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Today, Explained
Today, Explained
Vox

News comes at you fast. Join us at the end of your day to understand it. Today, Explained is your all-killer, no-filler,... more

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Episodes

The fake nation of Kailasa

Newark officials rescinded a sister city agreement with the United States of Kailasa after finding out it wasn’t actually a...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

30 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
How Puffer Pope fooled us

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

29 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The Israeli-Israeli conflict

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

28 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
New Mexico low-key fixes child care

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

27 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
City Limits: Should public transit be free?

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

24 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Rep. Frost and David Hogg on what Gen Z wants

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

23 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
A tents standoff at the VA

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

22 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The US is obsessed with China

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

21 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
7,300 days

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

20 Mar 2023 · 38 minutes
City Limits: Beware the Doom Loop

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

17 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The “Lean In” era is over

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

16 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The Republicans breaking up with Tucker Carlson

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

15 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The kids defying family court

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

14 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Silicon Valley Bank goes bust

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

13 Mar 2023 · 26 minutes
Top Fun: Oscars vs. blockbusters

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

12 Mar 2023 · 30 minutes
The war on drag

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

10 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Congress is daddy

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

09 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Auditing Ukraine

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

08 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
How to save a murderer

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

07 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The fight for affordable insulin

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

06 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
The rockstar maestro

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

03 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Why newspapers fired Dilbert

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

02 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Block the sun, save the earth?

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

01 Mar 2023 · 27 minutes
Biden’s border orders

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

28 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
The shadow war on Russian yachts

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

27 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Another phone call from Ukraine

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

24 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Pharrell Vuitton

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

23 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Just how dangerous is the Ohio train crash?

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

22 Feb 2023 · 25 minutes
Ban TikTok?

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

21 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Honey, they stole the bees

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

17 Feb 2023 · 36 minutes
Turkey's man-made catastrophe

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

16 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Nikki Haley kicks off a Republican mutiny

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

15 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Democratizing spying

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

14 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Pow pow power grid

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

13 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
The great American cattle swindle

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

10 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Decisions after Dobbs

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

09 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
One earthquake, two recoveries

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

08 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
The fight over AP African American Studies

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

07 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Hullaballoon

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

06 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Paying ex-gang members to stop shootings

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

03 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Sickened chickens

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

02 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Dry February?

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

01 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
The police killing of Tyre Nichols

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

31 Jan 2023 · 26 minutes
“Okay, Google, what’s a monopoly?”

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

30 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Why are businesses acting like there’s a recession?

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

27 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Peru’s democracy crisis

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

26 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Fine dining isn’t fine

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

25 Jan 2023 · 26 minutes
Why Mexico’s top cop is on trial in NYC

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

24 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Thanks but no tanks, Ukraine

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

23 Jan 2023 · 26 minutes
The politics of India’s biggest blockbusteRRR

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

20 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
It’s debt ceiling season

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

19 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
The half-baked gas stove debate

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

18 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Compost yourself

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

17 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
What’s up, docs?

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

13 Jan 2023 · 26 minutes
Too much water for California

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

12 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
The Taliban vs. women

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

11 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Brazil’s January 6?

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

10 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Andrew Tate: The king of toxic masculinity

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

09 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Will Kevin McCarthy become speaker?

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

06 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Why we’re all on antidepressants

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

05 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
The many lies of George Santos

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

04 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Let’s eat lab meat

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

03 Jan 2023 · 27 minutes
Abortions before Roe

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

29 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
How to save kids from online extremism

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

28 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Why the Ukraine war happened

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

27 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
What’s the dill with pickleball?

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

22 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Why gaslighting is the word of the year

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

21 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Criminal referrals for Donald Trump

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

20 Dec 2022 · 26 minutes
The case against movie trailers

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

19 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Do I have to care about the Twitter Files?

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

16 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Megan Thee Stallion

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

15 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Throwing soup at art

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

14 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Art-ificial intelligence

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

13 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Hint of crime

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

12 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
R-E-S-P-E-C-T (for Marriage Act)

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

09 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
The prisoner swap for Brittney Griner

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

08 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Power-tripping sheriffs

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

07 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
The Moscow murders

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

06 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Digging tunnels for cars

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

05 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
8 billion humans

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

02 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
China’s biggest protests since Tiananmen Square

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

01 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
Disney’s boomerang CEO

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

30 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
Nancy podcast

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

29 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
Can you spare some climate change?

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

28 Nov 2022 · 25 minutes
NASA wants to live in space

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

25 Nov 2022 · 33 minutes
Little influencers, big business

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

23 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
Gen Z in the House

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

22 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
Ticketmaster (Taylor’s Version)

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

21 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
World Cup: How 2 B a legend

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

18 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
Pushing the Russians back

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

17 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
An inconvenient glacier

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

16 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
The FTX cryptocalypse

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

15 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
The tech boom is over

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

14 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
World Cup: They built this city

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

11 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
A vaccine for RSV

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

10 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
No red wave

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

09 Nov 2022 · 27 minutes
What if you HAD to vote?

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

08 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
Kari Lake is MAGA’s rising star

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

07 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
World Cup: Welcome to Qatar!

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

04 Nov 2022 · 24 minutes
Elon’s Twitter hell

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

03 Nov 2022 · 24 minutes
How does the war in Ukraine end?

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

02 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
The teen’s gambit

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

01 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
A win for Lula (and democracy) in Brazil

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

31 Oct 2022 · 26 minutes
Our annual Halloween hysteria

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

28 Oct 2022 · 34 minutes
Supermarket supermerger

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

27 Oct 2022 · 26 minutes
Teflon Ron

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

26 Oct 2022 · 26 minutes
A police sketch based on DNA

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

25 Oct 2022 · 26 minutes
Investigating women’s soccer

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

24 Oct 2022 · 26 minutes
On with Kara Swisher (and Stacey Abrams)

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

23 Oct 2022 · 34 minutes
Nikola (not Tesla)

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

21 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
Truss fall

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

20 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
The devil’s bargain on inflation

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

19 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
The Los Angeles city council meltdown

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

18 Oct 2022 · 25 minutes
Legal weed’s half-baked promise

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

17 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
Made in China

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

14 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
A new law to “save the animals”

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

13 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
#MahsaAmini was just the beginning

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

12 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
If Republicans win the midterms

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

11 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
Fettermania

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

07 Oct 2022 · 28 minutes
Small nukes

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

06 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
Student loan forgiveMESS

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

05 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
Puerto Rico’s power crisis

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

04 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
The Supreme Court is back and “even more consequential”

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

03 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
Brett Favre and the Mississippi welfare fraud

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

30 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
The ’90s throwback no one wants

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

29 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Europe’s looming energy crisis

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

28 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Can Beto flip Texas?

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

27 Sep 2022 · 26 minutes
Putin’s fake elections

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

26 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
I wish I was a little bit taller

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

23 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Johnson & Johnson’s “bankruptcy”

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

22 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Pakistan wants climate reparations

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

21 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Is Patagonia fleecing the IRS?

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

20 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
You can’t spell “dysfunction” without the UN

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

19 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
The true story of The Woman King

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

16 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
I should have applied for a fraudulent PPP loan

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

15 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Is Ukraine winning now?

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

14 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
When an election denier becomes election chief

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

13 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
“Bringing the border to Biden”

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

12 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
The queen is dead

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

09 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
The water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi

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

08 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Your long Covid questions, answered

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

07 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Curious Georgia

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

06 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
It ain’t over 'til the crawdads sing

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

01 Sep 2022 · 27 minutes
Heat waves been faking me out

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

31 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
What do we owe future humans?

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

30 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Instagram’s identity crisis

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

29 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
The Island of Explained: It’s electric!

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

27 Aug 2022 · 24 minutes
Is Russia a state sponsor of terror?

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

26 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Health care’s post-Roe nightmare

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

25 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
RIP OAN

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

24 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Putin’s war comes to Russia

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

23 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
FREE YSL

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

22 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Hollywood’s IP industrial complex

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

20 Aug 2022 · 35 minutes
You know nothing, HBO

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

19 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Merrick Garland’s dilemma

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

18 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
The fatwa against Salman Rushdie

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

17 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Dark Brandon

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

16 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Russia’s back-to-school plan for Ukraine

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

15 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
The Island of Explained: Listen up!

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

13 Aug 2022 · 21 minutes
Liz Cheney is losing (and winning)

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

12 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
The New Right’s pay pal

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

11 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Meet the New Right

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

10 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Raid-a-Lago

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

09 Aug 2022 · 28 minutes
Brittney Griner for the Merchant of Death

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

08 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Authoritarianism, baby!

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

05 Aug 2022 · 25 minutes
Monkeypox is a queer emergency

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

04 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Did Joe Manchin just save the planet?

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

03 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
Pelosi in Taiwan

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

02 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
America has Afghanistan’s money

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

01 Aug 2022 · 27 minutes
The Island of Explained: Plant-based party

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

30 Jul 2022 · 18 minutes
Fighting climate despair

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

29 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Are we in a recession?

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

28 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Riding in Cars with Robots

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

27 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Replacing Boris Johnson

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

26 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
McMoscow

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

25 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Wrestling with Vince McMahon

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

22 Jul 2022 · 25 minutes
Dry Hot American Summer

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

21 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
FYI those telescope photos are kinda fake

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

20 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
BA.5 and DIY Covid

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

19 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
What the January 6 committee has found (so far)

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

18 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
The Island of Explained: The missing firefly

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

16 Jul 2022 · 22 minutes
“To [REDACTED] a Mockingbird”

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

15 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Shinzo Abe’s call to arms

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

14 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
The case of the fake Basquiats

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

13 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Joe Biden’s Saudi vacation

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

12 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Joe Biden’s tampon shortage

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

11 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
UFOMG

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

08 Jul 2022 · 24 minutes
What if you could talk without speaking?

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

07 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
How the US learned to love sanctions

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

06 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
Ask for Jane

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

01 Jul 2022 · 27 minutes
This country is a lot right now

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

30 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Roe v. Wade v. God

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

29 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Abortion pills

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

28 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Trigger bans

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

27 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
The end of Roe v. Wade

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

24 Jun 2022 · 25 minutes
Is Ukraine losing now?

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

23 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
The rise and fall of the “millennial lifestyle subsidy”

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

22 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
From Russia with cash

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

21 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
What if we saw the gunshot wounds?

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

17 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
A gun policy game-changer

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

16 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Gun laws that work

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

15 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Let’s untangle the Second Amendment

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

14 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Has the gun control movement failed?

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

13 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
ConGRADulations, fellow kids

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

10 Jun 2022 · 25 minutes
Adderall via Instagram

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

09 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Ugraine

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

08 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Boris Johnson presents: Motel Rwanda

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

07 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Innocence is not enough

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

06 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Let’s vent about guns

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

03 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Why the economy feels bad right now

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

02 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
Today, Explained
ConGRADulations, fellow kids
Today, Explained
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Description

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