As more Americans get vaccinated, the light at the end of the tunnel shines a little bit brighter each day. We discuss the slow return of theater-released movies and some of the future films we’re most excited for.

In 2017, Sara Dykman biked more than 10,000 miles, following the path of the annual Monarch migration. Along her route, she stopped to educate and raise awareness about the beauty and fragility of the butterfly. Dykman joins us this week to teach us about the insect’s unique migration patterns across North America and how individuals can help this dwindling species.

Scientists estimate that there’s anywhere between nine to 16 million tons of plastic on the seafloor, polluting the environment, harming species and releasing harmful microplastics into every corner of the planet. Two experts on plastic join us this week to shed some light on the problem and how we can each make a difference by changing our consumption habits and calling on leaders to craft stricter laws on waste management and manufacturing.

The late actor, Jimmy Stewart, gave us some very memorable characters during his time in Hollywood – many very funny; others endearing; and some dark and villainous. Perhaps Stewart’s most dramatic role was the one that not many people know about, but that molded his life and his psyche – not to mention his acting – for most of his career: serving as a fighter pilot in World War II.

As more Americans look to decrease their carbon footprints, what’s one way to make a big difference? Flipping the narrative on the traditional American diet. Beef is more carbon-intensive to produce than chicken, but did you know that cheese is also worse than chicken? Paul Greenberg, a food and science writer, joins Viewpoints this week to share how people can adjust their daily eating habits to make a difference.

The perspectives of black authors are vital in understanding why racial bias still plagues our country. We offer up some timely recommendations to add to your 2021 reading list.

Taylor Swift recently re-recorded and released her hit 2008 album “Fearless”. We discuss the nostalgic vibes we felt while listening to these old Taylor tracks.

Today, the average student graduating from a four-year, public university leaves with $28,600 in student loans. On top of this, students owe interest once payments kick in, and this can range from 3 to 5 percent for federal loans and can go as high as 12 percent for private loans. This week – we cover the student loan crisis in the U.S. and talk about alternative options and resources that can help lower the current cost of higher education.

From abrupt changes in gravity to galactic cosmic radiation, astronauts face numerous challenges as they push to explore further into the unknown. Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta, from the Center for Space Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, joins Viewpoints this week to help us understand some of the health impacts of spending time in space and the hurdles that come with longer missions like sending humans to Mars.

Despite the pandemic, carbon emissions are at an all-time high, topping records over the past 3.6 million years. For years, scientists have warned of humans approaching a critical tipping point of global warming – and it’s here. Sustainability scientist Dr. Kimberly Nicholas joins Viewpoints this week to break down the current climate landscape and explain why turning things around requires a collective effort.