Today, Explained
Episodes
The Island of Explained: Vaccines
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We return to the magical Island of Explained with a microbiologist and a talking moth to find out what it will take to produce a coronavirus vaccine. ...
#CancelRent
16 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Eviction bans and expanded unemployment benefits are expiring, leaving millions of Americans at risk of losing their homes by the end of the summer. T...
What happened to California?
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
California once looked like an example of how to handle the pandemic. Now it’s a warning for other states looking to reopen. Transcript at vox.com/t...
The Washington Football Team
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The District of Columbia's football team is abandoning the name it adopted almost a century ago. Paul Chaat Smith, a curator at the National Museum of...
Stone free
13 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump commuted Roger Stone’s sentence in what Vox’s Andrew Prokop says is a particularly troubling variety of political corruption. Tran...
A million international students in limbo
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration announced it would send a million international students home this week. But Vox’s Nicole Narea says the students are colla...
Supreme Tax Court
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court issued its remaining decisions today for the 2020 term, including the biggie: Trump’s tax returns. Transcript at vox.com/todayexpl...
“SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!”
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump says students and teachers must return to the classroom. Reality says this is going to be the toughest reopening yet. Transcript at vo...
Surfaces vs. droplets vs. aerosols
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
239 scientists have signed a letter urging the World Health Organization to warn people about airborne transmission of the coronavirus. Professor Jose...
Netflix has no chill
06 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Netflix grew so popular during lockdown, it almost broke the internet. Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect explains how the company has upended tec...
How AI makes policing more racist
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Turns out it’s just as biased as people are. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...
A bounty on American troops
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Russia allegedly paid the Taliban to attack US soldiers in Afghanistan. But President Trump’s response may be the real scandal. Transcript at vox.co...
Helicopter policing
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Police across the country have responded to recent protests with military tactics and equipment. The Washington Post’s Alex Horton investigated how ...
Lockdown, reopen, repeat
29 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hospitals are stretched to their breaking point in Texas, Arizona, and other states where Covid-19 cases are rising sharply. Vox’s Dylan Scott says ...
Justice for Breonna Taylor
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There hasn’t been an arrest in the case in the three months since police shot and killed Taylor in her home in Louisville, Kentucky. But now the “...
Black Lives Matter is working
25 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
America is undergoing a new racial reckoning. The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer explains why this time is different. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. ...
Brazil’s coronavirus disaster
24 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Jair Bolsonaro called it the "sniffles" and recommended hydroxychloroquine. Now the country has over a million confirmed cases. Reporter Gus...
A world without bail?
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the wave of protests came waves of arrests and record-breaking donations to bail funds across the US, but reformers hope for a reckoning of one o...
How not to fire someone
22 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Attorney General William Barr tried to quietly push out the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan on Friday night. Then everybody noticed. Transcript a...
Celebrate Juneteenth!
19 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The celebration of emancipation is as vital today as ever. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi...
A good day for DREAMers
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a major decision from the Supreme Court, DACA lives to fight another day. But it's not in the clear yet. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Le...
The return of sports
17 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are two ways to do it: safely or not so safely. Guess which one we’re heading toward in the United States? Transcript at vox.com/todayexplaine...
Welcome to CHAZ
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some are calling six blocks of a Seattle neighborhood the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. KUOW’s Casey Martin spent a week within its loosely guarded ...
A landmark LGBTQ ruling
15 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court of the United States has decided the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender ident...
Copaganda
13 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After 33 seasons, the reality TV show Cops was canceled this week. Should scripted police dramas follow? Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn m...
Is this the second wave?
11 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox’s Dylan Scott says it’s hard to tell because the United States is riding 50 different Covid-19 waves. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Le...
Can Congress reform the police?
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The United States has a policing problem and Congress wants to fix it. Vox’s Li Zhou explains whether the Democrats’ new bill will go anywhere. Tr...
Minneapolis commits to “dismantling” the police
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Minneapolis City Council member Alondra Cano explains what the city wants to do and what might get in the way. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. L...
Biden his time
08 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pandemic, protests, and the best poll numbers yet for Joe Biden. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...
The Talk
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Two mothers talk to their teenage sons about race and police brutality in the United States. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about yo...
What “abolish the police” means
04 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not what you think. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The problem with police unions
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Even after Derek Chauvin was captured on video killing George Floyd, he could still get his job back. BuzzFeed’s Melissa Segura explains how. Transc...
Antifa?
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump wants to blame the unrest on antifa. Vox’s Zack Beauchamp explains why he can’t. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more ...
American Nightmare
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Ibram X. Kendi explains how the protests and unrest are a result of black America’s living nightmare and what it will take to wake up. Tra...
“I can’t breathe.” Again.
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The former police officer who killed George Floyd has been charged with murder. But Floyd’s case is just one of many recent incidents of police brut...
100,000 is an undercount
28 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It could take years for all the Covid-19 deaths to be counted properly. Vox’s Matthew Yglesias explains why the Trump administration is pushing for ...
"First Hong Kong, then the world"
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While most of the world was distracted by the pandemic, China unveiled a law to strip Hong Kong of its autonomy, setting off a new wave of protests in...
One giant leap for SpaceX
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time in almost a decade, an American rocket is launching people into space. The Verge’s Loren Grush explains why the launch could fund...
Today, Explained: Greatest Hits
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You asked. We answered. Sean and Noam break down all the original songs in Today, Explained's back catalog. Today, Explained: Greatest Hits is now str...
Blame WHO?
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump would like to. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The case for reopening parks
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Reopening America’s parks could help fight the pandemic. It’s a good time to rethink streets, too. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more...
Is this Trump's fault?
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ezra Klein has some thoughts. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Elongate
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Elon Musk fought the law and Elon won. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Class of 2020
15 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Graduate? In this economy!? The Atlantic's Annie Lowrey explains the economic reality new graduates face and Sean offers one graduating senior a comme...
Facebook’s PTSD payout
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook has agreed to pay a $52 million settlement to its content moderators. Reporting by The Verge’s Casey Newton was a game changer. Transcript ...
Covid, kids, and a mystery illness
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dozens of children have fallen ill with an inflammatory syndrome that may be linked to Covid-19. Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Kevin Friedman explain...
Will Ahmaud Arbery’s killing change Georgia law?
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Two white men are accused of killing a black jogger. Georgia state Rep. Jasmine Clark wants to change the laws that could be used to defend them. Tran...
A few men in fishing boats try to take Venezuela
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While the world was distracted by a pandemic, a ragtag team of Americans and Venezuelans attempted to overthrow President Maduro. Transcript at vox.co...
Quarantine dreams
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Think you’ve been having exceptionally strange dreams lately? Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett says it’s not a figment of your imagination. Tr...
The Reopening States of America
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Richard Besser, former head of the Centers for Disease Control, explains how states can reopen without putting lives in danger. Transcript at vox....
Why Sweden stayed open
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Kingdom of Sweden watched the world lock down and decided to do the opposite. Swedish journalist Nathalie Rothschild explains. Transcript at vox.c...
How to be happy
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The most popular course in Yale's 300-year history is all about achieving happiness. The pandemic has made it more relevant than ever. Transcript at v...
Tara Reade alleges, Joe Biden denies
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's Laura McGann explains the sexual assault allegation against former Vice President Joe Biden, and the implications for his campaign. Transcript a...
The Island of Explained
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Come with us to the magical Island of Explained, where we’ll climb trees and venture into caves to answer kids’ biggest coronavirus questions. Go ...
The Invisible Man
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's Alex Ward explains what's going on with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com...
Overflowing farms, desperate food banks
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
American farmers are destroying their crops while demand is mounting at food banks. Politico food and agriculture reporter Helena Bottemiller Evich ex...
Inside the world's biggest lockdown
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered 1.4 billion Indians to stay home. The world had never seen anything like it. (Transcript here.) Learn more about ...
Oil is broke. Green New Deal with it?
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Oil just went negative for the first time in history. Vox's David Roberts says that creates an opportunity to make more history. (Transcript here.) Le...
Georgia on my mind
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the state reopens, Vox's Jillian Weinberger zooms to rural Georgia to hear how a Covid-19 outbreak spiraled out of control. (Transcript here.) Lear...
Conspiracy-19
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox’s science editor, Eliza Barclay, arms you with the facts you need to fight your uncle’s favorite coronavirus conspiracy theories. (Transcript ...
This one's for Earth
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cryptic treehunters. Unknown apples. Flowers fighting back. On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Vox’s Umair Irfan and Brian Resnick explain what w...
One day, three healthcare workers
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A nurse, a paramedic, and a physician’s assistant record themselves throughout the course of a day in the fight against Covid-19. (Transcript here.)...
The epicenter of the epicenter
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Covid-19's victims, and the people they leave behind. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Long shot
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It could be a year or more before the vaccine is ready, but there’s a radical plan to speed up the process. (Transcript here.) Learn more about yo...
Zeke Emanuel’s exit strategy
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump wants to reopen the country yesterday. Bioethicist Zeke Emanuel, who served as a health policy advisor to former President Obama, offe...
Death Cab for The Postal Service?
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The United States Postal Service is on the brink of collapse. Vox's Matthew Yglesias explains how and why the country should save it. (Transcript here...
All praise, no pay
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Essential workers in the food, transportation, and retail industries are being called American heroes. They want to be paid as such. (Transcript here....
Elizabeth Warren has a plan for this, too
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Friend of the show Ezra Klein speaks to Sen. Elizabeth Warren about several plans she has proposed to combat this pandemic. (Transcript here.) Learn m...
The loneliness pandemic
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coronavirus has led to another pandemic: social isolation. Vox’s Ezra Klein says this sickness has a cure. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ...
Six feet away from God
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While a few religious leaders flout shelter in place ordinances, Easter, Passover, and Ramadan are inspiring most to get creative with worship. (Trans...
Vote and die
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Wisconsinites had to choose between catching Covid-19 and voting on Tuesday. Is the rest of the country next? (Transcript here.) Learn more about your...
"The Great Equalizer"
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Madonna was wrong. Covid-19 isn't an equalizer. It's coming for America's most vulnerable populations. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad cho...
The immunity test
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A vaccine will take a while, but Vox’s Umair Irfan says the global effort to test for immunity and treat Covid-19 is well underway. (An earlier vers...
Mask on? Mask off?
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In an about-face, the Centers for Disease Control would now like you to cover your mouth and nose when you go outside. (Transcript here.) Learn more a...
6.6 million more unemployed
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last week's unemployment numbers shattered all records. This week, they doubled. Vox's Matthew Yglesias, host of The Weeds podcast, proposes a way out...
Lockdown while locked up
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Longworth calls Sean from Washington State Reformatory to explain what it's like to serve a life sentence at a prison where the coronavirus is ...
The trouble with Trump’s daily briefings
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Part rally, part media-bashing, part critical updates on the coronavirus crisis, President Trump's daily press briefings are muddying the message. (Tr...
How Covid-19 attacks your body
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Vox's Reset podcast Ed Yong from The Atlantic explains how a little spiky ball called SARS-CoV2 brought the world to its knees. (Tr...
Your coronavirus questions, answered (Part II)
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's show, more listener questions: Why isn't everyone social distancing? Will I be immune after I get it? When will this end? My anxiety is spi...
The emergency room emergency
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Atlantic's James Hamblin explains why America has a critical shortage of medical supplies. New York City ER doctor Calvin Sun says, “It’s like...
The two trillion dollar question
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Congress has settled on an historic stimulus package, but Ezra Klein is worried it might not be enough. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad ch...
Asia's second wave
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore managed to contain Covid-19, but now things look less promising. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices....
Giving birth in a pandemic
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's Julia Belluz went from covering the global coronavirus pandemic to giving birth in the middle of it. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your a...
Your coronavirus questions, answered
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's show, we answer listener questions: Why is there no TP? Will we run out of food? Can I get the virus from sex? How can I help? (Transcript ...
Six feet away
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox’s Brian Resnick (safely) meets Sean in a Washington, D.C. park to deliver the Five Commandments of social distancing. Start your #SixFeetAwaySon...
TFW your dad gives you Covid-19
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sean speaks to a Brooklyn family that has Covid-19, and Vox’s Dylan Scott explains how the United States is still trying to get its act together on ...
Can President Trump fix this?
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After dismissing coronavirus concerns for months, President Donald is pivoting to serious action to slow the crisis in the United States. (Transcript ...
School's out for Covid
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The country’s largest school district told a million kids to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s creating chaos for teachers, students...
Living in lockdown
13 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Italy has quarantined the whole country in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Vox’s Julia Belluz explains why the US might look like Italy...
How to slow down coronavirus
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump has banned most Europeans from traveling to the US. Vox’s Jen Kirby explains why that won’t stop the novel coronavirus from spread...
Old Country for Old Men
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After last night, Joe Biden is one step closer to the nomination, but no matter who wins, the next president will be over 70. The Atlantic’s Derek T...
Coronavirus hits the markets
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The stock market’s going haywire. Major companies are telling their employees to stay home. Austin has canceled SXSW. Vox’s Matthew Yglesias says ...
James Carville thinks Trump will lose
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The veteran political strategist argues that Democrats are well-positioned to win back not only the White House, but the Senate, too. (Transcript here...
So you think you have Covid-19
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Thus far, the United States hasn't been doing the best job of testing for the novel coronavirus. ProPublica's Caroline Chen explains why. (Transcript ...
Roe v. Wade v. Roberts
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There's a new fight over abortion at the Supreme Court and Chief Justice John Roberts is in the swing position. (Transcript here.) Learn more about yo...
Thanks, Obama
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's Andrew Prokop runs through Super Tuesday results, before Laura McGann explains Vice President Biden's "Joementum." (Transcript here.) Learn more...
Covid-19, explained by Carl (who has it)
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Carl Goldman was on the Diamond Princess cruise ship and now he has Covid-19. He speaks to Sean Rameswaram from a CDC quarantine in Omaha, Nebraska. (...
Tuesday, Explained
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's Andrew Prokop explains what makes this Tuesday so super and performs some basic arithmetic to suggest how Democrats could end up with a conteste...
Make America Doubt Again
28 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
McKay Coppins built a fake Facebook profile to fully experience President Trump's 2020 digital strategy. It didn't take long for him to start doubting...
The last stronghold in Syria
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Idlib province in northwestern Syria is now the last stronghold of opposition to President Bashar al-Assad and one of the world’s greatest humanitar...