackling complex subjects-from politics and science to culture and ethics-without shying away from nuance. It’s a space where multiple perspectives are examined, not just presented, fostering a more complete picture of our world. Tuning in feels less like being talked at and more like being part of a necessary, informed discussion. For anyone feeling overwhelmed by fragmented news sources, this podcast offers a reliable, substantive hour of analysis that respects the listener’s intelligence and curiosity. The result is a consistently engaging program that doesn’t just report what’s happening, but explains why it matters.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti
Podcast Episodes
Ty Cobb once advised President Trump. Now he calls him 'evil' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:56
Ty Cobb served as special White House counsel in the first Trump administration. Now, he’s one of the president’s loudest critics. Ty Cobb talks about why he thinks the president is no longer fit for office. *** Thank yo…
Why women's clothing sizes are so confusing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:20
How can you wear an XS shirt in one fabric, brand or style -- but an XL in another? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
Could 'predistribution' solve America's wealth gap? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:12
Redistributing wealth through things like taxpayer-funded welfare programs gets a lot of pushback in the U.S. But what if income inequality could be fixed, not after the fact, but before it happened? *** Thank you for li…
Trump’s latest bid to rewrite the rules of federal funding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:24
Billions of dollars of federal grants support everything from medical research to community services. Now, the Trump administration wants to tie that money to the president’s political priorities. *** Thank you for liste…
Your fitness resolution is 200 years old [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:18
Humans have been obsessed with fitness for centuries. But how did this fascination start? In the new book “When Fitness Went Global” historian Conor Heffernan examines the rise of physical culture worldwide. *** Thank yo…
When heartland rock ruled the airwaves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:13
In the 1980s, artists like John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen sang swelling anthems about working people, family farms and factory towns. But heartland rock is also deeply political -- and often misunderstood. *** Tha…
Does the U.S. need a $1.5 trillion defense budget? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:55
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is asking Congress for a record amount of money, $1.5 trillion, as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran continues. What do those taxpayer dollars pay for? *** Thank you for listening. Help power O…
Can AI really do our jobs? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:22
Companies rushed to replace workers with AI. Now, some of these same companies are hiring back human workers. What happened? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoin…
Sen. Chris Murphy’s vision for America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:42
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut says the “current version of capitalism isn’t working” for Americans. What’s his plan for his party — and our country? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by ma…
What immigrants say it means to assimilate in the U.S. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:06
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wants to shut down immigration because he believes many immigrants refuse to "assimilate." But what does assimilation mean to immigrants themselves? *** Thank you for list…