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

Does your immunity still last for months? We asked a researcher who has been studying omicron reinfections. This episode was produced... more

Police departments across the US are signing a pledge to increase the share of women in their ranks, hoping the... more

Writer and parent Joanna Schroeder wrote a guide for parents about what to look out for and how to intervene. This... more

Good news: Epidemiologists don’t think monkeypox will be as bad as Covid-19. Bad news: We stopped vaccinating people against this... more

Vox’s Marin Cogan, who lived through a school shooting herself, explains why she hasn’t given up on a solution to... more

It’s not just Johnny Depp’s fans — it’s Amber Heard’s anti-fans, too. The Atlantic's Kaitlyn Tiffany explains the Depp-ressing social... more

Their admission to NATO would further isolate Russia, leaving it the only Arctic country outside the alliance. This episode was produced... more

The Conservative Political Action Conference, which is like Republican Coachella, is usually held stateside, but this week it's throwing a... more

Noel King traveled to Hungary to talk to people who voted for Viktor Orbán, people being persecuted by his government,... more

The same man who helped usher in democracy in Hungary is the one who’s chipping away at it now. American... more

Millions of US parents are struggling to feed their infants due to a nationwide shortage of baby formula. This episode was... more

This week Pennsylvania voters decide whether to give Dr. Oz a shot at the US Senate. To mark the occasion,... more

Not explicitly, no. But neither is the right to travel from New York to New Jersey. NYU law professor Kenji... more

Sri Lanka’s “Go home, Gota!” protesters want to throw President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of office. Reveal’s Ike Sriskandarajah explains what... more

The son of repressive dictator Ferdinand Marcos was just elected president of the Philippines. All he had to do was... more

A week before Russia invaded Ukraine, it detained WNBA superstar Brittney Griner. Now the United States is turning up the... more

Patriarch Kirill is the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. A former colleague describes him as a one-time anti-Kremlin nonconformist.... more

Scientists have developed a long-sought treatment — perhaps even a cure — for sickle cell anemia. But getting it to... more

And how the seemingly endless wait in the US is affecting their development. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited... more

Indiana lawyer Jim Bopp has spent most of his life chipping away at Roe v. Wade. His incremental approach to... more

A largely unprecedented leak of a draft Supreme Court decision reveals the Court’s conservative majority intends to overturn Roe v. Wade. New... more

For less than $20 plus shipping everyday people can turn their handguns into machine guns. The Trace’s Alain Stephens explains... more

Liberals turned to J.D. Vance’s book to better understand Donald Trump’s victory. Now the “Hillbilly Elegy” author is turning to... more

Elon Musk and Twitter have reached a deal. Recode’s Peter Kafka and Shirin Ghaffary explain what it means for the... more

Dianne Feinstein’s colleagues are concerned the 88-year-old senator is struggling with memory loss, reports Tal Kopan of the San Francisco... more

Accounts like “Libs of TikTok” are fueling right-wing media to label people who speak openly about sexuality and gender as... more

By making bitcoin a national currency, El Salvador tried to transform its economy. Rest of World’s Leo Schwartz explains why... more

A Florida judge ended the federal government’s mass transit mask mandate this week. Vox’s Dylan Scott explains if mask mandates... more

The Wagner Group, a superviolent (and supersecretive) team of Kremlin-aligned mercenaries, is doing Vladimir Putin’s dirty work in Ukraine and... more

Elon Musk says he wants to buy Twitter, but is also making 420 jokes. Kara Swisher (who knows him) and... more

Last year, Vox correspondent Dylan Matthews didn’t think inflation would be a big deal. He wasn’t the only one to... more

Russia is ramping up attacks on Ukraine’s digital infrastructure. The US could be next. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin,... more

Warner Bros. is censoring the newest Fantastic Beasts movie for Chinese audiences. It’s the latest reminder that Hollywood’s reliance on... more

The congressional committee investigating the Capitol insurrection has gathered an enormous amount of information. Now it must decide what to... more

Hunter Biden may not be the archcriminal that conservatives describe, but his actions present problems for his father (the president... more

Pakistan’s prime minister was ousted. He blames the US. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, engineered... more

Starting a union can be a tall order, but many baristas have found it’s an effective way to venti their... more

Vladimir Putin says the West is trying to erase 1,000 years of culture. Arts organizations say they have an obligation... more

The Buffalo Bills are set to receive a record-breaking $850 million in public funds to build a new stadium —... more

A 2012 law tried to limit lawmakers' ability to make money on Wall Street. It hasn’t worked. This episode was produced... more

The Russian president has come to rely on a skewed version of history and an increasingly small circle of advisers.... more

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

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (aka the... more

There is growing support for psychedelics as performance enhancers, mood boosters, and a shortcut to therapy. The science is mixed. This... more

The US southern border remains closed to asylum seekers on account of Covid-19, unless you happen to be Ukrainian. This episode... more

And in Texas, they’re trying to unionize. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, engineered by Efim Shapiro and Paul Mounsey,... more

The Oscars were bordering on irrelevancy until Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh... more

One month in, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine isn’t going according to plan. Historian and retired Army colonel Andrew Bacevich explains... more

As Poland welcomes almost 2 million Ukrainians in, it’s spending $4 million on a wall to keep Syrians, Iraqis, and... more

The Russian military may have committed war crimes in its brutal attack on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. International law... more

A bill to make daylight saving time permanent slipped through the Senate. Now, the real fight for time begins. This episode... more

President Biden insists he won’t send American troops to join Ukraine’s war with Russia. Veterans like Alexander Szokoly joined the... more

With its neighbor distracted by domestic culture wars, North Korea is making new moves. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan,... more

The furor over Florida’s latest culture-war legislation has Disney, among the state’s largest employers, turning red. This episode was produced by... more

Millions of people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s war begin. We check back in with Kurii Vasyl, who stayed behind,... more

The coronavirus pandemic isn’t over, but certain corners of Congress don’t want to spend a penny more on it. Dr.... more

Americans bet more than $50 billion on sports last year, and that record will likely be broken in 2022 as... more

The BBC is bringing back shortwave radio broadcasts to counter censorship and disinformation in Russia and Ukraine. Professor D.W. Stupples... more

Russia has threatened to let the International Space Station plummet. The Verge’s Loren Grush explains the Star Wars. This episode was... more

The world watched in horror as tens of thousands fled Afghanistan last August. Today, Explained’s Haleema Shah meets with an... more

Gas prices hit a record high in the United States today. Then the White House put an embargo on Russian... more

The US and EU are denying a handful of Russian banks access to SWIFT, a key tool in the global... more

Volodymyr Zelenskyy went from a middling peacetime president to a heroic wartime president. Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin explains from an... more

Gov. Greg Abbott has instructed child protection officials to investigate the parents of transgender children. Dallas Morning News reporter Lauren... more

And how the fight might end. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro,... more

It depends a lot on where they get their news. Meduza’s Aleksey Kovalev reports from Moscow. This episode was produced by... more

President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee is historic but may have little impact on American law. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains. This... more

Vladimir Putin says Ukraine isn’t a country. He’s wrong. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered... more

Kurii Vasyl and his niece Yulya try to make sense of Russia’s invasion of their country. And Kyiv Independent reporter... more