Today, Explained

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

The protests in China might force the government to back down from its extreme Covid restrictions and ramp up its extreme surveillance programs. The Wall Street Journal’s Josh Chin explains.

This episode was produced by …

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

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

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In a UN-brokered agreement, more than 190 countries agreed to pay for “loss and damage” caused by climate change. But determining who owes what — and for what and to whom — will be a real challenge.

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NASA’s Artemis mission is the first step toward a long-term human settlement on the moon. Vox’s Unexplainable examines whether humans are even capable of living far from Earth for an extended period of time.

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Parents are turning their kids into influencers on social media. What could go wrong?

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, fact-checked …

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

This episode was produced …

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 Laura Bullard, …

Pelé. Maradona. Ronaldo. Soccer’s greats are so good, they’re typically known by one name. Men in Blazers soccer journalist Roger Bennett explains how winning the World Cup can turn a player into a legend. 

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In its biggest victory yet, Ukraine retook its vital port city, Kherson. The Guardian’s Luke Harding calls Russia’s retreat a turning point in the …

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

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

Mark Zuckerberg fired 11,000 employees at Meta. Elon Musk axed half his staff at Twitter. Other tech giants are slashing jobs and eliminating perks, too. Recode’s Peter Kafka says the era of big tech growth is over.

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

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

The midterms weren’t a clear victory for Republicans, and it’s still too early to know who’ll control Congress. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains.

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Midterm elections are a tough sell in the United States. Half of eligible voters show up in a good year. On Election Day, we’re revisiting an episode about how things work down under, where “sausage sizzles” and …

Perhaps the most consequential midterms in US history are this week. Arizona’s Kari Lake, a former news anchor turned gubernatorial candidate, embodies much of what’s at stake. Stacey Barchenger from The Arizona …

Soccer is sometimes called “the second religion of the Arab World,” and Qatar is the region’s first country to host the World Cup. But FIFA’s pick of the desert nation comes with boundless controversy.

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Twitter is about to suck for you. But it’s going to suck for self-proclaimed “Chief Twit” Elon Musk too. Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary and The Verge’s Nilay Patel explain.

This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and …

The next Congress could be a whole lot less willing to keep spending billions on aid to Ukraine. It’s time to talk about how this war could end.

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The chess world is in chaos after its top player accused 19-year-old Hans Niemann of using AI to cheat. Niemann is responding with a $100 million …

Incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro vowed he wouldn’t accept the results of the Brazilian election if he lost. Then he lost. Samantha Pearson, Brazil …

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

Grocery story giants Kroger and Albertsons want to become one mega-company. The chains say merging will allow them to lower their prices, but …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has hit on a winning — if possibly unethical — campaign strategy: prosecuting people who accidentally committed voter fraud. The Tampa Bay Times’s Lawrence Mower explains.

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

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Allegations of misconduct have rocked US women’s soccer for the last year. The Athletic’s Steph Yang breaks down a new report on the degree to which league officials ignored complaints and protected abusers.

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Stacey Abrams is running for governor of Georgia, again … against Brian Kemp, again. The two last faced off in a heated contest in 2018, with Kemp’s win hanging on 54,723 votes. This time, he’s an incumbent and even …

The bombastic founder of an electric truck startup (no, not Elon) has been convicted for his role in his company’s “intricate fraud.” But even …

Liz Truss accomplished at least one thing in her 45 days as prime minister: She set a record for the shortest term in office. The Atlantic’s Tom McTague explains her disastrous tenure.

This episode was produced by Miles …

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

Leaked audio revealed elected officials, including City Council President Nury Martinez, making xenophobic, homophobic, and racist statements about …

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

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

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

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

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

This episode was produced by Avishay …

John Fetterman, the 6-foot-8, hoodie and cargo shorts-wearing Democratic candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, may be the model for how progressives can win elections. He just needs to beat Dr. Oz.

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Vladimir Putin keeps threatening to use smaller nuclear weapons to win his war. Author J. Peter Scoblic says “there’s no such thing as small nukes.”

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Amanda Lewellyn, edited by …

President Biden’s plan to forgive billions of dollars in student debt is both historic and controversial. Now some red states are suing to block it. …

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

According to Vox’s Ian Millhiser (and no, he hasn’t forgotten they just overturned Roe).

This episode was produced by Siona Peterous, edited by Amina …

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

Elvedin Pasic lived through the Bosnian genocide in the early 1990s. So why is one of Bosnia’s leaders saying it never happened? And what happens if that leader, Milorad Dodik, wins a national election this weekend?

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

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt …

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

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

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

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, fact-checked by Laura …

Thousands of people say Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder gave them cancer. They’re suing — but the consumer giant is using a bankruptcy strategy called the “Texas two-step” to limit its liability.

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

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited …

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

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The war in Ukraine has demonstrated just how dysfunctional the United Nations is. Uri Friedman, managing editor at the Atlantic Council, explains how to fix it.

This episode was produced by Jillian Weinberger, …

The historical epic The Woman King, in theaters today, is set in the Kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century. The kingdom’s elite all-female fighting force was evidence of its enlightened attitude toward women, but its …

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

A recent Ukrainian counteroffensive seems to have caught Russia on its back foot. That could have consequences for Putin in the war — and at home. …

A quartet of 2020 election deniers are running for secretary of state this year in key swing states, raising questions about whether they could …

Texas and Arizona's governors are giving migrants bus tickets to the capital. The mayor of Washington, DC, says it’s causing a humanitarian crisis in the city — and that the White House isn’t helping.

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Long live the king.

This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Hady Mawajdeh, fact-checked by Serena Solin and Amina Al-Sadi with help from Amanda …

What’s happening in Jackson is hardly unique: Cities and states across the US are setting themselves up for failure by postponing expensive but critical work on aging water infrastructure. Climate change is making …

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

Prosecutor Fani Willis and a special grand jury have some questions for the man with the yellow hair. Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Stephen Fowler …

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 …

As devastating heat waves like the recent one in China become more common, we’re going to need new ways of talking about them. Vox’s Neel Dhanesha explains a proposal to name heat waves.

This episode was produced by …

A new wave of philanthropists wants to make charity more effective. They’re focused not just on the present day but also thousands of years into the future. Vox’s Dylan Matthews explains how “effective altruism” became …

If you think Instagram sucks now, it’s by design. Vox's Rebecca Jennings and Platformer's Casey Newton explain. 

This episode was produced by Victoria …

A magical theme park ride on the Island of Explained demonstrates the damage done by fossil fuels and why renewable energy might be the best way to power the future.  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit …

Six months into its escalation of war with Ukraine, the calls to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror have never been louder. Delaney Simon from the International Crisis Group makes the case against doing so and …

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe has implications far beyond abortion; it complicates access to vital drugs and delays essential care for pregnant people. The president of the American Medical Association …

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

This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by …

A car bomb killed Russian commentator Darya Dugina over the weekend. The bomb may have been meant for her father, the far-right, pro-Putin, pro-war philosopher Alexander Dugin. The Guardian’s Andrew Roth explains.

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Two of the biggest rappers in the world, Young Thug and Gunna, are behind bars. And their bars will likely be used as evidence when they go to trial.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, fact-checked by Laura …

Noel and Sean join Sam Sanders to kick off the third episode of his new Vulture show, “Into It.” Sam then speaks to TV titan Damon Lindelof about …

HBO hopes to win the streaming wars with House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. But GoT’s disastrous finale disappointed viewers, and the prequel is being released as HBO’s parent company, Warner Brothers …

The Justice Department is investigating Donald Trump, but the ex-president's still-large base likely won’t want him prosecuted under any circumstances. Vox’s Zack Beauchamp explains the ongoing fallout from the FBI raid …

Was never about Salman Rushdie. Journalist Robin Wright explains.

This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard with help …

A meme that mocks President Biden has been transformed by supporters to celebrate his recent wins. But questions about whether he should run for …

Russia is paying teachers big bucks to teach a pro-Kremlin curriculum in Ukraine. It’s part of a campaign to formally annex occupied Ukraine into the …

Kiarra and Izii are having an argument when they are unexpectedly transported to the Island of Explained. There, they meet an Engin-Ear and a magical unicorn who teach them how hearing works and why actively listening …

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

This episode was produced by Amanda …

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

The newest conservative dissidents want to radically reshape the Republican party and American democracy. Journalist James Pogue explains the confounding movement, which includes Senate candidates Blake Masters and J.D. …

Florida man's beach house searched by FBI.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Avishay Artsy with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt …

Viktor Bout might be the most successful arms dealer in history. The US could let him go free if Russia releases the WNBA star, who was just …

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán traveled to Texas for CPAC this week. Back home, he’s trying to fight population decline by paying some citizens to have …

Gay men, queer people, and their partners represent an overwhelming majority of monkeypox cases. But even though the WHO just declared the disease a global health emergency, resources like vaccines, testing, and …

Probably not, but he did finally compromise on the Inflation Reduction Act (née Build Back Better), which could be the most significant climate …

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

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

An invitation to a vegan party sends producers Kiarra and Izii to the Island of Explained, where a giant who once ate people explains why he switched to a plant-based diet — and why that diet might be beneficial for …

Climate change has driven some environmental activists to extremes. We talk about overcoming despair with Terry Kaelber, whose husband David Buckel took his life to protest inaction, and Tim DeChristopher, who was …

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

The data is in on autonomous cars: They are crashing, but they're still doing a lot better than regular cars driven by humans. The Verge’s Andrew …

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

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan with help from …

The 1990 opening of a McDonald's in Russia heralded not just burgers and fries but, get this, a new era of peace and prosperity. The Economist’s …

The CEO who turned World Wrestling Entertainment into a global brand has retired after nearly 40 years, amid allegations of sexual assault and …

As the world heats up, the American West is drier than at any period in the past 1,200 years. But don’t expect people to stop watering their lawns.

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But the images from the Webb Space Telescope still provide our best look yet at the formation of the universe. NASA astrophysicist Amber Straughn and …

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

This episode was produced by Victoria Dominguez and Miles Bryan, edited by …

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

This episode was …

Luz the firefly is missing, and producers Izii and Sara want to know why. They take a trip to the Island of Explained, where they learn why whole …

Some conservative parents are trying to get books about race and sexuality banned from libraries and schools. Author Clint Smith says it’s dangerous …

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

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

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

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

This episode was produced by Victoria Dominguez and Haleema Shah, edited by Amina …

Congress just had its first hearings on UFOs in over 50 years. We revisit a 2021 episode where the New Yorker’s Gideon Lewis-Kraus explained why the US government started taking sightings seriously.

This episode was …

A groundbreaking new study claims to have found a way for a fully paralyzed person to communicate entirely via thought. But as we learned in an …

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

Before Roe v. Wade, Eleanor Oliver was a Jane: a member of a group in Chicago that helped women get safe but illegal abortions. Sean Rameswaram sat down with her on the day Roe was overturned.

This episode was edited and …

The past week/month/year/pandemic has taken a toll on a lot of people’s mental health. And the US has proven woefully incapable of dealing with …

A rabbi, a priest, and an imam walk into the abortion debate. The priest wins.

This episode was produced by Victoria Dominguez and Haleema Shah, …

It’s safe and easy to end a pregnancy during the first trimester using a pair of FDA-approved pills. Accessing them is the latest abortion battleground. Vox's Rachel Cohen explains.

This episode was produced by Miles …

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

This episode was produced by …

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

The US is spending billions to arm Ukraine against Russian invaders. But without the proper training or supplies, Javelin missiles can only do so much.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Victoria Chamberlin, …

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

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt …

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

This episode was …

John Temple was the editor of Rocky Mountain News in April 1999, when two students committed mass murder at Columbine High School. The photos he …

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

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says tougher gun laws wouldn’t have stopped the Uvalde shooter. He’s wrong.

This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited …

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

Sean …

You might look at school shootings and think “Yes, obviously.” But two people who have been studying and participating in the movement for decades …

Ten months ago the faculty of Cramer Hill Elementary set out to get their kids back on track after a year of mostly remote learning. Today, …

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

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

This …

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

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt …

The Supreme Court is going to let Arizona kill Barry Jones, a man whose rape and murder convictions were vacated in 2018.

This episode was produced by …

We opened up our hotline. You called and asked questions. We found answers.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin and host Sean Rameswaram, …

The stock market tumble and crypto crash are symptoms of a broader shift in the US economy. Jacob Goldstein explains the end of the “Goldilocks Era.”

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Does your immunity still last for months? We asked a researcher who has been studying omicron reinfections.

This episode was produced by Jon Ehrens, …

Police departments across the US are signing a pledge to increase the share of women in their ranks, hoping the move will help reduce excessive force …

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

This episode was produced by Avishay …

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

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

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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 media hate campaign.

This episode was produced by Amina Al-Sadi with help from Hady …

Their admission to NATO would further isolate Russia, leaving it the only Arctic country outside the alliance.

This episode was produced by Victoria …

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

Noel King traveled to Hungary to talk to people who voted for Viktor Orbán, people being persecuted by his government, and an American just along for …

The same man who helped usher in democracy in Hungary is the one who’s chipping away at it now. American conservatives want to know how Prime Minister Viktor Orban did it.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited …

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

This episode was produced by Victoria …

This week Pennsylvania voters decide whether to give Dr. Oz a shot at the US Senate. To mark the occasion, Sean Rameswaram tries to understand what makes a celebrity candidate viable, from “the Gipper” to “the …

Not explicitly, no. But neither is the right to travel from New York to New Jersey. NYU law professor Kenji Yoshino explains our unenumerated rights.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt …

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

The son of repressive dictator Ferdinand Marcos was just elected president of the Philippines. All he had to do was rewrite his country’s history.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Victoria Dominguez, edited …

A week before Russia invaded Ukraine, it detained WNBA superstar Brittney Griner. Now the United States is turning up the pressure to get her released. ESPN’s T.J. Quinn explains.

This episode was produced by Hady …

Patriarch Kirill is the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. A former colleague describes him as a one-time anti-Kremlin nonconformist. Now, he’s …

Scientists have developed a long-sought treatment — perhaps even a cure — for sickle cell anemia. But getting it to patients might be an even bigger challenge.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt …

And how the seemingly endless wait in the US is affecting their development.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Sean …

Indiana lawyer Jim Bopp has spent most of his life chipping away at Roe v. Wade. His incremental approach to overturning the Court’s decades-old …

A largely unprecedented leak of a draft Supreme Court decision reveals the Court’s conservative majority intends to overturn Roe v. Wade. New York magazine’s Irin Carmon explains what that means for reproductive rights.

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For less than $20 plus shipping everyday people can turn their handguns into machine guns. The Trace’s Alain Stephens explains the rise of the “auto-sear.”

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt …

Liberals turned to J.D. Vance’s book to better understand Donald Trump’s victory. Now the “Hillbilly Elegy” author is turning to Trump to try and win the Republican primary in Ohio’s Senate race.

This episode was …

Elon Musk and Twitter have reached a deal. Recode’s Peter Kafka and Shirin Ghaffary explain what it means for the business of Twitter, and for free speech on the platform.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and …

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

Accounts like “Libs of TikTok” are fueling right-wing media to label people who speak openly about sexuality and gender as “groomers.” Vox’s Aja …

By making bitcoin a national currency, El Salvador tried to transform its economy. Rest of World’s Leo Schwartz explains why the bet hasn’t yet paid …

A Florida judge ended the federal government’s mass transit mask mandate this week. Vox’s Dylan Scott explains if mask mandates are over forever and …

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

Elon Musk says he wants to buy Twitter, but is also making 420 jokes. Kara Swisher (who knows him) and Liz Lopatto (who doesn’t) explain whether the …

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

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Russia is ramping up attacks on Ukraine’s digital infrastructure. The US could be next.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by …

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

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

Hunter Biden may not be the archcriminal that conservatives describe, but his actions present problems for his father (the president of the United States). Vox's Andrew Prokop explains.

This episode was produced by Hady …

Pakistan’s prime minister was ousted. He blames the US.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim …

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

This episode was …

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

The Buffalo Bills are set to receive a record-breaking $850 million in public funds to build a new stadium — even though they’re owned by a fracking billionaire. An economist explains whether publicly funded stadiums …

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

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by …

The Russian president has come to rely on a skewed version of history and an increasingly small circle of advisers. Journalist Marvin Kalb explains what that means for the war in Ukraine.

This episode was produced by …

A groundbreaking new study claims to have found a way for a fully paralyzed person to communicate entirely via thought. But the scientists behind it …

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (aka the Umami Mama), scientists …

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

This episode was …

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

This episode was produced by …

And in Texas, they’re trying to unionize.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, engineered by Efim Shapiro and Paul Mounsey, fact-checked …

The Oscars were bordering on irrelevancy until Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Will Reid, …

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

As Poland welcomes almost 2 million Ukrainians in, it’s spending $4 million on a wall to keep Syrians, Iraqis, and Afghans out. Vox’s Sigal Samuel …

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

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

This episode was produced by Miles …

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

This …

With its neighbor distracted by domestic culture wars, North Korea is making new moves.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt …

The furor over Florida’s latest culture-war legislation has Disney, among the state’s largest employers, turning red.

This episode was produced by …

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

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The coronavirus pandemic isn’t over, but certain corners of Congress don’t want to spend a penny more on it. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel argues for $100 billion in new spending to fight Covid-19.

This episode was produced by …

Americans bet more than $50 billion on sports last year, and that record will likely be broken in 2022 as more states legalize the practice. A professional named Captain Jack and a novice named Emily Stewart explain the …

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

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt …

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

This episode was produced by …

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

This episode was reported and produced by Haleema …

Gas prices hit a record high in the United States today. Then the White House put an embargo on Russian oil. The Atlantic's Robinson Meyer explains.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Haleema Shah, …

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

This episode was produced by Miles …

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

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

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Hady …

And how the fight might end.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura …

It depends a lot on where they get their news. Meduza’s Aleksey Kovalev reports from Moscow.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited …

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

This episode was …

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 …

Kurii Vasyl and his niece Yulya try to make sense of Russia’s invasion of their country. And Kyiv Independent reporter Igor Kossov explains the …

Vox’s Jonathan Guyer explains how a Russian invasion of Ukraine could affect me and you and everyone we know.

This episode was produced by Hady …

This year’s weird Winter Olympics were overshadowed by politics, Covid-19, and the threat of war. But as NPR’s Tom Goldman explains, the biggest …

The US hopes the threat of sanctions will dissuade Russia from invading Ukraine. Historian Nicholas Mulder explains the surprising history of …

A tech investor and his rapper wife were busted for a multi-billion dollar bitcoin heist. They couldn’t really spend any of the money.

This episode …

In her Today, Explained debut, co-host Noel King heads to Atlanta to find out why some people in one of its wealthiest neighborhoods are trying to secede from the rest of the city.

This episode was reported by Noel King …

A convoy of truckers angry over Covid-19 mandates is disrupting life in Canada’s capital city. Their movement is gaining traction in cities around the globe.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh with Haleema Shah …

The New York Times published an editorial that made false claims about Sarah Palin. A lawsuit over the error could change American media.

This episode …

Quarterback Tom Brady will retire as the winningest football player in NFL history. ESPN's Seth Wickersham explains why so many people are happy to see him go.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt …

When it comes to fixing discriminatory voting maps, nine months may not be enough for some justices. Ian Millhiser explains.

This episode was produced …

The Oscar nominations are out, but the No. 1 movie in America features Johnny Knoxville and his friends hurting each other. He attempts to explain why, and Vox's Alissa Wilkinson picks up his slack.

This episode was …

President Biden gave strict orders to avoid collateral damage during a raid on an ISIS leader. Civilians still died, but it might be a sign of a …

Why are colleges ditching the test? A) The SAT is biased B) Colleges want to admit more diverse students C) The pandemic D) All of the above

This …

Psychologists are worried that "trauma" is losing its meaning. A trauma survivor says they shouldn't be.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, …

At least in schools.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura …

Vice President Kamala Harris just attended Honduras’s presidential inauguration. Her trip was really about the US-Mexico border.

February 4, 2022 correction:

An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that …

The podcast host built a massive audience by speaking to fringe figures in culture, business, and science. During the pandemic, that got him in …

The US government let the expanded child tax credit expire ... just as researchers produced a study showing giving parents money might help improve brain development in kids.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, …

The US is negotiating to stop Russia from invading Ukraine, but a Germany-backed natural gas project complicates things.

This episode was produced by …

Vox’s Ian Millhiser says American politics shifted during Justice Stephen Breyer’s career, until he no longer had a place in them.

This episode was …

Build Back Blunders, and other presidential misadventures.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim …

Crimes against humanity are rarely prosecuted successfully, but a Syrian colonel got a life sentence for just that. Documentarian Adithya Sambamurthy …

The Games don’t begin until February 4, but the drama around the pandemic, free speech, and diplomatic boycotts has been building for months. NPR’s Emily Feng explains from Beijing.

This episode was produced by Hady …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing political ruin because his aides partied while the UK locked down.

This episode was produced by Will …

That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.

Today's show was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro and Paul Mounsey, …

To look into deep space is to look back in time. Ahead of the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, Unexplainable talked to scientists who hope to see “cosmic dawn,” a period long ago when the first starlight …

This Sunday, the greatest telescope in the history of humanity is scheduled to reach its destination nearly a million miles away from Earth. Vox’s …

The 35-year-old president-elect in Chile loves tattoos, Taylor Swift, and progressive policies. Gabriel Boric will now try to overhaul the government …

The speedy arrival of CSTO troops in Kazakhstan is unprecedented in the 30-year history of the Russia-backed regional security alliance.

Today’s show …

President Joe Biden wants to change how the Senate works to pass voting reforms. Sen. Mitch McConnell is threatening hell if it happens.

Today’s show …

How the best-ranked men’s tennis player in the world went to Australia to become the greatest of all time and ended up being detained.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid with help from Victoria Chamberlin, edited by …

What happens when all the teachers get sick?

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, …

Fast fashion took over the apparel industry, but consumers are tiring of its poor labor and environmental standards. Vox’s Terry Nguyen explains.

…

Russia has kept its military at Ukraine’s doorstep for almost a decade. But a recent escalation on the border is creating fears of a full-blown …

A tech startup said it could start a medical revolution with a little machine and a drop of blood. It was a fraud, but research into smarter, less …

The omicron variant is very transmissible, but it might make Covid-19 less miserable.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Hady …

One year later, the United States is still trying to wrap its head around what happened on January 6, 2021. (It was an insurrection.) This year, our democracy once again will be tested.

Today’s show was produced by …

This song was written and performed by Sean Rameswaram and Noam Hassenfeld, produced by Noam, engineered by Efim Shapiro, and features additional vocals from Christina Animashaun.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo went from hawking watches and DVDs on the streets of Greece to winning an NBA championship for the Milwaukee Bucks. In this repodcast, the Ringer’s Mirin Fader tells the story of his improbable …

One of the biggest pop stars in the world is rerecording her first six albums at the artistic peak of her career. In this repodcast, the Atlantic’s Shirley Li explains Taylor Swift’s strategy.

Today’s show was produced …

America's homicide rate rose by almost 30 percent in 2020. It was the biggest spike in 60 years, and the murder rate was even higher in 2021. In this repodcast, ProPublica’s Alec MacGillis explains what might be causing …

The pandemic changed how we think about work. In this repodcast, Vox’s Anna North says it might be time to change how much we work, too.

Today’s show …

2021 was better than 2020. Here's proof.

Today’s show was produced by Matt Collette, edited by Jillian Weinberger, engineered by Efim Shapiro, …

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate has been ridiculed, erased, and let down by the world's most powerful people. She explains how she remains …

We scored Biden’s first year

The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos evaluates President Biden’s first year in office and whether Biden managed to lower the temperature after the January 6 insurrection.

Today’s show was produced by …

Nearly 60 years after the assassination of Malcolm X, some of the men wrongly put in prison for killing him are finally being redeemed. Abdur-Rahman …

Cobalt is powering the electric vehicle revolution, but much of the world’s supply is mined under deadly conditions in Congo. Journalist Nicolas …

Thanks to South Africa, the world now has some data on omicron’s severity, transmissibility, and whether or not the vaccines will protect us from it.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Hady Mawajdeh, …

A bodybuilder posing as a Muslim convert was welcomed into a California mosque. When he showed signs of extremism, members reported him to the FBI, only to learn that he was their informant. Now, their story is before …

Most people get about eight minutes' advance warning of a tornado. This episode of Vox’s Unexplainable podcast explores how scientists need to confront more of these storms, head on.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

…

While the nation’s attention has been focused on the opioid crisis, a new, more dangerous form of methamphetamine has swept across the country.

…

That’s what the United Nations says is taking place in Afghanistan right now.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, …

Today, Explained returns to Cramer Hill Elementary School to explore the challenges of vaccinating children against Covid-19.

Today’s show was …

The mass killing at Oxford High School in Michigan may seem comparable to those that preceded it, but the aftermath has taken several new turns.

…

The world’s most illustrious museums are finally having to reckon with the stolen art in their collections.

Today’s show was produced by Haleema Shah, …

Big Bird got vaccinated, an Asian American Muppet moved in, and conservatives got really mad at Sesame Street.

Today’s show was produced by Haleema …

A tennis star accused a former top Chinese official of sexual assault. Then she vanished. Now her case is changing sports in China.

Today's show was …

The Supreme Court today heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains how the Court could undo Roe v. Wade …

Russia blew up a satellite and almost put the International Space Station in a precarious position. Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil explains how humans are trashing space. A space environmentalist (!) explains what cleanup …

AA-muh-kraan or OH-muh-kraan

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan and Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked …

A deadly salmonella strain is spreading through American poultry, and there’s not much the government can do to stop it. ProPublica’s Bernice Yeung …

After the Chicago Tribune’s Stacy St. Clair runs through the Rittenhouse trial and verdict, legal scholar Eric Ruben explains how “self-defense” can …

But somehow it got very scary.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by …

And why they're easy to find in Europe (though they don't seem to be helping much at the moment).

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help …

No. Vox's Jerusalem Demsas disproves a popular internet conspiracy theory.

Today’s show was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, …

Belarus is promising migrants passage to Europe knowing the EU will turn them away.

Today’s show was produced by Haleema Shah with help from Amina …

Consumer prices are rising at their fastest rate in 30 years. Vox’s Emily Stewart explains why this is bad news for for drivers, shoppers, and President Biden.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan and Will Reid, …

A third of American workers do gig work. In the third part of our series, The Future of Work, learn how the pandemic helped them discover their power.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid, edited by Jillian Weinberger, …

China’s 1.4 billion people are averaging fewer than 100 cases of Covid-19 a day. All it takes is the willingness to shut down anything at any time.

NPR’s Emily Feng explains from Beijing.

Today’s show was produced by …

Extremists in the right-wing militant organization known as the Oath Keepers are present in law enforcement and in the military. Now, thanks to reporting from ProPublica’s Isaac Arnsdorf, we know they’re in the …

How a music festival became a death trap, and what it would take for it never to happen again.

Today’s show was produced by Haleema Shah and Hady …

You win some and you lose some. Just ask President Biden, who started last week with electoral setbacks and ended it with a big f***ing deal.

Today’s show was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Miles Bryan, edited by Matt …

They said the office would never be the same. In part two of our series, The Future of Work, what happens to your workplace when they're right.

…

While world leaders have descended on Glasgow to try to figure out how to slow emissions in the future, New York magazine’s David Wallace-Wells …

After a bloody fight for democracy, Sudan is sliding back into the hands of the military. CNN’s Nima Elbagir says a successful military coup could …

It's Election Day in the USA. This time around, the nasty political fights and insurrections are going local. NPR's Anya Kamenetz explains.

Today’s …

While the doorbell recovers from Halloween, Nice Try explains how it’s an essential part of the American dream.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! …

There are millions of job openings in America, and millions of Americans are still not able to find work that suits. In the first part of our series, …

From the company that brought you alternate facts comes an alternate reality!

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, …

Vox's Aja Romano explains how Dave Chappelle's latest standup special led to a reckoning at Netflix. Vulture's Craig Jenkins assesses whether there's …

Variety’s Brent Lang explains how cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on the Rust film set—and how the tragic shooting might catalyze positive change in the entertainment industry.

Today’s show was produced by Hady …

For 11 years, a Tennessee judge sent kids to jail for a crime that doesn’t exist. Nashville Public Radio’s Meribah Knight explains why that judge is still in charge of “juvenile justice.”

Today’s show was produced by …

Since the Supreme Court’s "shadow docket" decision to allow the Texas abortion ban to go into effect, a growing chorus of politicians and legal …

The House is holding Steve Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena as part of its January 6 investigation. Journalist Andrea …

All I want for Christmas is a functional supply chain.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, …

Tim Murphy from Mother Jones explains how Sen. Kyrsten Sinema went from a left-wing activist to a Biden obstructionist.

Today’s show was produced by …

Iran is entering its fifth decade of taking hostages. One who made it out tells his story.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by …

In 2007, Steve Jobs introduced a product that would change our lives forever. The new season of Land of the Giants explores “The Apple Revolution.”

…

And whether the show’s message is being lost in the shuffle.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim …

Vox’s Umair Irfan explains how a new pill that might soon be authorized by the FDA could fill major gaps in treating Covid-19.

Today’s show was …

Body cameras were supposed to bring greater transparency to law enforcement. The case of Ronald Greene suggests police departments are still learning …

The city of Philadelphia put an opportunistic 22-year-old in charge of its vaccine rollout. Nina Feldman of WHYY’s Half Vaxxed podcast explains how …

But also, should we kill all the mosquitoes?

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid with help from Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by …

An energy expert explains why offshore oil spills keep happening and whether they’ll ever stop.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, …

Facebook kicked off the week with an outage and followed that up today with a whistleblower testifying before Congress. The Wall Street Journal’s …

School’s been back for a month. Today, Explained spent a month checking in with Cramer Hill Elementary to find out how it’s going.

Today’s show was …

The Brazilian butt lift isn’t just a cosmetic surgery; it’s a lifestyle. Vox’s Rebecca Jennings explains how influencers gave a decades-old procedure …

Twelve people at Rikers Island have died in custody so far this year. The pandemic is only part of the problem, explains Nick Pinto, who is covering the string of deaths for the Intercept.

Today’s show was produced by …

Former CDC Director Nancy Messonnier and former White House Covid-19 adviser Andy Slavitt join Sean at Code Conference in Los Angeles to explain the back and forth on vaccine booster shots.

Today’s show was produced and …

Moderates and progressives are threatening to vote down different parts of their own party’s agenda, all while a government shutdown looms. Vox’s Li Zhou explains why.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid with help …

A former Defense Department adviser says President Biden might succeed where President Obama failed, and the man formerly known as “Detainee 441” speaks.

Today’s show was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt …

President Biden wants to give Americans four more years of free school: two years of pre-K and two of community college. In a two-part series, Today, …

President Biden wants to give Americans four more years of free school: two years of pre-K and two of community college. In a two-part series, Today, …

Vox’s Aja Romano explains why the internet stopped what it was doing to find one particular missing person.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria …

Vox’s Nicole Narea explains the latest border crisis, and Ayibopost’s Widlore Mérancourt documents deported Haitians’ return to Port-au-Prince.

…

Chinese President Xi Jinping has kicked off a "rectification" campaign that’s affecting every sector of Chinese society and business. Lily Kuo, the Washington Post's China bureau chief, explains.

Today’s show was …

A US drone strike in Afghanistan was meant to take out an ISIS-K target. Reporting on the ground shows an aid worker and several children were …

The US military is redoubling its efforts to figure out what’s behind reports of mysterious sonic attacks. So is Vox’s Unexplainable podcast.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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A California judge weighed in on whether Apple has a monopoly. NPR’s Bobby Allyn unpacks the ruling. Sen. Amy Klobuchar explains why she wants the …

President Joe Biden is taking a new approach to fight the pandemic. Former acting CDC director Richard Besser explains the vaccine mandates and the booster shot debate.

Today’s show was produced by Hady Mawajdeh with …

Jeffrey Epstein has been dead for over two years, but his crimes and mysterious death still haunt his victims and friends. The Miami Herald’s Julie …

A love story between a person who's alive and a person who is dead, told by the San Francisco Chronicle's Jason Fagone.

Today’s show was produced by …

NPR’s Anya Kamenetz explains how America is sending its kids back to school while delta surges. Politico’s Lauren Gardner has the latest on vaccines …

Neigh!

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid with help from Amina Al-Sadi, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura …

The Department of Defense tracks how much US wars cost, but last week President Biden cited instead accounting from the Costs of War Project at Brown University. Its co-director, Stephanie Savell, explains why.

Today’s …

The pandemic has changed how we think about work. Vox’s Anna North says it might be time to change how much we work, too.

Today’s show was produced by …

Texas didn't just make it almost impossible to get an abortion, the state made it easy to sue somebody who gets one after about six weeks of pregnancy — and anyone who helps. KUT reporter Ashley Lopez explains.

Today’s …

The United States’ 20-year war in Afghanistan is officially over. Vox’s Nicole Narea explains what’s next for the more than 100,000 refugees …

California could elect a Republican governor in a few weeks. KPCC reporter Libby Denkmann explains how. And the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law …

The attack outside the Kabul airport on Thursday was perpetrated by an extremist group that doesn't think the Taliban is extreme enough.

This episode …

I’ll take public scandal for $1000.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, …

The Afghan refugee crisis started long before the US withdrawal. Al Jazeera English correspondent Ali Latifi explains from Kabul.

This episode was …

Vox’s Umair Irfan explains why you might need one. The Atlantic’s Sarah Zhang says the coronavirus is here forever, but ultimately, it might not be …

The pandemic wiped out the slow but steady progress America had been making against another deadly disease: opioid addiction. The Washington Post’s Peter Jamison explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

This …

In this episode of Vox Conversations, the Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig shares forgiveness strategies built for unforgiving times.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The Taliban last controlled Afghanistan 20 years ago. They may be more pragmatic now, but their ideology hasn’t changed.

Transcript at …

Some recent analysis of America’s changing demographics is inaccurate and dangerous. NPR’s Hansi Lo Wang makes sense of the 2020 census.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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An assassination followed by an earthquake followed by a tropical storm strike a country where aid organizations often have more influence than …

And did it faster than the US ever imagined.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Covid-19 is surging so high in several states, you’d think we didn’t have a vaccine. A Mississippi nurse who was initially skeptical explains her path to getting the shot.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Support …

While the US withdraws from Afghanistan, the Taliban is surging, which is a likely death sentence for the thousands of Afghans who helped the US military. An interpreter who escaped explains.

Transcript at …

A new UN report says humans are “unequivocally” causing climate change. Rich countries are to blame, but poorer ones, like Madagascar, are paying the price with an unprecedented climate-induced famine. 

Transcript at …

People said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would never resign. Then he did. New York magazine contributing writer David Freedlander explains.

Transcript …

The pandemic Olympics have come to an end. NPR’s Tom Goldman provides a highlight reel and an evaluation from Tokyo.

Transcript at …

Giannis Antetokounmpo went from hawking watches and DVDs on the streets of Greece to winning an NBA championship for the Milwaukee Bucks. The Ringer’s Mirin Fader tells the story of his improbable rise.

Transcript at …

Democrats this week scrambled to extend a federal evictions moratorium amid the government's failure to deliver tens of billions of dollars to …

The new Matt Damon movie, Stillwater, is based on Amanda Knox’s story. She wishes someone had asked her to tell it.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! 

The Roth IRA was invented by Congress to incentivize middle-class retirement savings. ProPublica’s Justin Elliott explains how venture capitalist Peter Thiel ended up with $5 billion in his.

Transcript at …

Vox’s Dylan Scott explains what an outbreak in a mostly vaccinated beach town taught the CDC about the delta variant.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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A Philadelphia election tested progressive ideas on how to reduce shootings in America. ProPublica’s Alec MacGillis explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The nation’s murder rate rose by almost 25 percent last year — the largest increase in at least 60 years. This year might be even worse. ProPublica’s Alec MacGillis reports on “The Great Regression.”

Transcript at …

Capitol police officers testified on Tuesday in the building they defended on January 6. Seamus Hughes, a former congressional investigator, explains …

The 2020 Games were mired in scandal before they even started. Vox’s Jen Kirby explains how things are going now that the Olympics have finally begun.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Vox’s Umair Irfan explains why the United States is seeing another Covid-19 surge. Dr. Rhea Boyd says the country is getting unvaccinated people all wrong.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg explains what he and his boss are calling a once-in-a-generation spending plan.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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President Biden wants infrastructure spending to include child care, elder care, food assistance, even community college. Vox’s Anna North explains …

America’s sewage system is total crap, but there’s a new plumber in town.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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And how it got so dam expensive to build things in America.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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It’s a big week for President Biden’s infrastructure plans. Vox’s Li Zhou explains the obstacles in his way, and a historian says one of them is our …

Britney Spears returned to conservatorship court this week. Vox’s Constance Grady explains how Spears has rapidly become the face of a legal reform movement.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Cubans hit the streets for unprecedented protests against their communist government. CNN's Patrick Oppmann is on the ground in Havana with spotty wifi.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Republicans in Texas are legislating so far to the right the state’s Democrats up and fled to Washington, DC. Vox’s Nicole Narea explains.

Transcript …

The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse is the latest in a long line of setbacks for Haiti’s stability. AyiboPost’s Widlore Mérancourt explains from Port-au-Prince.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Travel around the globe to hear how disparately people are experiencing the pandemic in July 2021.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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An estimated 143 million people will relocate to escape climate change in the next three decades. Quartz’s Amanda Shendruk explains how cities can transform themselves into climate havens. 

Transcript at …

Thirty years ago, Eugene, Oregon, figured out an alternative to the police. They called it CAHOOTS. Seriously.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

…

When people see Deeyah Khan's documentary about white supremacists, they tell her, "The real problem is jihad. You should spend time with jihadists." …

Documentary filmmaker Deeyah Khan grew tired of receiving death threats from white supremacists so she traveled to a Detroit motel to meet up with one.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Getting buzzed helped build civilization.. The Atlantic's Kate Julian explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The Trump Organization and its top lieutenant have been indicted for tax fraud. Andrew Prokop says the case could have uge implications for American …

A housing watchdog says real estate companies often discriminate against low-income tenants who use federal rental assistance. Now it’s suing.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The discovery of mass graves of Indigenous children in Canada has led to reckonings on both sides of the border.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Doctors have suffered psychologically throughout the pandemic, but as Vox’s Julia Belluz reports, those who seek mental health treatment in the US …

Restaurant delivery apps have made it possible to order pretty much anything we want to eat with the click of a button. The latest season of the Land of the Giants podcast explores the cost of that convenience.

…

Catholic bishops want to deny President Biden communion, even though Pope Francis thinks that's a terrible idea. The Atlantic's Emma Green explains.

…

Vox’s Emily Stewart explains how scared you should be of inflation.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The fast-spreading coronavirus variant first detected in India is coming for the rest of the world.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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After 20 years of waiting, there’s a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s. For some patients, it’s a glimmer of hope. For some scientists, it’s one of the FDA’s worst drug approval decisions ever.

Transcript at …

Cryptocurrency is everywhere! And now some people are saying it could be good for the environment?! New York Magazine's Jen Wieczner is here to …

The Atlantic’s Tom McTague provides a halftime report on Brexit. It appears it’s going very well for Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Benjamin Netanyahu is out. Israel has a new leader and a new coalition government. The question now is whether they bring anyone closer to peace.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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What to do when your mom is with Q.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Over 14 years and 20 seasons of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” the show rewrote the rules of reality TV, social media, marketing, and popular …

Senegal. Vox’s Jen Kirby flew there to find out how.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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New York City is picking a new mayor with a new election system. What could go wrong?

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Gangs and drug cartels killed dozens of candidates in Mexico’s midterm elections. Voters weren’t intimidated.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Across the country, Republican lawmakers are pushing laws banning “critical race theory” in schools. It’s already had a chilling effect on teachers.

…

Texas isn’t the only state advancing legislation that would disenfranchise voters in Democratic strongholds. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains why some …

The idea that Covid-19 emerged from a Chinese lab once sounded too fringe to take seriously. That’s starting to change.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Despite a violent terror campaign by the military junta, protesters are still fighting for a new government. The latest conflict is uniting ethnic …

It was one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history, but for a long time very few Americans learned what happened to the Black …

UFOs are having a renaissance. The New Yorker’s Gideon Lewis-Kraus explains what we stand to learn from an expected government disclosure, and why we want to believe.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Missourians voted for more Medicaid. Missouri lawmakers said no. St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum explains what happens when you bypass the will of the people.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The hijacking of Ryanair flight 4978 is a big escalation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s attempts to hold on to power. It might also …

Nine New York Yankees tested positive for Covid-19, even though they were all vaccinated. Vox’s Brian Resnick says it’s proof the system is working, just as New York City is opening back up.

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Some would rather forget.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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China’s Uyghur minority has been subjected to torture, forced labor, religious restrictions, and even forced sterilization. NPR’s Throughline explains how they became the target of what many are calling a genocide.

…

For decades, Bill Gates exemplified the “good billionaire.” His reputation — tarnished almost overnight — highlights the danger of relying too much on billionaire philanthropists.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

…

An arms deal between the United States and Israel is drawing criticism from Democrats. It's part of a shifting tide in the American approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

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*Are being held this summer in Tokyo. And it’s a mess.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Job growth has slowed, but there are plenty of positions posted. That's got politicians arguing about the cost of benefits. Matt Yglesias explains.

…

This weekend, Chileans head to the polls to decide who will rewrite the country's constitution. CNN's Daniel Matamala explains why it's a historic …

Weeks of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem have escalated into the region's worst violence in years. Two journalists in the …

The largest-known ransomware attack on American energy infrastructure is driving up gas prices and creating shortages. Wired's Lily Hay Newman says …

A push to remove Cheney from her House leadership position shows how Trump, marooned at Mar-a-Lago without Twitter, continues to hold sway in the GOP.

There’s no vaccine for Covid-19 anxiety. Nor is there one for those who aren’t ready to “go back to normal.” But, as Vox’s Sigal Samuel explains, there is hope.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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President Joe Biden heeded calls from low-income countries to try to relax patents on Covid-19 vaccines so they can make cheaper generic versions. Big Pharma was furious.

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One of the world's biggest video games is suing one of the world's biggest tech companies. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins explains how the fight might fundamentally change your phone.

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That’s President Joe Biden’s new vaccination goal, and he’s got some fresh ideas on how to get there. Vox’s German Lopez explains.

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Congress wants to change how the military prosecutes sex crimes. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand explains her bill.

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Is it a bubble? Is it going to pop? Do you need to bid over asking? Has it already sold? Are there any houses left? Will you ever find one? Vox’s …

An estimated 10 percent of people who test positive for Covid-19 experience long-haul symptoms. Vox’s Julia Belluz joins the Unexplainable podcast to …

Biden’s biographer, Evan Osnos, explains why the president is a weather vane for the Democratic Party.

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Apple updated its software and Facebook was very upset. Recode’s Sara Morrison and Peter Kafka explain. Roller derby is involved.

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President Biden is cranking the pressure on President Putin, but it was Russian dissident Alexei Navalny who scored a victory by refusing his prison food.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The world’s biggest vaccine manufacturer ended up with the world’s worst Covid-19 surge. Neha Arora, New Delhi correspondent for Reuters, explains.

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Or at least 30 percent of it.

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Listen to the Atlantic’s Robinson Meyer explain the arguments and then decide for yourself.

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Norway has lapped the world in adopting electric vehicles. Vox’s Umair Irfan explains how the US might catch up.

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In 2019, David Wallace-Wells wrote a book called The Uninhabitable Earth. Just two years later, he’s feeling hopeful — thanks to the world’s biggest …

And other items from the lunch menu of 2050.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Arguments in the trial of Derek Chauvin have wrapped after a brutal week for policing in America. Minnesota Public Radio’s Jon Collins shares his …

The recent police crackdown on a tent camp in Los Angeles has left the city divided. One thing everyone agrees on is the dire need for lasting …

Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz’s sex scandal.

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The US government is calling for an immediate pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccinations after six recipients (out of millions) developed blood …

Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil explains how proving you got the shot became controversial. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Or maybe, after listening to this episode, it’ll be more like CICADAPALOOZA!

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One of the biggest pop stars in the world is rerecording her first six albums at the artistic peak of her career. The Atlantic’s Shirley Li explains Swift’s gambit to reclaim her catalog.

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A group of students in Topeka, Kansas, discovered their high school was named after an exalted cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan. Then they tried to change …

On Monday night, the Senate parliamentarian gave Democrats an unprecedented blessing. Vox’s Ella Nilsen and Li Zhou explain what they might do with it.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Major League Baseball, Delta, and Coke are calling out Georgia for its new voting reforms, but some of these corporations were involved in crafting …

We asked if you still had vaccine questions, and you did. We found answers. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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New York is the latest state to legalize recreational marijuana, but President Joe Biden won’t budge. This means that it’s possible to become a billionaire or a convicted felon for selling weed in the US.

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It’s infrastructure week in America. President Joe Biden unveiled a plan to spend trillions on bridges, roads, housing, and clean energy to prove it. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad …

More than half of US states are working to ban, or even criminalize, trans athletes playing sports. Vox contributor Katelyn Burns explains how …

After six days, a very big boat is finally afloat. While stuck, it brought international trade through the Suez Canal to a halt and cost companies …

When a Swedish American pastor refused to get a smallpox vaccine in 1902, he ended up in the United States Supreme Court. The Atlantic’s new podcast The Experiment tells the story of Pastor Henning Jacobson.

Transcript …

With Democrats in charge, there is a lot of talk about big ideas for the country, including … banning menthol cigarettes? Politico’s Sarah Owermohle …

The Trace’s Jennifer Mascia explains why two gun reform bills the House recently passed are likely to fail in the Senate. Patrick Blanchfield from the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research argues the American gun …

On Monday, a tweet sold for $2.9 million. That followed a JPEG that went for $69 million. The Verge’s Liz Lopatto explains how internet ephemera …

The United States and China met in Anchorage, Alaska, on Thursday to air grievances, and the cameras were rolling. Vox’s Alex Ward explains how the …

People want to move on from Covid-19, but that doesn’t mean forgetting its victims. Historian Paul Farber and Vox reporter Alissa Wilkinson explain …

Eight people were killed in shootings at three Atlanta-area spas. Most of the victims were women. Six were Asian American. Georgia state Sen. Michelle Au explains how her community is coping, and author Kate Manne …

A growing number of unaccompanied minors at the US-Mexico border is highlighting President Biden’s struggle to fulfill his campaign promises on …

It’s a question the US has struggled with since its founding.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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President Biden says all adults will be eligible for a vaccine by May 1. But for the world to truly return to normal, young people will need shots, …

Believe it or not, scientists still don’t know how the sense of smell works. But that isn’t stopping one guy at MIT from trying to reverse-engineer it. Sounds like a job for Vox’s new podcast, Unexplainable.

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The year in revue.

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President Biden’s American Rescue Plan has been approved by Congress. It’s a revolution in American welfare disguised as stimulus.

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New guidelines from the CDC for fully vaccinated people suggest it’s finally time to hug your grandparents. Dr. Kavita Patel explains the do’s and …

Darryl Richardson, a worker at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, explains why he helped initiate a unionization effort that now has President Biden’s support. Recode’s Jason Del Rey explains how the Bessemer …

Beset by controversy, The Bachelor’s latest season is winding down with an identity crisis. It’s a rare case of reality TV reflecting our cultural …

The United States is stumbling through two racial reckonings at once. Author Jeff Chang says it’s an inflection point centuries in the making.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Joe Biden won the presidency, but it’s Joe Manchin from West Virginia who seems to be the decider. The Charleston Gazette-Mail’s Joe Severino shadowed Senator Joe in the spotlight. Mountain State Spotlight’s Greg Moore …

Washington’s hottest policy fight is over raising the minimum wage to $15. Emily Stewart explains the Democrats’ effort to get it through Congress, …

Thirty years ago, Eugene, Oregon, figured out an alternative to the police. They called it CAHOOTS. Seriously.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

…

President Biden finally wants to put the Keystone XL pipeline to bed. But if the last 12 years of environmental fights are any indication, it won’t be easy.

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Vox’s German Lopez explains why he feels optimistic about the end of the pandemic even though 500,000 Americans have died, the virus is mutating, and it’s going to take a long time to vaccinate the world.

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Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom were hailed for their leadership early on in the pandemic. Now, the former is mired in scandal and the latter is facing a recall campaign.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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What’s taking so long? What’s happening with those $1,400 checks? Are the Democrats betraying the people who voted for them? Vox’s Li Zhou and Andrew Prokop explain.

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Australia just reined in Google. Dozens of other countries want in on the action. The latest season of Land of the Giants explains how two grad …

First it was brutal winter weather, power outages followed, and then came a poorly timed trip to Cancun. Texas Public Radio’s Joey Palacios explains …

Author Nicole Hemmer explains how Limbaugh helped pave the way for Fox News, OAN, and Newsmax.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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President Biden says he wants to undo his predecessor’s immigration policies, so why are some of them still in effect? The El Paso Times’s Lauren …

Democrats made a strong case against Donald Trump. Republicans are being punished for supporting it. Vox’s Zack Beauchamp explains.

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The movement to liberate Britney Spears from her conservatorship may not succeed, but it’s revealing a lot about how we treat young women. Vox’s Constance Grady explains.

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Sen. Mitt Romney wants to throw money at parents, Andrew Yang-style. President Biden is into it, too. Vox’s Dylan Matthews explains.

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Poorer countries have received less than 1 percent of the Covid-19 vaccines distributed around the world. Vox’s Julia Belluz explains what the WHO is …

A quarter-century after it was signed, Section 230, the law that made the modern internet, has done the impossible: united Democrats and Republicans.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Vox’s Andrew Prokop previews the historic second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. Law professor Alan Rozenshtein explains what the Justice Department can and cannot do to prosecute insurrectionists.

…

The Senate voted on more than 40 pieces of legislation overnight. Vox’s Li Zhou explains what the “vote-a-rama” means for President Biden’s agenda.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Ten years ago, a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire and set off a revolution across the Middle East and North Africa. The Independent’s Borzou …

Vox’s Aaron Rupar explains why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has likened a fellow Republican’s views to cancer. And New York magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi explores what lawmakers peddling conspiracy theories means …

Some would say the military has always been in control of Myanmar. On Monday morning, they made it official once again.

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After the 1977 murder of a young Latino man, the Houston Police Department created a team of five young Latino officers to solve homicides in their …

And whether or not any of it will last beyond his presidency.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Vox’s Emily Stewart explains how GameStop’s stock jumped by 1,700 percent this month. Bloomberg’s Matt Levine ponders the purpose of the stock market.

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Sen. Tammy Duckworth wants the military to do a better job of rooting out extremism in its ranks. A military investigator explains how to solve a …

One year after our first episode on the novel coronavirus, Vox’s Julia Belluz explains what we got right, what we got wrong, and what comes next.

…

Marianne Williamson was applauded as well as ridiculed on the presidential debate stage when she warned of the “dark psychic forces of collectivized …

Kamala Harris has already broken barriers, but ahead lies the rare task of leading a polarized and evenly divided Senate.

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In his first few minutes in office, President Biden hit CTRL+Z on former President Trump’s agenda.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in today and got straight to work. Vox’s Laura McGann and Dylan Matthews explain what will be done immediately, and what’s possible with the slimmest of majorities in Congress.

…

America’s two-month lame-duck period gave supporters of the outgoing president ample time to plan a violent uprising. Vox’s Ian Millhiser argues the …

Was distributed by 22 orphans.

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A very big tech company now has a very small union. Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary explains why highly paid workers in an anti-union industry still organized and made history.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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President Trump has been impeached for inciting an insurrection on the Capitol one week ago. CNN’s Elle Reeve was there and explains who was duped …

Impeachment won’t stop the United States’ slide towards authoritarianism. Voter reform might.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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First he lost his Facebook. Then he lost his Twitter. As of today, President Trump had been limited or booted by more than a dozen platforms. Casey Newton, editor of Platformer, explains the historic shift on social …

Infighting among Republican lawmakers reached a breaking point this week. The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins explains why and the tough road ahead for the GOP.

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Washington Post national security reporter Dan Lamothe explains how a number of agencies and politicians put together a historically bad security …

Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York explains what it was like to live through today’s violent transfer of power.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

…

Viruses mutate, but this time it’s different.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Tuesday’s election will decide who controls the Senate, but the president is still hung up on the election he already lost.

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It's been a year.

It’s been a year

And after all the news 

We’re still not in the clear

It’s been a year

Can’t even remember what life was like 

Back before we didn’t need a mask to go outside

It’s been a year

Can’t even …

In the final episode of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” people look back on a very long year.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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In the fourth of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” a reminder that we’re not the only animals who got Covid-19 this year. Science writer David Quammen explains why our health and theirs are intertwined.

…

In the third of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” Dr. Anthony Fauci reflects back on his pandemic year, what he’s learned, and what he’d do differently.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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 In the second of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” musicians explain how they got creative when live shows and tours were canceled.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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In the first of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” millennials are moving back in with their parents (again), but they are discovering …

An estimated 143 million people will relocate to escape climate change in the next three decades. Quartz’s Amanda Shendruk explains how cities can transform themselves into climate havens.

Transcript at …

In this episode of the Go for Broke podcast, host Julia Furlan travels back to the mid-’90s to explain how a bygone web browser set the stage for …

One of the most popular porn sites on the internet just purged more than 10 million videos. Vice’s Samantha Cole explains why.

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The Covid-19 vaccine is being distributed in the United States, and you have questions. Vox’s Umair Irfan has answers.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The world’s biggest democracy is contending with what might be the world’s biggest labor stoppage.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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On this episode of the Decoder podcast, host Nilay Patel speaks with Shelli Taylor, the CEO of Alamo Drafthouse. Taylor argues the government has failed to manage the pandemic effectively for business owners and …

Martin Kenyon was one of the first people to get the Covid-19 vaccine this week. He talks about his experience, and an epidemiologist explains how to …

Joe won. And won. And won. Rudy can fail. And fail. And fail.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Melbourne, Australia, had a first wave. Then it had a second wave. Then it decided it was done with Covid-19.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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In an end-of-year plot twist, Congress is working on a fresh bipartisan stimulus bill.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Millions of women left the workforce as Covid-19 forced school closures, but that doesn’t mean they have less on their plates. Is government-funded …

The Supreme Court ruled that New York state can’t limit how many people gather in church, even during a pandemic. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains why …

Low-income students are dropping out of college because many don’t have a reliable way to get online. Vox’s Emily Stewart says the solution is …

President-elect Biden has started announcing his Cabinet nominees, but Matthew Yglesias says the most important positions aren’t the ones you’d think.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Covid-19 vaccines are coming out faster than many thought possible. But distributing the vaccines could be an even tougher challenge.

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Scientists all over the world are searching for dark matter: an invisible, untouchable substance that holds our universe together. But they haven’t …

With two months left in the Trump presidency, the US is reducing the number of troops in Afghanistan in an attempt to end America's longest war. But Biden will still inherit the conflict.

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Retail was struggling. Then came the virus. Recode’s Jason Del Rey explains how the American mall will never be the same, and how the machines might save retail.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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An ethnic conflict in Ethiopia has thrown the Horn of Africa into disarray and could upset order on the continent.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

Covid-19 is surging across the United States, just in time for cold weather and major holidays. North Dakota is doing particularly badly. Vermont may …

Oregon decriminalized all drugs. Red states and blue states are doing the same with weed. It’s the culmination of a failed drug war.

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A weekend of protests, violence, and enmity in DC revealed what Donald Trump has planned post-presidency.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Covid-19 is surging (again). Schools are closing (again). Kids are learning online (again). And more American parents than ever are turning to …

California tried to strengthen labor rights for gig workers. Uber, Lyft, and their food-delivering cohorts responded with a $200 million propaganda offensive.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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After a fraught Election Week, cable news is finally cutting away from President Trump’s falsehoods. Erik Wemple, media critic for the Washington Post, explains why it might not last.

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The 45th president of the United States has thus far refused to acknowledge the 46th. Political scientist Zeynep Tufekci explains this latest test of …

And some big vaccine news, too.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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-And Kamala Harris, too.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Vox’s Ella Nilsen explains why Democrats are waving goodbye to the blue wave.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains the latest election math, and Ezra Klein argues that, despite record-setting turnout, it wasn’t a great night for American democracy.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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This Election Day, voter turnout is projected to break records in the United States, but it won’t get anywhere close to Australia’s. Professor Lisa Hill explains what happens when you make voting mandatory.

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Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains how Joe Biden — or President Trump — could win 270 electoral votes.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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In the final episode of our five-part series, New York Magazine’s Rebecca Traister and Vox’s Ezra Klein explain how four years of the Trump …

In the fourth of our five-part series, Vox’s Dylan Scott explains how a president with no plan on health care evolved into a president with no plan …

Election turnout is on track to be the highest in a century. Farmers, essential workers, prisoners, and two ladies named Ruth explain their 2020 presidential pick.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Pandemic or not, the highest court in the land won’t extend Wisconsin’s deadline for mailed ballots. Good thing it’s not a swing state. Oh, wait ...

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Alexis Akwagyiram, bureau chief for Reuters in Nigeria, explains how a protest to reform the country’s police made its way around the world.

…

In the third of our five-part series, Vox’s Andrew Prokop says there’s one key takeaway from the Mueller investigation and impeachment: Trump will do anything to win an election.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

…

Bill Barr and Elizabeth Warren have found a common enemy.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Last Christmas, I gave you my health.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The 2020 election is well underway, as are efforts to prevent people from voting.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Live from New York, impressions are trite! Vox critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff explains why late-night TV struggles to satirize President Trump, and argues the internet is doing a much better job.

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In the second of our five-part series, Vox’s Nicole Narea and Jenn Williams explain how President Trump has fundamentally changed the perception of …

A Los Angeles magician struck gold with a glorified Zoom meeting. Some are asking if he’s figured out how to save theater.

Transcript at …

The judge isn’t saying much in her confirmation hearing, but Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains how her legal theory will guide her on the Supreme Court. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. …

Even if Democrats win the White House, take the Senate, and hold the House, most of their legislation could be doomed because of the filibuster. …

In the first of our five-part series, Vox’s Matthew Yglesias explains why President Donald Trump seldom boasts about his biggest accomplishment.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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In June, nine members of the Minneapolis City Council stood onstage at a community rally and pledged to dismantle the police. Council member Alondra …

After months of downplaying the risks, the White House has come down with Covid-19. Vox’s Aaron Rupar gives the updates, and Future Perfect’s Sigal …

President Trump told a fringe group of misogynistic racists to “stand back and stand by” at the first presidential debate. Vox’s Jane Coaston …

President Trump is battling Covid-19 and the vice-presidential debate is days away. McKay Coppins from the Atlantic explains the man waiting in the wings. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The president had a very busy week, then tested positive for the coronavirus. Vox’s Aaron Rupar traces his steps and Ella Nilsen explores the possible scenarios.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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A forgotten protest movement in a seaside Florida town helped end legal segregation in the United States. Vox’s Ranjani Chakraborty explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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While it might feel as though nothing could be worse than last night’s presidential debate, Vox’s Ezra Klein explains what could happen if President …

President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee first garnered attention after being questioned about her Catholic faith. Vox’s Ian Millhiser says that …

That's how much "billionaire" President Trump paid in federal income taxes his first year in office, according to reporting from the New York Times.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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One of the three officers who shot at Breonna Taylor’s apartment was indicted ... for endangering her neighbors. Tessa Duvall from the Louisville …

With mounting concerns over the politicization of federal health agencies, Dr. Anthony Fauci explains why Americans should still trust the vaccine …

What do a bus driver, a teacher, a McDonald’s employee, and a project manager with a conference on her calendar all have in common?

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Republicans appear ready to fill the seat left vacant by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the end of the year. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains Democrats’ last defense.

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The fight over Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat has already begun, but let’s not forget to celebrate her legendary life.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Colleges reopened. Outbreaks followed. Robert J. Jones, chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, explains why he still thinks …

A whistleblower complaint alleges immigrants being detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Georgia have been subjected to involuntary …

After 16 seasons of wildfires, Glen Haydon has figured out how to cope. For everyone else, there’s an app for that.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Trillions spent on the environment, caregiving, manufacturing, and the racial wealth gap: Vox’s Dylan Matthews explains how Biden wants to “Build Back Better.”

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

Vox Media is conducting …

Vox’s Ella Nilsen says the implausible is now looking possible.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The pandemic hasn’t stopped Americans from dating, hooking up, or tying the knot. In fact, lockdown has been helping people get down.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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A chief political rival of Vladimir Putin has been poisoned in what Foreign Policy’s Amy MacKinnon says is a watershed moment for Russia.

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Some people think it’s the only way out of the pandemic. Those people are very wrong.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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As the election draws near, of fake news you must steer clear. For you (and your uncle), this episode is here.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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*But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should go see one.

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Vox’s Emily Stewart clears up the mystery of the market, and Ella Nilsen offers an update on the stimulus that has collapsed into stalemate.

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Ventilation is key to reopening office buildings safely. But The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson says many workers aren’t going back, even when it’s safer.

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company made an “operational mistake” in its handling of Kenosha militia groups. The Verge’s Casey Newton explains whether that has implications for November’s election.

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The actor Chadwick Boseman died of cancer on Friday, but because of Black Panther he’ll live forever.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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All summer long, we have been explaining complex news stories to kids. In our final summer camp journey to the Island of Explained, we tackle the fight for racial justice in the United States.

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The GOP proved that laws were made to be broken at its 2020 convention.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times by police and the protests escalated all the way to the NBA. Gina Barton, investigative reporter at …

Being an optimist can seem ridiculous right now, but in the inaugural episode of The Cut podcast, host Avery Trufelman is searching for some …

Covid’s hottest new treatment is plasma. Vox’s Umair Irfan explains why, and where the world stands on a vaccine.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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As the Republican National Convention gets underway, a bonkers (and dangerous) conspiracy theory is gaining a foothold inside the GOP. President …

The Democrats proved a virtual convention doesn't have to be a downer. Especially when Rhode Island brings calamari.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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ProPublica's Eric Umansky explains how the New York Police Department's Civilian Complaint Review Board has struggled for decades to hold the NYPD to …

Schools in the US are reopening even though kids play a key role in community transmission of Covid-19. Georgia Public Broadcasting reporter Ellen …

The 19th Amendment’s centenary is today, but the fight for universal suffrage in the United States continues.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The House of Representatives is cutting its vacation short to block changes at the United States Postal Service that could affect the integrity and …

After hearing from kids around the world who are grappling with serious boredom, Noam Hassenfeld and Byrd Pinkerton venture deep into the belly of a whale to learn how to have fun in quarantine.

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The coronavirus is complicating our relationships with family, friends, and strangers. But it’s also making us better at life??

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The 2020 census is fighting a losing battle against the coronavirus and President Trump. NPR’s Hansi Lo Wang explains how a decade of money and power are at stake.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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