Today, Explained
Episodes
JD Vance is just getting started
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Twitter feuds to memes to providing cover for President Trump, the vice president had a big year. Up next, the midterms. And then — the preside...
AI: 1 — Humanity: 0
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump's new executive order makes it harder for states to regulate AI, giving a powerful industry even more power. This episode was produce...
The Price is Rigged
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Instacart is using customer data to charge different prices for the exact same products. It's called surveillance pricing, and it means you could be p...
GOP women are over it
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some Republican women in the House are so frustrated with the leadership of speaker Mike Johnson that they're turning on him. This episode was produc...
Let AI replace you
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If AI handles all our busy work and optimizes our resources, it may also give us the one thing there never seems to be enough of: time. This episode ...
Pop culture is conservative now
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why books, movies, music, and fashion all took a turn to the right. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-che...
The ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ economy
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump calls the idea of “affordability” a hoax. Nonetheless, he pressured the Fed to fix it. It's just one example of Trump prizing loyalty over e...
Everyone’s fired now
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case that could give President Donald Trump the power to fire…just about anyone. This episode was produ...
The Republicans bucking Trump
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From a redistricting fight in Indiana to a wave of GOP retirements from Congress, there are signs MAGA's chokehold on the Republican Party may be loos...
Fear and uncertainty in Venezuela
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's a waiting game inside the country, where the US is threatening military action. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-S...
The rise of the introverts
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Turns out those personality tests you’re taking online are all wrong. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-ch...
I fell in love with my AI
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Two humans — and their AI lovers — spill it all. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura...
Fishy business
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fish farms promise to grow massive amounts of seafood to feed a hungry planet, and to do it ethically. But what’s good for the humans isn’t always...
Bettor living through Polymarket
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Polymarket is making it easier than ever to bet billions on anything — including politics. But should we be able to? This episode was produced by A...
Can Rubio end the Ukraine war?
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration is trying to sell its latest peace plan to Russia — and it's enlisted the help of former Russia hawk Marco Rubio. This epi...
Data center backlash!
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI data centers are driving up the cost of energy — and it's starting to get political. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Miles Bryan,...
The DOJ's revenge agenda
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A judge just threw out indictments against some of Trump's sworn enemies. It's part of a long year of chaos and confusion at the Justice Department. ...
MAGA’s other immigration battle
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The debate over high-skill work visas is revealing cracks between President Trump and his base. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and...
Trump's new billionaire bestie
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nvidia is the most valuable company in the world. Major parts of the economy hinge on its success. CEO Jensen Huang and President Trump have become in...
Talk turkey to me
23 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How this big, lean bird became the staple of the most American of meals. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-che...
Attention deficit television
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The screens are getting smaller, and so are our attention spans. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by...
How antidepressants got political
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
More young people are taking antidepressants. And there's a brewing backlash to the meds on the right. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, ed...
Can Trump help Sudan?
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Two military generals are responsible for Sudan's brutal civil war. The American president just pledged to get involved. This episode was produced by...
Trump's Epstein flip
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump told Congress to vote to release the Epstein files. That shows just how eager he is to close the growing gap within his MAGA mo...
Trump can't bring prices down
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The affordability crisis is not entirely the president's fault. But he promised lower prices, and now it is his problem. This episode was produced by...
The case for renting forever
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Housing prices aren't coming down, and that's challenging us to redefine the American dream. Maybe renting isn't so bad? This story was supported by ...
The billionaire backlash
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The number of billionaires is growing. So is the call to abolish them. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checke...
The bet that's ruining sports
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Another week, another sports betting scandal. This time, it's the MLB. It's all happening because of an increasingly popular way to bet on games. Thi...
Republicans have a Nazi problem
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An antisemitic influencer went on Tucker Carlson's show. What happened next is fracturing the American right. This episode was produced by Miles Brya...
The end of dieting
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration is making GLP-1s more affordable. This class of drugs seems to have forever changed the game on diet and exercise for America...
Why Democrats caved
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Enough Democrats joined the GOP to strike a deal that could end the government shutdown. And now they're feeling the heat. This episode was produced ...
Why your health insurance is so expensive
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s open enrollment season, and new health insurance premiums are causing sticker shock around the country. So how do you pick a health care plan t...
The art of the breakup album
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lily Allen's West End Girl is a scorched-earth tell-all about the end of her celebrity marriage. It's the breakup album for our parasocial age. This ...
Your flights will be canceled
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The government shutdown is making flying even worse. And maybe more dangerous. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, f...
The Mamdani moment
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Democrats had a very big night and now need to figure out how to make it last. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Ariana Aspuru, edited by ...
Trump’s ICE shakeup
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The president wants more arrests and faster deportations of unauthorized immigrants. Which means the shock-and-awe enforcement campaigns might get eve...
AI and nuclear doomsday
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI is in everything these days. But should it be in our nuclear arsenal? This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-ch...
That text is a scam
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You know those annoying scam texts offering an easy remote job? We find out how they work, why they're so ubiquitous, and the dark world behind them. ...
Everyone is on testosterone
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Should they be? Let’s see. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Adriene ...
Food stamp rage bait
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Millions of Americans are about to lose their SNAP benefits. The fight over who deserves them has been juiced by online videos that claim to show reci...
Are we going to invade Venezuela?
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump is sending warships to Venezuela and bombing so-called drug boats off the coast. His aggression toward Venezuela smells a lot like the...
The AI bubble
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
And what happens when it pops. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Kelli Wessinger, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard...
Extreme Makeover: White House Edition
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump demolished part of the White House to make room for a lavish new ballroom. The gold and glitz is part of a broader rebranding project ...
Paging Dr. ChatBot
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Patients and doctors both are turning to AI for help with diagnosing ailments and managing chronic issues. Should we trust it? This episode was produ...
Capitalism (Taylor’s Version)
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Taylor Swift reaches new heights with her latest album, which is both divisive and record-breaking. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edite...
Can you sue ICE?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can. And ICE's aggressive tactics are inviting legal challenges from protesters. But some recent court rulings will make it hard for them to win. ...
A test of Trump's coalition
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We visit New Jersey, where there are cracks emerging in Trump's gains with Latinos. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Peter Balonon-Rosen,...
The "I love Hitler" group chat
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the private messages of Young Republican leaders leaked, it exposed an antisemitism problem that is dividing the GOP. And the online world that i...
The Americans with their bags packed
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration is making an effort to systematically exclude trans people from public life. For many trans Americans, it feels like an exist...
Why (some) food tastes better abroad
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We tell the stories of three ingredients that can shine outside the US: beef, bread, and tomatoes. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Pet...
Victoria’s Secret wants you back
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The lingerie brand was tarnished by its connection to Jeffrey Epstein, and by fading cultural appeal. With the relaunch of its once-iconic fashion sho...
Marjorie Taylor Greene gone rogue
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over two weeks in, the government shutdown is exposing fault lines on both sides of the aisle. Perhaps the most surprising one: the political left tur...
Is voting doomed?
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 1965 Voting Rights Act enfranchised millions of Black voters in the Jim Crow era. The Supreme Court may be about to decide it's no longer needed. ...
What the Gaza ceasefire really means
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens next in Gaza now that a ceasefire has been reached and how the last two years might have taught the world the wrong lessons about war. T...
When young adults get cancer
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Getting a cancer diagnosis at any age is life changing. But when you’re in your 20s or 30s, it can feel like hitting the pause button on life. That’...
Should we give toddlers phones?
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What we know about early childhood and screens, including a surprising argument for introducing tech at a tender age. This episode was produced by Mi...
The campus resistance
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special feed drop of On with Kara Swisher, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber talks about standing up to Donald Trump and what free spe...
Saudi Arabia is no joke
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Riyadh Comedy Festival was billed as “two weeks of laughs in the desert” but has comics asking, “At what cost?” This episode was produced...
Trump deploys the National Guard
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The president is attempting to send the National Guard into two American cities for two (seemingly) different reasons with two (for now) different res...
We're in our AI slop era
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meta just dropped Vibes and OpenAI just dropped Sora 2. Both social media platforms are filled with AI videos that warp our sense of reality. This ep...
TrumpRx
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump wants to put his stamp on health care. But TrumpRx is no Obamacare. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Mye...
Is empathy toxic?
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Society teaches us empathy is a good thing. But some are now saying the opposite, and science is complicating our assumptions too. This episode was p...
KPop Demon Hunters keeps slaying
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters is a mega cultural phenomenon. And the studio that used to own animation, Disney, is watching its dominan...
Hegseth’s hectic military
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered top military officials to DC for a surprise lecture on the "warrior ethos." Chaos ensued. With Hegseth, it usua...
Shutdown for what?
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We ask Sen Elizabeth Warren why. President Donald Trump is reportedly mostly worried about the midterms. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger...
Rupert Murdoch presents: Succession
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Murdoch has built a media empire that leads all the way to the White House. But nothing lasts forever. And at age 94, he finally has an official succe...
How Rupert Murdoch remade the world
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Murdoch started his media empire in Australia, sharpened his playbook in the UK, and became one of the most powerful people in the world once he came ...
Who is the modern American dad?
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Young men are more interested in becoming parents than young women are, and there's a growing number of single dads by choice. A look at modern father...
labubu matcha dubai chocolate
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How TikTok reshaped the trend cycle. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered...
$100,000 for a visa
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With its announcement that an H-1B visa will now cost $100,000, the Trump administration is proving it's willing to wreak havoc on American industry i...
A Palestinian state
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Israel continues pushing into Gaza, a growing number of world leaders are saying they now recognize statehood for Palestine. This episode was prod...
TikTok’s new owners
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US and China have a plan for American TikTok. It involves a Trump-aligned billionaire whose family is building a new media empire. This episode w...
RFK Jr.'s vaccine dream team
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Noted vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced a key board of vaccine advisers at the CDC. After a chaotic meeting, they just handed down their ...
A nation of jerks
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans seem to be getting ruder. Are our attempts at making ourselves better actually making us worse? This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy,...
Silencing Kimmel
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
ABC’s “indefinite” suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show has people worried about the First Amendment under President Trump. This epis...
Kash Patel is posting through it
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The FBI director's handling of the Kirk assassination proves knowing the ropes isn't as important as being the president's bestie. This episode was p...
The Charlie Kirk revenge plot
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The motives behind Charlie Kirk’s killing are still unclear, but the Trump administration is mounting a crackdown on people and groups he says are p...
Debate or rage-bait?
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jubilee Media has figured out a way to make the issues that divide Americans go viral - for better or worse. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajd...
Should Democrats shut it down?
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Democrats are debating whether a government shutdown is a way to push back on Trump’s authoritarian impulses or a bad idea made worse by the killing...
Why horror kills at the box office
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hollywood has always made money from vampires and brain-eating zombies. But this year's a record-breaker thanks to sequels, hilariously unlikely creat...
What the right gets wrong about Tolkien
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many far-right conservatives think The Lord of the Rings is about them. They may love Tolkien, but it's very possible Tolkien would not have loved the...
Charlie Kirk's America
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The fatal shooting of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk has reignited a debate about political violence, even as authorities search for his killer. ...
Trump's chief culture warrior
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Christopher Rufo is leading a ruthless — and successful — counterrevolution against American elite culture. What does the country look like if he ...
The report RFK Jr. buried
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A new report that links increased alcohol consumption to cancer was supposed to help inform the government's new dietary recommendations. Instead, it ...
Trump’s new war on drugs
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump promised to crack down on illicit drugs. Then, he blew up a Venezuelan vessel in international waters. This episode was produc...
The United States is Southern now
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From #rushtok to country music, American culture is getting more and more southern. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Miranda Ken...
Hamilton and Obamacore cringe
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The smash hit musical Hamilton is now in a movie theater near you. But in the decade since it came out, Hamilton — and much of Obama-era culture —...
Trump and Modi’s broken bromance
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
India’s prime minister was so tight with Donald Trump that they held hands during public appearances. But the two strongmen are on the outs, and Nar...
Deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia (to Uganda)
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US government is trying to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia again. It's part of a larger war on immigrants that could lead to a smaller, poorer America...
Trump's "tough on crime" spree
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump thinks he solved crime in the nation's capital. Let’s take a look at the data (which he says is dubious). This episode was p...
The Made in the USA myth
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This special feed drop of NPR's Planet Money examines the United States' dwindling domestic garment industry and whether it is ever likely to come bac...
$250 million to work for Meta
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meta Mark is going all-out to put his superintelligence lab on superdrive. What is superintelligence, you ask? This episode was produced by Gabrielle...
Fed up
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump wants to control interest rates. To do that, he needs to control the Federal Reserve. So he's turned to a toady to dig up dirt ...
The future of vaccines
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump 1.0 got us safe COVID vaccines in record time. Trump 2.0 is trying to take the vaccines away. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and De...
AI took your job
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hundreds of job applications, but not one call. Young workers are frustrated, scared, and wondering where all the entry-level jobs went. This episode...
The golden age of exercise
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans are flocking to gyms and fitness classes. It wasn't always that way. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy ...
Good Bunny
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bad Bunny is having a very good summer making Puerto Rico feel like the center of the universe. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by...
Trump evicts homeless people
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of his strategies is throwing people into treatment programs without their consent. Blue states are into it, too?! This episode was produced by R...
South Park is not your friend
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The latest season of South Park has been vicious in its critique of Trump 2.0. But the creators aren't just anti-Trump. They're anti-everyone. This e...
Is America still capitalist?
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump is threatening CEOs, nationalizing the steel industry, and demanding a cut of Nvidia's profits. There's a term for all that — and it...