Viewpoints Radio
Award-winning reporting on current issues featuring America's leading experts.
Dr. Susan Shaheen, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California-Berkeley, joins us this week to highlight the country’s current infrastructure and what more needs to be done to promote greater citizen mobility with bikes, scooters and other non-motor modes of transportation.
It feels like the fitness market has more options than ever before. Between the rise of at-home fitness, traditional gyms and focused classes, consumers can pick and choose to workout whichever way they like. This week – we speak with two fitness experts about evolving trends in exercise and what’s next.
From sundials to mechanical clocks to atomic clocks, humans – throughout the centuries – have kept track of time using many different methods. Physics and astronomy professor Chad Orzel joins us this week to highlight just how much we rely on accurate clocks and how timekeeping technology has evolved across human history.
We play many roles in life: coworker, manager, partner, parent, caregiver. The list is seemingly endless. It can be all too easy to get wrapped in these many roles and forget altogether about spending time on yourself as an individual. We speak with acclaimed writer and author, Eve Rodsky about the mental toll of our daily lives and how to get back to finding a balance.
By 2030, 74 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. will be 65 or older. As people age, this means bigger burdens on the healthcare system, senior housing and care. But, what if one day, we could slow down this process of biological aging? Two researchers from Northwestern University join us this week to share some of the latest innovations in the anti-aging field.
Ever find yourself staring at a recipe and feeling completely lost or overwhelmed? Us too. Cooking doesn’t have to be this big production, but can instead be a time to unwind, experiment and not always aim for perfection. Cookbook author Leanne Brown joins us this week to unpack how to become a calmer cook this year by planning ahead and setting new expectations.
If an unexpected $400 charge came up, it’s estimated that 40% of Americans would struggle to pay this amount, according to data published in 2019 by the Federal Reserve. Life happens. Circumstances change. And that’s why it is so important to be financially secure with savings, an emergency fund, investments and more. We speak with financial expert, Emily Guy Birken this week about how to start …
20 million people work within the food production industry in the U.S. The pandemic has altered this sector and resulted in many pressures placed on this population. This week – we highlight the people behind these various roles and the changing landscape of this 24/7 food supply chain.
In the U.S., there are roughly 19 million people with felony convictions. For this population, finding stable work can be a tumultuous and draining process. Without a job, it can be all too easy to slide back into a past life and end up behind bars once again.
Researchers estimate that around 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder each year. We speak with psychologist Dr. Carrie Ditzel about the prevalence of SAD and how people can combat these feelings and find additional support.
In 2006, Filipino immigrant Elizabeth Keathley mistakenly registered to vote while at a DMV in Illinois. After receiving her Voter ID in the mail, she ended up casting a ballot in the next election thinking she could do so. However, she wasn’t a U.S. citizen at the time and, because of her actions, faced eventual deportation back to the Philippines.
Thinking about adding a new furry member to the family to ring in the new year? Veterinarian Dr. Carol Osborne joins us this week to share some helpful tips on adoption, pet health and how to keep your cat or dog happy and well-adjusted at home.
A familiar aroma has the ability to transport us back to a different time in life or remind us of a specific place or person. Smell is deeply connected to memory and emotion, playing a significant role in how we view the world around us.
For too long, school lunches in the U.S. have been overlooked. Highly processed foods are often quickly thrown together with a hodgepodge of unhealthy ingredients. Brigaid founder Dan Giusti joins Viewpoints this week to share how he, along with hundreds of professional chefs, are redefining the school lunch landscape.
Federal student loan debt has ballooned in recent years. In 2007, debt totaled $642 billion dollars. Fourteen years later, this number has risen to close to $1.7 trillion. More than 43 million Americans have student loan debt, with the average person owing around $39,000.
The Rosetta Stone is an intriguing slab of rock. In short, it’s a vital key to understanding the unique Egyptian language of illustrated text referred to as hieroglyphs. Writer Edward Dolnick joins us this week to shed some light on the artifact and how the cryptic message was finally decoded.
For homeless populations and nonprofit fundraisers that rely on in-person cash giving, less cash could mean less money coming in.
Last minute emails. Gift buying. Traveling. Sometimes the holiday to-do list can feel never-ending. It can be a stressful period. We speak with psychiatrist Dr. Frank Anderson about the importance of setting boundaries and expectations this holiday season.
The United States still has the highest number of inmates in the world, with more than 2 million people behind bars. For a segment of this population, spending weeks, months, or even years in solitary confinement is very much a reality. We speak with two criminal justice experts about the lasting effects of solitary confinement and the mental health crisis plaguing prisons.
There’s nothing quite like comics. The art of illustration mixed with text takes on many forms, including comic strips, books, graphic novels and more. Columbia University professor and author of American Comics: A History Jeremy Dauber joins us this week to help highlight the interesting history of comics and how it’s evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry today.
In some cities, people are seeing as high as 30 percent increases on monthly rent. For middle and low-income citizens already on a tight budget, it’s impossible to make ends meet – especially as prices for food, gas and other basics keep ticking upwards. We speak with two housing experts about the complete lack of affordable housing in this country and the worsening homelessness epidemic.
While it may seem like people have some control over privacy settings, this is merely an illusion argues law professor Neil Richards. This week on Viewpoints - we highlight the lack of privacy online and why consumers should expect better from corporations and their government.
Today, there are close to 11 million vacant jobs in the U.S. – a record-breaking number. Why are more Americans not filling these positions? How is this affecting businesses? What will eventually happen if these jobs go unfilled? We explore these questions and more this week as we’re joined by hospitality entrepreneur, Ravindra Jayara, and senior labor economist, Dr. Abigail Wozniak.
We’ve barely just scratched the surface of space exploration. Many scientists at NASA and in the private sector have set their sights on the eventual human mission to Mars – but what lies past the red planet? Will humans one day be able to travel outside of our solar system? Physicist Dr. Daniel Whiteson joins us this week to explain the strange and beautiful intricacies of the cosmos.
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