Episodes

From Vox — Today, Explained

All other episodes in this feed.

Episodes

Blame it on the inflammation 2026-09-04
We are living in a time of inflammation information overload. Chronic inflammation is real, but Vox’s Unexplainable asks if it’s all bad. This…
The farmers turning on Trump 2026-09-03
As farmers and rural voters reel from moves made by the Trump administration, Democrats see an opening. This episode was produced by Peter…
Everyone hates data centers 2026-09-02
Data centers have become politically untenable, even in very Republican Texas. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Miranda…
Meta cares about kids now?! 2026-09-01
Meta is giving teens a curfew on Instagram and Facebook. And they want other social media sites to join them. This episode was produced by Hady…
Is anything safe to eat? 2026-08-31
It’s been a summer of food-safety scares and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new cooking show probably isn’t going to make things better. This episode was…
How to survive a flop 2026-08-30
In the streaming era, success is public, failure is viral, and everyone's one release away from a flop era. How do you come back? This episode was…
The politics of Gen Z 2026-08-29
What’s up with the kids these days? We asked a Gen Z researcher to explain her generation’s politics.  This show was edited by Kasia…
Dolly Parton's platform 2026-08-28
Dolly Parton never endorsed a party or candidate, but that doesn't mean she was apolitical. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by…
Our $40,000,000,000,000 debt 2026-08-27
The US debt keeps breaking records. Should we panic? This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel…
Trump’s Ballroom Blitz 2026-08-26
President Trump is racing to finish his ballroom, and if the Supreme Court doesn't stop him it will have major implications for conservation efforts…
Trump's human printer 2026-08-25
Natalie Harp may be the most powerful executive assistant in the world, and her unusual relationship with her boss — the president — is getting a…
Medicare for All fever 2026-08-24
A new crop of Democrats is running on an old slogan: Medicare for All. Now might be the moment it finally catches on. This episode was produced by…
Why everyone's an introvert now 2026-08-23
Move aside extroverts. In this episode — which aired last year — we explore personality types and whether they are set in stone. This episode was…
Is MAGA still electable? 2026-08-22
Left-leaning Democratic candidates have faced a lot of scrutiny in the last year about whether they’re “electable” in a general election. Why aren’t…
The pop girlies are sad 2026-08-21
Ella Langley’s heartbreak anthem “Choosin’ Texas” is ruling the charts in this sad girl summer we’re having. This episode was produced by Ariana…
The tragedy of Jason Arday 2026-08-20
What the death of a star Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism tells us about race, culture, and who we are. This episode was produced by Dustin…
Trans Panic! At The WNBA 2026-08-19
When WNBA player Sophie Cunningham recently said she wanted to protect girls in sports from "biological men," a new front in the culture wars opened…
Flock cameras are watching you 2026-08-18
Law enforcement agencies are using a vast network of AI-powered license plate cameras to track drivers. You may not have noticed them, but they have…
The last real place on the internet 2026-08-17
Reddit is one of the last remaining websites where people are still talking to people. But brands and AI bots want in. This episode was produced by…
Why can’t I remember being a baby? 2026-08-16
Even if we have little to no memory of our first few years, our earliest experiences still matter. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt,…
Hasan Piker’s challenge to the center 2026-08-15
Democrats have been duking it out all summer. He’s at the center of it all. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim,…
The influencer recession 2026-08-14
An oversaturated internet filled with slop has made influencing a lot harder. It's left creators and brands scrambling for ways to regain our…
“Woke 1 was crazy” 2026-08-13
The progressive left wants your vote. But some candidates for major races have a lot of online baggage. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto,…
Testosterone is all the rage 2026-08-12
Prescriptions for testosterone are way up. But it's not just men looking to live a high-T life. We revisit our show on taking T. This episode was…
The AIPAC backlash 2026-08-11
AIPAC is one of the biggest spenders in American politics. This year, it could backfire. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Peter…
MAGA rethinks Ukraine 2026-08-10
After years of skepticism, an important MAGA figure is warming to the Ukrainian cause. And she has the ear of the president. This episode was…
Vacation? In this economy? 2026-08-09
Gas is expensive and Europeans want us to stay home. How can you still make use of that precious PTO? This episode was produced by Denise Guerra,…
The gas price vote 2026-08-08
Will high gas prices actually change how people vote? We went to Pennsylvania to find out.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact…
TV is getting dumber 2026-08-07
We revisit an episode about how our shrinking attention spans are changing TV. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers,…
The Lindsay Clancy murder trial 2026-08-06
A Massachusetts jury is weighing whether a woman should be convicted in the deaths of her three young children or found not guilty based on her…
The communist comeback 2026-08-05
There's a new Red Scare bubbling up in politics. Just how real is the communist threat? This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina…
“It must suck to be young” 2026-08-04
Young people used to vote reliably blue. But they're burnt out on politics as usual, which means their votes are up for grabs. This episode was…
Weapons of mass infection 2026-08-03
A new book imagines the chaos that could unfold if a biological weapon were released — either accidentally or on purpose. This episode was produced…
Going broke on wellness 2026-08-02
Americans spend billions on healthcare products, from green powders and cold plunges to costly gym memberships. Last summer we asked: what good do…
Fantasy draft: 2028 presidential race 2026-08-01
Journalists Astead Herndon, Don Lemon, and Kara Swisher hold a fantasy draft to find out who has the best shot at becoming president in 2028. This…
Dad, where’s my inheritance? 2026-07-31
When boomers die, they’ll leave trillions to their adult children. Some of those kids say they should get that money now. This episode was produced…
The culture wars turn deadly 2026-07-30
The US is intentionally losing a fight against HIV that could be won. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers and…
The scandal undoing the ICC 2026-07-29
The International Criminal Court has a lot on its hands. The chief prosecutor was ousted over abuse allegations, the Trump administration is on the…
AI just went rogue 2026-07-28
OpenAI recently briefly lost control of an AI agent during a contained security test. After years of warnings, AI is now outsmarting its masters.…
The Trump-Saudi-Israel drama 2026-07-27
The US and Saudi Arabia signed a nuclear deal but Israel hates it. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina…
The perimenopause moment 2026-07-26
Women’s health and hormones have been misunderstood by the medical establishment for decades. That’s changing. This episode was produced by Ariana…
The Boomer politicians who won't retire 2026-07-25
Democratic Congressman James Clyburn turned 86 years old this week. He has no plans to retire. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact…
America’s best hot dog 2026-07-24
Chef José Andrés explains what makes the winning wiener. A DC hot dog vendor respectfully disagrees. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger,…
Our tick nightmare 2026-07-23
Ticks are exponentially expanding their territory, using us for their next blood meal. We must fight back. This episode was produced by Danielle…
The truth about Iran 2026-07-22
The on-again, off-again war is on again. But we still don't know the point of it all or how it will end. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan…
Defunding Israel 2026-07-21
Democrats in Congress voted in shocking numbers to cut aid to Israel. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto with help from Miles Bryan, edited…
Trump's 2020 obsession 2026-07-20
President Trump has a midterm message that Republicans hate and Democrats love. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Denise Guerra, edited…
What's in a name? 2026-07-19
Jalen and Olivia and Liam and Ailany. We look at what makes a name top the popularity charts. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited…
Progressives take on the Rust Belt 2026-07-18
First there was New York, then Colorado. But can a progressive candidate win in the Rust Belt? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact…
Parasite (2026) 2026-07-17
Cyclospora can cause explosive diarrhea that can last a month. But you don’t need to swear off vegetables. This episode was produced by Kelli…
Vance vs. Rubio 2028 2026-07-16
The Republican front-runners for the 2028 presidential nomination represent two competing visions for post-Trump conservatism. This episode was…
Anarchy in the UK 2026-07-15
The UK is about to have its seventh prime minister in 10 years. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by…
The Mitch McConnell mystery 2026-07-14
You'd probably get fired for not showing up to work for a month — unless you're a member of Congress. This episode was produced by Peter…
ICE kills again 2026-07-13
The new guy overseeing ICE was supposed to dial back the shock and awe. But in Houston, another person was just shot and killed by an ICE agent.…
Tanning is back 2026-07-12
Never mind skin cancer. Summer 2026 is all about tanmaxxing. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by…
Kamala, 2028 2026-07-11
The former vice president’s loyal base seems ready for another go, but Democratic donors are wary.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian,…
Love Island or Lust Island? 2026-07-10
Love Island has some lessons to teach us about modern dating. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by…
Pope Leo excommunicates 2026-07-09
The recent excommunication of a conservative Catholic group and a sharp stance on AI means that Pope Leo XIV is dealing with the same problems as…
Smart glasses are officially here 2026-07-08
There's a race to get smart glasses on your face. But privacy and security concerns are freaking people out. This episode was produced by Avishay…
A white, male military 2026-07-07
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been blocking military promotions — especially if you're a woman, Black, or perceived as disloyal. This…
Trump’s secret war 2026-07-06
America's longest ongoing conflict isn't with Iran. It's in Somalia. But almost no one is talking about it. This episode was produced by Hady…
The socialists are coming! 2026-07-02
The Democratic Socialists of America is seeing a surge of enthusiasm for its candidates around the country. This episode was produced by Danielle…
Jared and Ivanka’s accidental revolution 2026-07-01
Jared and Ivanka Kushner thought they were investing in luxury resorts in Albania. Instead, they sparked the biggest protests the country has seen…
Everything is dupes 2026-06-30
Fender declared war on guitar makers. Lululemon declared war on Costco. Ugg declared war on Quince. Welcome to the era of the dupe product wars.…
The World Cup is healing us 2026-06-29
The World Cup is showing what Trump can’t destroy about America. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru and Kelli Wessinger, edited by Amina…
Can we cheat death? 2026-06-28
The trick to living a longer, happier life. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Michelle Hirsch,…
How Trump lost the bro vote 2026-06-27
The group of men that famously helped propel Trump to the White House in 2024 is having second thoughts. Here’s what that means for Republicans in…
Lonely fans 2026-06-26
No friends, no kids, no partner. You might think their lives are sad, but loneliness influencers are attracting huge followings. This episode was…
The Reflecting Pool fiasco 2026-06-25
Donald Trump famously came to Washington, DC to “drain the swamp,” but he may have inadvertently created one. This episode was produced by Hady…
The world’s stingiest trillionaire 2026-06-24
Ten ways Elon Musk could use his money to make the world a better place... and why he probably won’t. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru,…
The Trump phone grift 2026-06-23
President Trump's ongoing efforts to become a mobile mogul and to run a bank suggest Trump grift is alive and well. This episode was produced by…
North Korea's girl dad dictator 2026-06-22
North Korea has been led by a string of vicious dictators — all men. But Kim Jong Un seems to be auditioning his daughter for the job. This episode…
How to beat mosquitoes 2026-06-21
They’re the deadliest animal on the planet. Now even Google is getting into the extermination business. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru,…
The young candidates shaking up the Dem Party 2026-06-20
AI, policing and generational change are among the issues influencing two primary races in New York that reflect the broader 2026 midterms. This…
The death of dating 2026-06-19
Gen Z is saying no to dating and backing away from romantic relationships. This episode of The Gray Area explains why. This episode was produced by…
How Trump’s maps could backfire 2026-06-18
The president's push to redraw congressional maps to favor Republicans is making voters mad on both sides. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan,…
Iran won the war 2026-06-17
Deal or no deal? Doesn’t matter. The war on Iran has irrevocably transformed the country and the region. This episode was produced by Peter…
Why the Antichrist is back 2026-06-16
Former supporters of President Trump have speculated about whether he could be the Antichrist. Accusations like this are not new to politics in the…
Trump loves the inflation 2026-06-15
President Trump's messaging on the economy is increasingly bizarre. So is our perception of it. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and…
The lost art of handwriting 2026-06-14
How our relationship with writing has changed, and how that’s changed us. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Avishay Artsy,…