Could you ever imagine that some imported white asparagus could cost upwards of $250? Neither did we. This week on Viewpoints, we delve into the niche world of luxury and on-trend ingredients as well as roles in the food industry you’ve probably never heard of.

Complex ingredients like maltodextrin and ferrous sulfate can seem scary, but are they actually bad for you in the long-term? We speak with chemist and author, George Zaidan about how food processing took hold in early human history and what to keep in mind when it comes to keeping a healthy diet.

Older films are hard to find these days on mainstream streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. We delve into how to track down some of the best indie, classic and foreign films to watch from your home sofa.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the housing crisis as many millions of Americans can no longer afford to pay rent or their monthly mortgage. Viewpoints speaks with two housing experts about why so many people struggle to find affordable housing in the U.S. and one possible solution to the problem.

With billions across the world staying home right now due to coronavirus, air pollution in many major cities has cleared making way for blue skies and new views of nature. This week, Viewpoints speaks with journalist and author Thomas Kostigen about the role of geoengineering in tackling another approaching global crisis: climate change.

Imagine finding out at 54-years-old that the father who raised you wasn’t actually your biological dad. Novelist Dani Shapiro found herself in this position after she and her husband sent in an at-home DNA test to Ancestry.com and it came back with some unexpected results.

Drones are already a multi-billion-dollar business and only set to grow in revenue over the next five years, reaching an estimated 63 billion by 2025. The unmanned aircraft systems can be applied to a wide breadth of tasks and are an essential resource during war, rescue and public health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewpoints speaks with two drone experts about innovation and security challenges facing the industry.

Videogames are a great way to pass time. As many of us are trying to do exactly that these days, we delve into the fantasy world and discuss some of our favorite classic and new release picks.

On a typical day, the National School Lunch Program serves 20.2 million free lunches to students in need, according to the USDA. With sweeping school closures across the U.S. in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of students are going hungry. Viewpoints discusses the new reality foodservice workers face and the balance between staying safe and serving meals.

The first published crossword was created in 1913 by journalist Arthur Wynne. Since then, the timeless puzzle has stayed in style and graces newspapers from the New York Times to USA Today. Self-acclaimed lovers of crosswords are known as ‘cruciverbalists’ and compete online as well as create these puzzles for publishing. We speak with crossword expert, Adrienne Raphel to find out more about this beloved word game.