Explained

All Episodes 2018 - 2021
TV-MA

  • Ended
  • #<Network:0x00007fe86ab117c8>
  • 2018-05-23T07:00:00Z
  • 20m
  • 15h 29m (44 episodes)
  • Ezra Klein
  • United States
  • English
  • Vox Entertainment + 1 more, Vox Media
  • Documentary
This documentary series, made in partnership with Vox, explain some of the world's current trends, from politics, to science to pop culture.

44 episodes

Series Premiere

2018-05-23T07:00:00Z

1x01 The Racial Wealth Gap

Series Premiere

1x01 The Racial Wealth Gap

  • 2018-05-23T07:00:00Z20m

Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.

2018-05-23T07:00:00Z

1x02 Designer DNA

1x02 Designer DNA

  • 2018-05-23T07:00:00Z20m

Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.

2018-05-23T07:00:00Z

1x03 Monogamy

1x03 Monogamy

  • 2018-05-23T07:00:00Z20m

What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.

2018-05-30T07:00:00Z

1x04 K-Pop

1x04 K-Pop

  • 2018-05-30T07:00:00Z20m

Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."

2018-06-06T07:00:00Z

1x05 Cryptocurrency

1x05 Cryptocurrency

  • 2018-06-06T07:00:00Z20m

Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.

2018-06-13T07:00:00Z

1x06 Why Diets Fail

1x06 Why Diets Fail

  • 2018-06-13T07:00:00Z20m

Atkins. Paleo. Keto. Do any work in the long term? Experts look at marketing, food environments and genes to explain why diets are often unsuccessful.

2018-06-20T07:00:00Z

1x07 The Stock Market

1x07 The Stock Market

  • 2018-06-20T07:00:00Z20m

Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.

2018-06-27T07:00:00Z

1x08 eSports

1x08 eSports

  • 2018-06-27T07:00:00Z20m

Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters, and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.

2018-07-04T07:00:00Z

1x09 Extraterrestrial Life

1x09 Extraterrestrial Life

  • 2018-07-04T07:00:00Z20m

Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?

2018-07-11T07:00:00Z

1x10 !

1x10 !

  • 2018-07-11T07:00:00Z20m

Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.

2018-07-18T07:00:00Z

1x11 Cricket

1x11 Cricket

  • 2018-07-18T07:00:00Z20m

Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.

2018-07-25T07:00:00Z

1x12 Weed

1x12 Weed

  • 2018-07-25T07:00:00Z20m

Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quests for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.

2018-08-01T07:00:00Z

1x13 Tattoo

1x13 Tattoo

  • 2018-08-01T07:00:00Z20m

They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.

2018-08-08T07:00:00Z

1x14 Astrology

1x14 Astrology

  • 2018-08-08T07:00:00Z20m

Do zodiac signs prescribe your fate? Or do horoscopes' accuracy lie in the placebo effect? Take a look at the science, history and lure of astrology.

2018-08-15T07:00:00Z

1x15 Can We Live Forever ?

1x15 Can We Live Forever ?

  • 2018-08-15T07:00:00Z20m

Can we uncover the secrets to extending the human lifespan? Experts discuss how developments in science -- even the French lilac -- hold some clues.

2018-08-22T07:00:00Z

1x16 The Female Orgasm

1x16 The Female Orgasm

  • 2018-08-22T07:00:00Z20m

The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why and how women are embracing hands on solutions.

2018-08-29T07:00:00Z

1x17 Political Correctness

1x17 Political Correctness

  • 2018-08-29T07:00:00Z20m

Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.

2018-09-05T07:00:00Z

1x18 Why Women Are Paid Less

Hillary Clinton and Anne-Marie Slaughter discuss the cultural norms at the center of the worldwide gender pay gap, including the "motherhood penalty."

2018-09-12T07:00:00Z

1x19 The World's Water Crisis

The global water crisis is at an inflection point. How do we price our most valuable resource, while also ensuring access to it as a human right?

Season Finale

2018-09-19T07:00:00Z

1x20 Music

Season Finale

1x20 Music

  • 2018-09-19T07:00:00Z20m

When does sound become music? Why are humans so uniquely able to master musicality? Researchers talk rhythm, octaves and the magic of song and dance.

Season Premiere

2019-09-26T07:00:00Z

2x01 Cults

Season Premiere

2x01 Cults

  • 2019-09-26T07:00:00Z20m

How do cults lure people in and exert control? Learn a cult’s telltale signs, and how loneliness and life online makes indoctrination easier than ever.

2019-10-03T07:00:00Z

2x02 Billionaires

2x02 Billionaires

  • 2019-10-03T07:00:00Z20m

There are more billionaires than ever. But how does this vast accumulation of wealth affect the world? Mark Cuban and Bernie Sanders offer insights.

2019-10-10T07:00:00Z

2x03 Animal Intelligence

2x03 Animal Intelligence

  • 2019-10-10T07:00:00Z20m

What goes on inside an animal's mind? Figuring out how they think and feel might just be the key to understanding our own place in the world.

2019-10-17T07:00:00Z

2x04 Athleisure

2x04 Athleisure

  • 2019-10-17T07:00:00Z20m

It began with bloomers. Then came spandex. Now we sport leggings and other activewear everywhere. How did comfy, casual clothing go mainstream?

2019-10-24T07:00:00Z

2x05 Coding

2x05 Coding

  • 2019-10-24T07:00:00Z20m

Computer code now controls how we live. But how did these programming languages evolve? And how can they be used to build a new and better world?

2019-10-31T07:00:00Z

2x06 Pirates

2x06 Pirates

  • 2019-10-31T07:00:00Z20m

In pop culture, pirates are often depicted as booty-looting rogues, but their history is far more complicated. See how they became enemies of humanity.

2019-11-07T08:00:00Z

2x07 The Next Pandemic

2x07 The Next Pandemic

  • 2019-11-07T08:00:00Z20m

If you're not worried about a looming global pandemic, you probably should be. Are we prepared for an outbreak? Bill Gates and other experts weigh in.

2019-11-14T08:00:00Z

2x08 The Future of Meat

2x08 The Future of Meat

  • 2019-11-14T08:00:00Z20m

The planet's current rate of meat consumption is unprecedented -- and becoming unsustainable. In the future, will meat alternatives be the answer?

2019-11-21T08:00:00Z

2x09 Beauty

2x09 Beauty

  • 2019-11-21T08:00:00Z20m

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but what exactly makes things such as art and architecture aesthetically pleasing, and why do we like looking?

Season Finale

2019-11-28T08:00:00Z

2x10 Diamonds

Season Finale

2x10 Diamonds

  • 2019-11-28T08:00:00Z20m

A diamond is forever. But why is that? Dig into how these mined pieces of carbon became both a status symbol and a sparkly sign of everlasting love.

Season Premiere

2021-07-16T07:00:00Z

3x01 Sugar

Season Premiere

3x01 Sugar

  • 2021-07-16T07:00:00Z25m

Once crucial for survival, sugar now poses a health risk. Is there a way to satisfy our primeval craving for sweetness in a healthy, balanced way?

2021-07-23T07:00:00Z

3x02 Royalty

3x02 Royalty

  • 2021-07-23T07:00:00Z25m

How do monarchies survive when they no longer wield power? By presenting a royal fairy tale that may not reflect the reality of the past — or present.

2021-07-30T07:00:00Z

3x03 Flags

3x03 Flags

  • 2021-07-30T07:00:00Z23m

A flag can unite, divide and terrorize. Explore how a piece of cloth transformed into a powerful symbol of both love and hate, freedom and oppression.

2021-08-06T07:00:00Z

3x04 Dogs

3x04 Dogs

  • 2021-08-06T07:00:00Z24m

Who's a good dog? They all are! From puppy-dog eyes to feats of heroism, see how canines evolved into humankind's best friends and sources of pure love.

2021-08-13T07:00:00Z

3x05 The End of Oil

3x05 The End of Oil

  • 2021-08-13T07:00:00Z21m

Oil led to huge advancements - and vast inequities. As the planet warms, why is it so hard to turn away from fossil fuels, and can it be done in time?

2021-08-20T07:00:00Z

3x06 Chess

3x06 Chess

  • 2021-08-20T07:00:00Z24m

For centuries, chess has captured hearts and minds — and pawns — and it's more popular than ever. What makes this ever-changing board game so special?

2021-08-27T07:00:00Z

3x07 Your Skin

3x07 Your Skin

  • 2021-08-27T07:00:00Z21m

Don’t panic, but our skin plays host to trillions of bacteria, fungi, mites and other microscopic guests. Go beyond skin-deep with our largest organ.

2021-09-03T07:00:00Z

3x08 Apologies

3x08 Apologies

  • 2021-09-03T07:00:00Z22m

Apologizing is tough, and in this era of public mea culpas, forgiveness isn't guaranteed. What makes for a good apology, and why does it hold such power?

2021-09-10T07:00:00Z

3x09 Hurricanes

3x09 Hurricanes

  • 2021-09-10T07:00:00Z24m

As the planet warms, hurricanes could become even more dangerous and destructive.

2021-09-17T07:00:00Z

3x10 Plastic Surgery

3x10 Plastic Surgery

  • 2021-09-17T07:00:00Z24m

The Instagram face. A shapely posterior. Cosmetic surgery can make the latest beauty trends a reality. Explore its origins and effects, inside and out.

2021-09-24T07:00:00Z

3x11 Dance Crazes

3x11 Dance Crazes

  • 2021-09-24T07:00:00Z21m

From the waltz to voguing, dance crazes have connected people throughout history. But when a dance catches on, who gets the credit — and compensation?

2021-10-01T07:00:00Z

3x12 Time

3x12 Time

  • 2021-10-01T07:00:00Z26m

Time flies… sometimes. Its passage can seem to speed up and slow down. Why do we experience time the way we do, and how do we take back some control?

2021-10-08T07:00:00Z

3x13 Country Music

3x13 Country Music

  • 2021-10-08T07:00:00Z25m

Dirt roads. Pickup trucks. Hip-hop? As the borders around country music shift, who decides what defines the popular genre, and who gets to be a star?

Season Finale

2021-10-15T07:00:00Z

3x14 Fairy Tales

Season Finale

3x14 Fairy Tales

  • 2021-10-15T07:00:00Z24m

Fairy tales have survived thousands of years for a reason. Explore their far-flung history and how the stories speak to fundamental human concerns.

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