Imagine traveling to outer space just as the pandemic started--only to return months later to a whole new earthly reality. This was the case for Chris Cassidy. The NASA astronaut took his final space mission last April to the International Space Station in a quest to find the origins of the universe. It’s all captured in a new Disney docuseries, "Among the Stars." Cassidy joins the show.

From the women's marches following President Trump’s 2016 victory to his defeat four years later, women have turned the tide in Washington – that’s according to Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin. Her new book explores how female voters, activists and politicians fought for democracy. She speaks with Michel Martin about her own political reckoning.

Ambassador J. Peter Pham, who served as the first-ever U.S. Special Envoy to the Sahel Region of Northern Africa, now sits on the Atlantic Council. He joins the show from Washington to discuss how Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning prime minister has become an international pariah.

In New York City, homelessness has long been an issue. The latest numbers show more than 45,000 people living in shelters. This was Dasani Coates’s reality in 2012, when she was just 11 years old. Now she is the subject of a new book, "Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival and Hope in an American City," by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andrea Elliott. It draws on almost a decade of reporting.

Conflict has raged in Ethiopia's Tigray region for almost a year, and multiple investigations have shown evidence of Ethiopian government atrocities. Now, new evidence emerges that Ethiopian Airlines cargo carriers have been shuttling weapons between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea in what experts say would be a violation of international law. Nima Elbagir reports on the situation.

Taiwan’s president is warning of “catastrophic consequences” if the island nation were to fall to China, as Beijing continues to send warplanes towards Taiwan in record numbers. Nearly 150 planes have been flown into Taiwan's defense zone over the past four days, in the latest sign of an increasingly assertive China. What is China’s endgame here. Sheena Greitens joins the show to discuss.

California is facing yet another environmental calamity. An offshore oil spill estimated at 144,000 gallons has prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. Orange County's beaches now face devastation as the oil moves inshore, forcing beach closures and killing wildlife. At the center of the disaster is Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles. The city's mayor joins the show.

Fiona Hill served as President Trump’s advisor on all things Russia, with a seat on the National Security Council. She was a key witness at Trump’s first impeachment trial, where her forthcoming testimony gave warning of how our divisions can be exploited. Her new book, "There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century," reflects on working for three presidents.

Ryan Hampton, who's in long-term recovery after a decade of using opioids, was part of a watchdog committee set up by the Department of Justice to represent all of Purdue’s Pharma's creditors, from states and hospitals to people like himself. Hampton’s new book is out today and tells the inside story of these proceedings -- a David vs Goliath tale that he discusses with Hari Sreenivasan.

A former product manager at Facebook has gone publicwith the accusation that the company uses its platforms to spread hate and misinformation. Frances Haugen has released tens of thousands of pages of corporate documents to back up her claims, and laid out her case on 60 Minutes this weekend. Haugen is due to testify before the Senate. Sheela Frenkel joins the show to discuss.

The release of a new Jonathan Franzen novel has come to be something of an event in the literary world. His new book "Crossroads," set in 1971, tells the story of the Hildebrandt family as it struggles with morality, faith, and family bonds. The novel has received enthusiastic reviews. Franzen joins the show from California to discuss his approach to the art of fiction writing.

The Pandora Papers have uncovered a Who’s Who of billionaires, celebrities and public officials engaged in illegal and unethical activities that run contrary to their public pronouncements. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists led the multinational investigation and its director joins the show to reveal what they found, how they pulled it off and why it matters.

Duke Professor Kate Bowler’s relationship with God was put to the test when she was diagnosed with stage four cancer at the age of 35. Now the bestselling author is out with a new memoir, "No Cure for Being Human," in which she confronts what she calls the absurdity of the self-help industry and encourages us to find comfort instead in our limitations. She speaks with Michel Martin about all this.

The new NBA season is here and with it, a debate on vaccine hesitancy. 90% of players returning to the court are vaccinated, but some high-profile skeptics are refusing inoculation. With no vaccine mandate this season, some are wondering how much influence these anti-vax voices have behind the scenes. Hall of Fame legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is calling out these players’ no-harm, no-foul approach.

Sarah Everard was walking home in London last March when she was kidnapped, brutally raped and murdered by a police officer. Similar cases from around the world are sounding the alarm for racial and social justice. Here to discuss are Jamie Klingler, co-founder of the grassroots campaign Reclaim These Streets, and Yogita Bhayana, who leads the group People Against Rapes In India.

At stake in Washington are two bills that would dramatically reshape American life: a bipartisan infrastructure package on roads, bridges and internet access and a second that includes universal Pre-K and paid family leave. Negotiations are ongoing, with the outcome still unclear. To discuss, Bianna speaks with a past Bernie Sanders campaign manager and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp.

After "The Sopranos" gave us one of the most controversial endings in TV history, series creator David Chase is going back to the show's beginnings. "The Many Saints of Newark" is a prequel to the hit series, looking at how Tony Soprano became Tony Soprano. "Sopranos" creator David Chase joins the show to discuss.

Some of the world’s most vulnerable people are paying the price in a bust-up between the European Union and Belarus. Migrants are reportedly being “weaponized” by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko as retaliation against EU sanctions. It’s led to a sharp and deadly rise in migrant crossings into Poland, Latvia and Lithuania over the summer. MMargaritis Schinas joins the program to discuss.

Venture capitalist Peter Thiel had a hand in the success of many of the most profitable tech companies around today, from Facebook to SpaceX. He’s also on a quest to live forever, investing millions in life extension research. Max Chafkin’s new biography lays bare all this and more, and he speaks with Hari Sreenivasan about the man behind the money.

For the first time since June, the number of projected COVID-19 deaths is dropping in the U.S. This as the CDC predicts hospitalizations will also decrease – but there’s no time to rest, according to Ed Yong, science and health writer for The Atlantic. He warns in his latest piece that “we’re already barreling toward the next pandemic,” and the time to prepare for it is now.