Boston Public Radio

Social information mining has long been a way for advertisers to target consumers. Now this model is being employed by health insurance companies.

After returning from a trip with a Democratic delegation to visit detention centers in southern Texas, Rep. Katherine Clark says the trip “confirmed [her]…

Medical ethicist Art Caplan weighs in on Jeff Sessions' decision to not defend the Affordable Care Act's protection of people with pre-existing conditions.

The actor, singer and bestselling author discusses his latest novel, a re-imagining of an Irish myth set in modern-day New York City.

It’s time for another edition of Village Voice, our recurring conversation about poetry and how it can help us to make sense of the news of the day.…

Tinder’s algorithm of swiping left and right is more than just a popular way to meet future soulmates and one-night stands — the dating app has revealed…

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines to callers to discuss House Democrat’s impeachment inquiry into President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Sue O’Connell, political analyst for NECN, discussed President Trump's statements about LGBTQ rights at the UN General Assembly, as well as conservative media's response to Greta Thunberg's U.N. Climate address. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayeem discussed the newly released memo of President Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, as well as the president’s recent speech at the U.N. General Assembly, and how the Bahamas is struggling to recover from hurricane Dorian. Art Kaplan, an expert in medical ethics, discussed the ethical implications of face transplants, as well as Massachusetts’ temporary ban on the sale of vaping products. Alex Beam defended his controversial opinion that funerals are better than weddings.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Massachusetts Sen. President Karen Spilka discussed the timeline of the state’s hands-free driving bill, as well as upcoming changes to the state’s education investments. NBC Sports Boston Anchor Trenni Kusnierek spoke about Antonio Brown’s departure from the New England Patriots, along with the broader issue of rape culture in the U.S. Climate change activist Bill McKibben discussed Greta Thunberg’s U.N climate address, as well as Ed Markey’s environmental legacy in light of his upcoming Senate race against Rep. Joe Kennedy. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed food-conscious religious communities’ relationship to the imitation meat industry. Political writer Robert Kutner spoke about his new book, The Stakes: 2020 and the Survival of American Democracy. CNN’s Chief National Correspondent John King discussed President Trump’s Ukraine scandal, as well as Elizabeth Warren’s climbing support in early polls.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to relocate to Kansas City, Missouri at the end of this month. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue says the move will save millions of dollars, but many see it as a purposeful attack on USDA researchers. Food writer Corby Kummer joined *Boston Public Radio *on Tuesday to speak about the consequences the relocation will have on the USDA and climate research. "This is one of the great tragedies of the Trump administration," he said. "These researchers have been compiling the statistics of crop yield, weather patterns, and productivity for animals, but they're "too science-y," they have bad news about climate and the Trump administration has waged a war on science." Purdue has set an ultimatum to it's researchers: relocate or give up your job, Kummer said. "This was one of the agencies that had the respect of the world, and is now being shredded and decimated." Two-thirds of its current employees will be unable to relocate, according to the USDA. Purdue did this intentionally to get rid of researchers, Kummer said. "The move is meant to knock researchers out and get rid of those who were giving them bad news about the climate."

Today on Boston Public Radio: Steve Kerrigan, CEO of the Edward M Kennedy Community Health Center, and Jennifer Horn, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican party, joined us for a political roundtable. They discussed Joe Kennedy III's bid for Ed Markey's senate seat, a whistleblower complaint lodged against President Donald Trump, and other political headlines. WGBH News Analyst Charlie Sennott delved further into the recent whistleblower complaint against Trump. The Trump administration has thus far refused to release any information about the complaint, but media reports indicate it is related to a conversation Trump had with Ukraine. We opened the lines to hear from listeners about their views on impeaching President Donald Trump. TV critic Bob Thompson recapped the Emmys and reviewed Netflix's latest police procedural, Criminal. Reverends Irene Monroe and and Emmett G. Price III joined us to discuss the Rhode Island Diocese's failure to protect parishioners from a predatory priest. WGBH Science Correspondent Heather Goldstone gave us an update from climate action summits in New York. Inaugural poet Richard Blanco highlighted the anthology “What Saves Us: Poems of Empathy and Outrage in the Age of Trump,” Edited by Martin Espada.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the phones to hear from listeners about climate actions across the world today, and heard from WGBH reporter Bianca Vasquez Toness live from the field at Boston’s climate strike at City Hall. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed a new report that shows the abortion rate in America is at the lowest rate since Roe V. Wade. WGBH’s Emily Rooney joined us for her famous list of fixations and fulminations. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed whether the Jeffrey Epstein scandal at MIT is a sign of big tech’s moral bankruptcy. Boston Globe consumer protections reporter Sean Murphy discussed some of his latest cases, including a family whose trip to Ireland ballooned to $17,000. We opened the lines again to hear from listeners about whether they’ve completely foregone phone calls for texting. Chefs Peter Davis of Henrietta’s Table and Erin Miller of Urban Hearth joined us for our weekly news quiz and to preview WGBH’s upcoming Chef’s Gala, which will be emceed by Jim and Margery.