Senior Class: The oldigarchy

Older Americans control more political power and wealth than ever before. It's the topic of a special series from On Point all this week -- starting with America's aging politicians. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty brings historical context to analysis that President Trump’s war with Iran has no realistic off-ramp. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Historian Beverly Gage hit the road to learn about our country's history. She visited more than 300 historic sites -- from museums and battlefields to roadside attractions. What she learned about how America honors its history. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

After spending 8 years running focus groups with voters, the former Republican operative and Never-Trumper says she knows not only how voters think but why they vote the way they do. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

More than half of men under 50 in the U.S. have an open online sports book. Public health experts warn it's easier than ever to get addicted to gambling. Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins spent a year exploring the world of sports betting, and why the pastime is particularly bad for young men. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

El Niño has become an annual global climate phenomenon. But this year, scientists are warning of a record-setting 'super' El Niño. What that could mean for the weather everywhere on planet earth. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The UK abolished the slave trade more than 200 years ago. But the wealth it created still shapes the country today. A new database reveals the businesses, families and monarchs enriched by slavery. And it’s forcing a reckoning in the UK that's long overdue. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Social media. Streaming. Swiping. Today, it's normal to reach for our phones when we're bored. But researchers say passive boredom like scrolling is not the kind of boredom that sparks creativity. How can we reclaim boredom in the digital age? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

An ever-warming world, rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers — it’s easy to despair over the climate crisis. But scientist Tim Lenton says not every tipping point leads to doom. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Family estrangement – cutting ties with a parent, grandparent, or sibling – is often seen as at odds with the meaning of family as we know it. Sociologist and author Rin Reczek says it’s time to rethink what family means and what we expect from it. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint