On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

We all know jingles – those catchy tunes that have advertised products for decades from candy to car insurance. But how do they work, and more importantly, are they having a comeback? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jack Beatty, long-time political commentator and On Point news analyst, gives historical and political analysis about voting rights and the filibuster. He breaks down the SAVE Act’s proof-of-citizenship rules and harsh penalties. He contrasts voter-fraud claims with audit data, explores federal control over rolls, and traces the bill’s roots to replacement rhetoric.

Steve Ramirez, a neuroscientist and BU professor who studies how memories form and change. He discusses locating memories in the brain, activating and modifying them with tools like optogenetics, clinical uses for depression and PTSD, ethical risks of editing recollections, and how memory shapes identity and healing.

Sarah Schwartz, an Education Week reporter on K-12 curriculum, and Adam Lotz, a history and education professor at Binghamton University, discuss PragerU’s push into schools. They examine PragerU Kids vs flagship videos, state approvals and political backing, contested portrayals of historical figures, AI-generated Founders displays, and how packaged ideological materials reach classrooms.

Eric Fadali, attorney representing multiple survivors, discusses legal routes, redactions, and accountability. Vicki Ward, longtime investigative reporter on Epstein, provides historical context and reporting on documents and connections. They explore the scope of the document release, alleged redaction failures, elite ties, missing records from prior probes, and legal moves to force fuller disclosure.

Ty Burr, longtime film critic and columnist, and Rachel Stolche, head of the Library of Congress’s film preservation center, discuss how films reflect and shape American culture. They sample Registry picks, explain how movies are preserved, debate which modern films might endure, and highlight surprising inclusions and diversity efforts in the National Film Registry.

Jacob Hearth, neuroscientist at the University of Georgia who studies cognitive aging, explains what counts as a healthy brain. He covers tests like the critical flicker fusion for visual processing and the SWEET habits: Sleep, Water, Eating, Exercise, Time. Conversations also explore the gut-brain link, diet components like lutein, and small daily steps for maintaining brain-body health.

Jack Beatty, a commentator who ties history and literature to current events, warns listeners to conserve moral outrage. He outlines the reported $12 trillion Dmitriev US–Russia proposal and who might benefit. He names the players tied to potential profiteering and probes how normalized corruption reshapes politics and public life.

Jimo Borjigin, neuroscientist studying EEG and animal models of dying brains. Charlotte Marciel, researcher with a 2,000-case database on near-death reports. They explore brain activity moments after cardiac arrest, neurochemical surges and visual cortex activation, cultural differences in NDE narratives, and how unresponsive brains can still process sights and sounds.

Meet Kyle Mahowald, a linguist studying language and cognition, and Melanie Mitchell, an AI and cognitive science author. They probe whether AI's language tricks mean it thinks. Short tests with jokes, differences between prediction and embodied understanding, and when it makes sense to call AI 'thinking' are discussed in lively, accessible conversation.