News comes at you fast. Join us at the end of your day to understand it. Today, Explained is your all killer,... 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
Vox’s Jonathan Guyer explains how a Russian invasion of Ukraine could affect me and you and everyone we know. This episode... more
This year’s weird Winter Olympics were overshadowed by politics, Covid-19, and the threat of war. But as NPR’s Tom Goldman... more
The US hopes the threat of sanctions will dissuade Russia from invading Ukraine. Historian Nicholas Mulder explains the surprising history... more
A tech investor and his rapper wife were busted for a multi-billion dollar bitcoin heist. They couldn’t really spend any... more
In her Today, Explained debut, co-host Noel King heads to Atlanta to find out why some people in one of... more
A convoy of truckers angry over Covid-19 mandates is disrupting life in Canada’s capital city. Their movement is gaining traction... more
Vladimir Putin says Ukraine isn’t a country. He’s wrong. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim... more