The Point

It’s Presidents Day, and on The Point we discuss Presidential Trivia with Van and Wendy Northcross. Over the last 20 years, they've been visiting the libraries, birthplaces, and gravesites of United States Presidents, collecting memorabilia and many interesting facts. Mindy Todd and Steve Junker host.

WCAI's Kathryn Eident hosts a roundup of local and regional news of the week. Her guests: Cindy McCormick from the Cape Cod Times; Jack Spillane from the New Bedford Standard-Times; George Brennan from the Martha's Vineyard Times; Mary Ann Bragg from the Provincetown Banner; Josh Balling from the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, Louisa Hufstader from the Vineyard Gazette; WCAI's statehouse reporter Mike Deehan ; and WCAI Morning Edition producer Sam Houghton .

Jesse Brown is a Republican candidate for the Plymouth Barnstable State Senate seat. On The Point, host Kathryn Eident talks with him about the political issues, as part of our interview series on the candidates.

Not long ago fat was considered the nemesis to healthy eating: now sugar is in the hot seat. Those who stop eating sugar claim to feel energized and clear headed. We discuss fact and fiction about sugar and how to develop a healthy relationship with food.

In January the mercury reached 74 degrees in Boston, and here on the Cape and Islands we've had multiple days with temperatures in the 50's. While we can't point to warm winter days as evidence of climate change, we can look at trends and patterns to put what we're experiencing into context. Joining us to discuss weather, climate change, and the complexity of climate modeling and forecasting are David Coe, Ph.D. student at UMass Lowell Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, and Tyler Harrington

One in seven women suffers from Postpartum Depression after giving birth, but it’s rarely discussed, even in the doctor’s office. Not only does it impact new moms: babies also struggle developmentally and cognitively when postpartum depression goes untreated. On The Point, we discuss efforts to identify women at risk and get them access to treatment and supports.

In mid-February, many of us are birding by watching feeders from the comfort and warmth of our homes. Put those observations to use in the Great Backyard Bird Count on February 14th: we’ll tell you how. Albatross outfitted with G.P.S. and radar are the new sentinels of the sea : we hear about how the data they collect from remote parts of the ocean is being used. We also discuss what migrants you might see this month and some interesting sightings in Provincetown Harbor.

While algorithms are allowing computers to process large data sets, they have yet to come close to the human brain’s ability to learn. But is it just a question of time? We talk with congnitive neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene about his new book How We Learn, Why Brains Learn Better than any Machine... For Now. We also hear why exercise may promote the growth of brain cells in adults in a report from Carry the One Radio .

We continue our conversations with candidates for the Plymouth Barnstable State Senate Race. Today we talk with Democratic candidate John Mahoney .

When we hear stories of hate crimes, or people being bullied, harassed, or treated unfairly, we know it’s wrong. But what if we were witness to an incident: would we step in and do something? We might think “of course I would” but in the moment it may not be clear how best to address the situation, or we might have concerns about our safety or the safety of others.