On Point

It can cost a fan up to $5,000 a year to follow major sports, between merchandise and game tickets and TV streaming access. Is the pursuit of profit harming sports fans? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Our planet’s rich nature sounds are disappearing, drowned out by human-made noise. Sound recordist Matt Mikkelsen travels the world, listening to and working to preserve our vanishing soundscapes. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

What's it like standing on the slopes of an active, erupting volcano? Volcanologist Tamsin Mather takes us on her journey to some of the world's biggest volcanoes. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Menstruation is a definitive experience of a woman's life, and an indicator of her health. So why has period blood or menstrual fluid been largely under-researched? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Smell can trigger memories and influence emotions. New research is giving us insight into how that happens, including why some people can "smell" music and why losing the sense of smell can alert us to what might make us sick. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Sharks are full of secrets, despite being some of the oldest creatures on the planet. Marine biologist Jasmin Graham has spent a decade studying them — and trying to bring more women of color like her into the field. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

If Congress passes the GENIUS Act, banks will be allowed to issue their own cryptocurrency, as long as it’s tied to a stable asset like the dollar. But some economists warn it could have very unstable outcomes. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the rapid expansion of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency under the Trump administration. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. He's a self-declared Democratic Socialist with a populist's platform. That's made some Democrats across the country nervous. Is populism the party's path forward? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

For people with disabilities, artificial intelligence tools are helping them see, hear, experience, and move through the world in profound new ways. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint