Newark officials rescinded a sister city agreement with the United States of Kailasa after finding out it wasn’t actually a... more

An AI-generated image of Cool Pope in immaculate drip went viral over the weekend and most everyone thought it was... more

Far-right judicial reforms have inspired what might be the largest protests in the history of Israel. If adopted, the reforms... more

The US has a child care crisis. But New Mexico just figured out a way to fix it (hint: they’re... more

Transit agencies nationwide are facing an existential crisis. Washington, DC’s city council has a paradoxical solution: make subways and buses... more

Five years after March for Our Lives, one of the historic protest’s organizers and his historic friend explain why it’s... more

When the Veterans Administration failed to build the homes it promised, unhoused vets built a tent city across the street... more

There’s rare bipartisan consensus in Washington: China is a threat to be countered. Cornell professor Jessica Chen Weiss says the... more

The war in Iraq has been declared over by nearly every president since the one who started it 20 years... more

Pandemic restrictions are mostly over, but cities are still struggling to recover. Empty offices threaten to set off a downward... more

Execs like YouTube’s Susan Wojcicki and Meta’s Sheryl Sandberg paved the way for women in tech. Now they’re leaving the... more

The Fox News host aired a splashy exclusive this month about the January 6 insurrection. Some Republican senators saw his... more

Two siblings in Utah are defying a court order to reunite with their father, who they allege abused them. ProPublica’s... more

SVB’s collapse is the biggest bank failure since 2008. Insider’s Ben Bergman explains why the bank collapsed, why the Biden... more

Huge hits like Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water got nominated alongside Tár. In this episode of... more

Melissa Brown, a state politics reporter for The Tennessean, spills the tea on Tennessee’s new drag restrictions. And drag performer... more

DC is baby. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Paul... more

Congress wants more oversight of how the billions in US aid to Ukraine are being used. But our own military... more

Should past trauma prevent a convicted killer from being executed? The Marshall Project’s Maurice Chammah reports on “mitigation specialists” who... more

Insulin was the poster child of overpriced life saving drugs, but a manufacturer finally capped the cost at $35. Vox’s... more

Gustavo Dudamel brought classical music to the masses in Los Angeles. Now he’s announced that he’s taking his talents to... more

Newspapers across the country pulled the long-running comic “Dilbert” after its creator uploaded a racist tirade about Rasmussen poll results.... more

Solar geoengineering — the idea of cooling the planet by deflecting the sun’s rays — is so risky that scientists... more

President Biden promised a more humane approach to immigration when he entered office. After two years and a flurry of activity... more

Bloomberg's Stephanie Baker and the New Yorker’s Evan Osnos explain the fight to seize (and maintain) billionaire boats. This episode was... more

On the morning Russia invaded Ukraine, we called Yulya and Kurii. A year later, we’re calling them back. This episode was... more

Pharrell Williams was happy to be named the new head of Louis Vuitton’s menswear, but his appointment had fashion industry... more

The derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals has residents of East Palestine, Ohio fearing for their health and safety.... more

Politicians across the United States are calling for an outright ban on the popular social media platform. Alex Heath, deputy... more

Humanity can’t survive without bees, which is why bees are big business for thieves. Today, Explained’s Haleema Shah heads to... more

Thousands of buildings collapsed after Turkey’s massive earthquakes. Now President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is facing a backlash for an amnesty... more

Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, is running for president. Vox’s Andrew Prokop says she’s likely the first... more

“Zero-click spyware” is making it easier for governments to get their hands on individuals’ personal data. New York Times investigative... more

Attacks on vulnerable electrical infrastructure are surging. The tactic — embraced by everyone from copper-seeking vandals to chaos-minded white nationalists... more

Cody Easterday was ranching royalty in Washington state until he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for swindling two... more

The Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade is reshaping the way a lot of Americans think about pregnancy and... more

Turkey is digging itself out from the devastating earthquake that has killed thousands across the country. Recovery efforts have been... more

The College Board piloted an AP course on African American Studies. Then, after conservative pushback, it debuted a revised curriculum.... more

The balloon crisis is blown up. Politico’s Alex Ward deflates it for us. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited... more

Policymakers across the country are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on “violence interruptor” programs to try to stop shootings... more

Poultry farmers are in flock-down. The bird flu known as H5N1 is being called “the largest foreign animal disease outbreak... more

New national health guidelines in Canada say any amount of alcohol consumption could lead to serious health risks. The guidance... more

Memphis braced for an explosive reaction to footage of the deadly police beating. It never came. Wendi C. Thomas of... more

The Department of Justice wants Google to break up its advertising business. The Wall Street Journal’s Keach Hagey explains how... more

Wealthy companies like Google and Microsoft are announcing unprecedented layoffs — all while the economy is trending in the right... more

Dozens have died in anti-government protests in Peru. Journalist Simeon Tegel reports from Lima on how the mounting anger over... more

Chef René Redzepi said his Copenhagen restaurant, Noma, deemed the best in the world, isn't sustainable and will close next... more

The US and Mexican governments trusted Genaro Garcia Luna to crack down on the drug trade. Now he’s on trial... more

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine desperately needs tanks to fight Russia. The US, which has provided many other weapons, is... more

Most people watch RRR and see one of the greatest action epics in the history of cinema. But some see... more

House Republicans are refusing to raise the US debt ceiling without huge concessions. Vox’s Dylan Matthews explains why we have... more

No, the government isn’t coming for your gas stove. Vox’s Rebecca Leber explains why you might want to switch anyway. This... more

Remember you are dirt and to dirt you shall return. Science journalist Eleanor Cummins and law professor Tanya Marsh explain... more

What do a Delaware garage and a Florida palace have in common? We dig into Joe Biden’s classified document mess. This... more

Rain is good for California, but the state was not prepared for what might be a megastorm. KQED’s Dan Brekke... more

When the Taliban took power, it promised a place for women in its new Afghanistan. Now, hardliners are embracing policies... more

Except it was on January 8. The Brazilian Report’s Gustavo Ribeiro explains from São Paulo. This episode was produced by Miles... more

Controversial manfluencer Andrew Tate is in a Romanian prison, accused of rape and human trafficking. Vox’s Rebecca Jennings and sociolinguist... more

The 118th Congress has begun with a showdown over who will be elected House speaker. Vox’s Andrew Prokop argues that... more

Ray Osheroff was a successful doctor in the DC area until his depression became debilitating. The way he was treated... more

George Santos is supposed to become a member of Congress this week. We still have no idea who he is. This... more

Happy New Year! Maybe you’re interested in trying new things? Sean and his mom are. In today’s episode, they drive... more

Before Roe v. Wade, Eleanor Oliver was a Jane: a member of a group in Chicago that helped women get... more

A lot of IRL violence starts with online radicalization. We revisit our conversation with writer and parent Joanna Schroeder, who... more

Vladimir Putin believes Ukraine belongs to Russia, and he used that a pretense to invade. In an episode originally released... more

Pickleball is bringing America together. Pickleball is tearing America apart. Sports Illustrated’s John Walters explains. This episode was produced by Avishay... more

It’s sooo 2016, but the word still mattered a lot in 2022. Merriam-Webster explains. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah,... more

The January 6 committee sent the Justice Department four criminal referrals against the former president, who it alleges engaged in... more

Movie trailers are misleading audiences. Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson says you should stop watching them. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy,... more

Maybe not, but you’re going to be hearing about them for a while anyway. Republicans are saying they’ll use them... more

Megan Thee Stallion is everywhere — including in court, testifying against the rapper Tory Lanez, who is charged with shooting... more

Tensions are simmering in London as climate protesters turn up the heat on their soup-flinging activism. Rishi Sunak’s government is... more

Between chatbots and image generators, artificial intelligence has gotten scary good lately. The Verge’s James Vincent explains what’s behind the... more

Tostitos chips without real lime. Root beer made with fake vanilla. Instant mac and cheese that isn’t so instant. These... more

Sen. Tammy Baldwin managed to rally bipartisan support for a marriage equality bill, but she’s the first to admit the... more

US officials are sending the “Merchant of Death” — a notorious arms dealer named Viktor Bout — back to Russia... more

A growing number of county sheriffs believe they hold ultimate power in their jurisdictions. Some have even stopped enforcing state... more

Investigators are still trying to solve the brutal November killings of four college students in Moscow, Idaho. Making their work... more

Elon Musk created The Boring Company to fix traffic, but his fantasy of underground Tesla tunnels is running on empty.... more

The United Nations says humanity has reached 8 billion, but Western nations are worried about population decline. Africa isn’t, though.... more

The protests in China might force the government to back down from its extreme Covid restrictions and ramp up its... more

Disney’s board wished upon a star and brought back former CEO Bob Iger, who replaced his own replacement, the now-axed... more

Democrats vote on new leadership this week, meaning Nancy Pelosi is out. Time’s Molly Ball explains why the country might... more

In a UN-brokered agreement, more than 190 countries agreed to pay for “loss and damage” caused by climate change. But... more

NASA’s Artemis mission is the first step toward a long-term human settlement on the moon. Vox’s Unexplainable examines whether humans... more

Parents are turning their kids into influencers on social media. What could go wrong? This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin,... more

Florida’s Maxwell Frost, 25, is the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress. He tells us what he plans... more

It’s me, Ticketmaster. I’m the problem, it’s me. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by... more

Pelé. Maradona. Ronaldo. Soccer’s greats are so good, they’re typically known by one name. Men in Blazers soccer journalist Roger... more

In its biggest victory yet, Ukraine retook its vital port city, Kherson. The Guardian’s Luke Harding calls Russia’s retreat a... more

While the world’s leaders are meeting at COP27 to discuss climate change, Antarctica’s massive Thwaites Glacier is melting. The world’s... more

With the collapse of one of its largest exchanges, crypto’s having its very own Lehman Brothers moment. Semafor’s Liz Hoffman... more

Mark Zuckerberg fired 11,000 employees at Meta. Elon Musk axed half his staff at Twitter. Other tech giants are slashing... more

The people who built Qatar’s stadiums, hotels, and transit systems were employed under the country’s exploitative migrant worker system. Officials... more

A respiratory virus called RSV has a lot of kids in critical condition and hospitals overwhelmed. Vox public health reporter... more

The midterms weren’t a clear victory for Republicans, and it’s still too early to know who’ll control Congress. Vox’s Andrew... more

Midterm elections are a tough sell in the United States. Half of eligible voters show up in a good year.... more

Perhaps the most consequential midterms in US history are this week. Arizona’s Kari Lake, a former news anchor turned gubernatorial... more

Soccer is sometimes called “the second religion of the Arab World,” and Qatar is the region’s first country to host... more

Twitter is about to suck for you. But it’s going to suck for self-proclaimed “Chief Twit” Elon Musk too. Recode’s... more

The next Congress could be a whole lot less willing to keep spending billions on aid to Ukraine. It’s time... more

The chess world is in chaos after its top player accused 19-year-old Hans Niemann of using AI to cheat. Niemann... more

Incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro vowed he wouldn’t accept the results of the Brazilian election if he lost. Then he lost.... more

This year’s fear of rainbow fentanyl in kids’ trick-or-treat bags is just the latest unfounded Halloween candy freakout. But the... more

Grocery story giants Kroger and Albertsons want to become one mega-company. The chains say merging will allow them to lower... more

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has hit on a winning — if possibly unethical — campaign strategy: prosecuting people who accidentally... more

Earlier this month, police in Edmonton, Canada, released a sketch of a suspect. The issue is, no one knows what... more

Allegations of misconduct have rocked US women’s soccer for the last year. The Athletic’s Steph Yang breaks down a new... more

Stacey Abrams is running for governor of Georgia, again … against Brian Kemp, again. The two last faced off in... more

The bombastic founder of an electric truck startup (no, not Elon) has been convicted for his role in his company’s... more

Liz Truss accomplished at least one thing in her 45 days as prime minister: She set a record for the... more

The Federal Reserve knows raising interest rates disproportionately hurts Black people. It just doesn’t have any better tools, says the... more

Leaked audio revealed elected officials, including City Council President Nury Martinez, making xenophobic, homophobic, and racist statements about their colleagues... more

Pro-pot Californians said legalizing marijuana would end the state’s black market for reefer. Instead, says LA Times investigative reporter Paige... more

Chinese President Xi Jinping is a product of Mao Zedong’s revolution. On Sunday, he'll become the most powerful Chinese leader... more

The Endangered Species Act was transformative in protecting animals from extinction. Vox’s Benji Jones says its proposed successor, the Recovering... more

The 22-year-old Iranian died in police custody after being arrested for wearing her hijab improperly. Her death has sparked a... more

They’ve got a few legislative ideas and a LOT of investigative ones. Vox’s Rachel Cohen and Ben Jacobs explain. This episode... more

John Fetterman, the 6-foot-8, hoodie and cargo shorts-wearing Democratic candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, may be the model for how... more

Vladimir Putin keeps threatening to use smaller nuclear weapons to win his war. Author J. Peter Scoblic says “there’s no... more

President Biden’s plan to forgive billions of dollars in student debt is both historic and controversial. Now some red states... more

Days after Ian, most Floridians now have their power back. Weeks after Fiona, more than 100,000 Puerto Rican households and... more

According to Vox’s Ian Millhiser (and no, he hasn’t forgotten they just overturned Roe). This episode was produced by Siona Peterous,... more

An extraordinary case of fraud is unfolding in Mississippi, where a chummy cadre of nonprofit leaders, elected officials, and professional... more

Elvedin Pasic lived through the Bosnian genocide in the early 1990s. So why is one of Bosnia’s leaders saying it... more

Pipelines are leaking, winter is coming, and concerns over an energy crisis in Europe are growing. Vox’s Jen Kirby heads... more

Republicans have firmly held the Texas governorship since 1995. Beto O’Rourke’s campaign is both a long shot and Democrats’ best... more

The Russian president is calling on reservists and holding fake referenda to legitimize his war. Washington Post reporter Mary Ilyushina... more

I wish I was a baller. I wish there was a doc who’d break my legs, I would call her. This... more

Thousands of people say Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder gave them cancer. They’re suing — but the consumer giant is... more

After catastrophic flooding, Pakistani people are demanding better disaster management from their government. Their government wants reparations from wealthy countries. This... more

The billionaire founder of Patagonia is giving away his company to fight climate change. He’s also getting a giant tax... more

The war in Ukraine has demonstrated just how dysfunctional the United Nations is. Uri Friedman, managing editor at the Atlantic... more

The historical epic The Woman King, in theaters today, is set in the Kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century.... more

As the coronavirus pandemic disrupted business in the US, the government sent billions of dollars to people and businesses that... more

A recent Ukrainian counteroffensive seems to have caught Russia on its back foot. That could have consequences for Putin in... more

A quartet of 2020 election deniers are running for secretary of state this year in key swing states, raising questions... more

Texas and Arizona's governors are giving migrants bus tickets to the capital. The mayor of Washington, DC, says it’s causing... more

Long live the king. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Hady Mawajdeh, fact-checked by Serena Solin and Amina Al-Sadi... more

What’s happening in Jackson is hardly unique: Cities and states across the US are setting themselves up for failure by... more

Millions of people have long Covid; countless more could get it. Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez answers questions from Today, Explained listeners... more

Prosecutor Fani Willis and a special grand jury have some questions for the man with the yellow hair. Georgia Public... more

Delia Owens’s runaway bestseller Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of a killing in North Carolina’s marshland. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg... more

As devastating heat waves like the recent one in China become more common, we’re going to need new ways of... more

A new wave of philanthropists wants to make charity more effective. They’re focused not just on the present day but... more

If you think Instagram sucks now, it’s by design. Vox's Rebecca Jennings and Platformer's Casey Newton explain.  This episode was produced... more

A magical theme park ride on the Island of Explained demonstrates the damage done by fossil fuels and why renewable... more

Six months into its escalation of war with Ukraine, the calls to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror have... more

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe has implications far beyond abortion; it complicates access to vital drugs and delays... more

A cable news network tailor-made for the former president is getting canceled. The Daily Beast’s Justin Baragona chronicles the demise... more

A car bomb killed Russian commentator Darya Dugina over the weekend. The bomb may have been meant for her father,... more

Two of the biggest rappers in the world, Young Thug and Gunna, are behind bars. And their bars will likely... more

Noel and Sean join Sam Sanders to kick off the third episode of his new Vulture show, “Into It.” Sam... more

HBO hopes to win the streaming wars with House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. But GoT’s... more

The Justice Department is investigating Donald Trump, but the ex-president's still-large base likely won’t want him prosecuted under any circumstances.... more

Was never about Salman Rushdie. Journalist Robin Wright explains. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard with... more

A meme that mocks President Biden has been transformed by supporters to celebrate his recent wins. But questions about whether... more

Russia is paying teachers big bucks to teach a pro-Kremlin curriculum in Ukraine. It’s part of a campaign to formally... more

Kiarra and Izii are having an argument when they are unexpectedly transported to the Island of Explained. There, they meet... more

The Wyoming Republican will likely lose her primary, but she’s winning over a lot of Democrats in the process. This episode... more

From politicians to podcasters, one man’s money unites the New Right. Bloomberg’s Max Chafkin explains how Silicon Valley billionaire Peter... more

The newest conservative dissidents want to radically reshape the Republican party and American democracy. Journalist James Pogue explains the confounding... more

Florida man's beach house searched by FBI. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Avishay Artsy with help from Hady... more

Viktor Bout might be the most successful arms dealer in history. The US could let him go free if Russia... more

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán traveled to Texas for CPAC this week. Back home, he’s trying to fight population decline by... more

Gay men, queer people, and their partners represent an overwhelming majority of monkeypox cases. But even though the WHO just... more

Probably not, but he did finally compromise on the Inflation Reduction Act (née Build Back Better), which could be the... more

China didn’t want Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan. Neither did the White House. Politico’s Alex Ward explains why she... more

The US froze billions in Afghanistan’s central bank reserves when the Taliban took control. Now it’s wrestling with how to... more

An invitation to a vegan party sends producers Kiarra and Izii to the Island of Explained, where a giant who... more

Climate change has driven some environmental activists to extremes. We talk about overcoming despair with Terry Kaelber, whose husband David... more

The US economy has shrunk for two consecutive quarters. That’s technically a recession. But economists aren’t so sure we’re actually... more

The data is in on autonomous cars: They are crashing, but they're still doing a lot better than regular cars... more

Britain’s Conservative party is spending the summer choosing its next prime minister. The Atlantic’s Tom McTague introduces the candidates vying... more

The 1990 opening of a McDonald's in Russia heralded not just burgers and fries but, get this, a new era... more

The CEO who turned World Wrestling Entertainment into a global brand has retired after nearly 40 years, amid allegations of... more

As the world heats up, the American West is drier than at any period in the past 1,200 years. But... more

But the images from the Webb Space Telescope still provide our best look yet at the formation of the universe.... more

Surging cases, Paxlovid rebounds, and apathy everywhere. Vox’s Dr. Keren Landman explains how to navigate the do-it-yourself era of the... more

A congressional committee set out to offer the definitive story of the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.... more

Luz the firefly is missing, and producers Izii and Sara want to know why. They take a trip to the... more

Some conservative parents are trying to get books about race and sexuality banned from libraries and schools. Author Clint Smith... more

The assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe may have given his agenda to militarize Japan new life. Abe biographer... more

Art crime is booming and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s paintings (or at least some very realistic forgeries) are the loot du jour.... more

Candidate Biden said he would make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” on the world stage. Now President Biden is traveling there, asking for... more

No, President Biden didn’t cause the tampon shortage — or any of the recent shortages. But that won’t stop him... more

Congress just had its first hearings on UFOs in over 50 years. We revisit a 2021 episode where the New... more

A groundbreaking new study claims to have found a way for a fully paralyzed person to communicate entirely via thought.... more

The US hoped sanctions would end Russia’s war in Ukraine quickly. We revisit our conversation with historian Nicholas Mulder who... more

Before Roe v. Wade, Eleanor Oliver was a Jane: a member of a group in Chicago that helped women get... more

The past week/month/year/pandemic has taken a toll on a lot of people’s mental health. And the US has proven woefully... more

A rabbi, a priest, and an imam walk into the abortion debate. The priest wins. This episode was produced by Victoria... more

It’s safe and easy to end a pregnancy during the first trimester using a pair of FDA-approved pills. Accessing them... more

The Supreme Court’s decision was most immediately felt in states that pegged abortion bans to the fall of Roe v.... more

The Supreme Court overturned a 49-year-old precedent that secured the right to an abortion. Irin Carmon from New York magazine... more

The US is spending billions to arm Ukraine against Russian invaders. But without the proper training or supplies, Javelin missiles... more

Venture capitalists spent years subsidizing the price of things like Uber rides and food delivery. The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson explains... more

Oligarchs from Russia and beyond stash their cash in British banks, which play a central role in the global offshore... more

John Temple was the editor of Rocky Mountain News in April 1999, when two students committed mass murder at Columbine... more

America’s gun violence epidemic is a public health crisis. After 24 years of blocked funding, Congress is finally starting to... more

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says tougher gun laws wouldn’t have stopped the Uvalde shooter. He’s wrong. This episode was produced by... more

It wasn’t until 2008 that the US Supreme Court established what a confusing sentence in the Constitution really meant for... more

You might look at school shootings and think “Yes, obviously.” But two people who have been studying and participating in... more

Ten months ago the faculty of Cramer Hill Elementary set out to get their kids back on track after a... more

The mental health startup Cerebral benefited from pandemic-era changes to federal telehealth laws. But its easy-to-get prescriptions for tightly regulated... more

Russia is weaponizing food by blockading Ukraine’s grain exports and withholding its own until other countries come to Putin to... more

The British government will deport UK-bound migrants to Rwanda. It’s part of a larger trend of rich countries offloading asylum... more

The Supreme Court is going to let Arizona kill Barry Jones, a man whose rape and murder convictions were vacated... more

We opened up our hotline. You called and asked questions. We found answers. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin and... more

The stock market tumble and crypto crash are symptoms of a broader shift in the US economy. Jacob Goldstein explains... more