Shows / Today, Explained
Today, Explained
Today, Explained is Vox's daily news explainer podcast. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King will guide you through the most important stories of the day. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
Today, ExplainedIs flying still safe?
Recent airplane crashes and near misses have everyone freaked out, just as DOGE is laying off workers at the agency charged with keeping people safe in the…
Today, ExplainedEggs aren't expensive enough
At least if we want to stop the next pandemic. Vox's Kenny Torrella explains. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked…
Today, ExplainedQuid pro bros
First, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump struck up an unlikely friendship. Then, the Trump administration ordered prosecutors to…
Today, ExplainedGermany's rightward march
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party won its best ever results this weekend. We hear why an anti-immigrant, fascist-curious party is surging in…
Today, ExplainedSugar daddies and mommies
Boomers are the wealthiest generation ever. And they're funneling trillions to their adult children for down payments, school tuition, even monthly allowances…
Today, ExplainedVatever you vant, Vladimir
Kremlin defender Tulsi Gabbard is the US’s new spy chief, while the US and Russia are holding peace talks without European and Ukrainian officials at the…
Today, ExplainedBreaking the internet
The Trump administration’s effort to purge government websites is accelerating digital decay. It’s a trend that imperils our record of ourselves. This episode…
Today, ExplainedMr. Project 2025
Russell Vought is the architect and legal scholar behind the Trump administration’s attempt to reshape the federal government. Simon Rabinovitch, US economics…
Today, ExplainedIs science in danger?
Funding cuts and research censorship have shaken the foundations of America’s health and science agencies, leaving researchers shocked, confused, and afraid…
Today, ExplainedThe making of a beauty king
Sephora revolutionized high-end beauty and turned tiny brands into household names. Now, comes the reckoning. Fast Company’s Liz Segran on whether Sephora is…
Today, ExplainedElon's African roots
President Trump is offering to resettle white South Africans in the US, and his white South African bestie may have something to do with it. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedTater bot
The prices of all kinds of things have stayed stubbornly high even as inflation has cooled. And a spate of lawsuits point to algorithmic price fixing as the…
Today, ExplainedDOGE-y behavior
Elon Musk promised to feed "USAID into the wood chipper." The way he's dismantling the agency provides a roadmap for the administration moving forward. This…
Today, ExplainedGuantanamo’s other history
The Trump administration has begun detaining migrants at Guantanamo Bay. For more than 40 years, the US has sent immigrants to Gitmo, explains Jeffrey Kahn of…
Today, ExplainedSuper Bowl GNX
Kendrick Lamar is celebrating his latest album, GNX, on the biggest stage in American music. But everyone wants to know if he’s bringing the beef. NPR’s Sidney…
Today, ExplainedChaos in Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is at war. Again. Sixty-five years of mismanagement began with a CIA assassination plot that condemned millions of…
Today, ExplainedDemocrats, where you at?
NBC News reporter Sahil Kapur and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) try to explain if the Democrats are, like, dead. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited…
Today, ExplainedTariffied
The first battles have now been fought in the new North American trade war. President Donald Trump came out on top. Companies that make things across multiple…
Today, ExplainedRebuilding Los Angeles
LA Times reporter Liam Dillon assesses the damage now that the fires are fully contained. Torched editor Alissa Walker explains how the 2028 Olympics might…
Today, ExplainedTurkey with the good hair
Turkey has become the hair transplant capital of the world. And it's part of a global boom in medical tourism. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh…
Today, ExplainedDeepSeek deepdive
The emergence of DeepSeek — a Chinese AI model that was developed for a fraction of the cost of leading Western ones, but seems to perform on par with them —…
Today, ExplainedHow America went MAHA
RFK Jr. adviser Calley Means explains why so many Americans are suspicious of food and pharma companies, and what the HHS secretary nominee plans to do about…
Today, ExplainedTrump’s government purge
Trump is remaking the federal government in his name, says Vox’s Andrew Prokop. Efforts at a more efficient government may have a point, says Jennifer Pahlka…
Today, ExplainedThe Silk Road pardon
President Donald Trump pardoned Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht and launched his own memecoin, signaling a new attitude toward cryptocurrency in his second…
Today, ExplainedFrom TikTok to 小红书
TikTok's uncertain future has driven a flood of users to a fully Chinese social media app full of opportunities for genuine cultural exchange. And it's given…
Today, ExplainedIt’s not easy being Greenland
Donald Trump says he wants Greenland for America. Greenlandic government minister Naaja Nathanielsen says the country's not for sale but it's open for…
Today, ExplainedCafeteria wars
RFK Jr. is the latest in a long line of reformers who have tried to clean up school lunch. The history of those attempts illustrates how hard it is to change…
Today, ExplainedBack in (executive) action
Trump kicked off his second term with a flurry of executive actions. Vox’s Andrew Prokop and Nicole Narea explain. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn…
Today, Explained47
The New Yorker’s Susan B. Glasser says Donald Trump’s second inauguration is very different from his first. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains how the Supreme…
Today, ExplainedGeneration Gentle Parent
Many millennials are pushing back against traditional parenting styles used by their boomer parents. We explore the confusion and chaos in today's parenting…
Today, ExplainedZuck your feelings
Meta is going MAGA. New York magazine’s John Herrman explains Mark Zuckerberg’s makeover. Writer Ben Wofford introduces Meta’s policy puppet master. This…
Today, ExplainedLife after Ozempic
Americans were told “diet and exercise” was the key to better health, but lifestyle changes were never that life changing. Medication is. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedThe politics of fire
Wildfires overtook Los Angeles, firefighters ran out of water, and the political finger-pointing began. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Travis…
Today, ExplainedThe Good, the Bad, and the Biden
Biden’s lack of leadership and priorities means he will leave office without any real lasting policy achievements, says Vox's Dylan Matthews. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedBeige, don't kill my vibe
Two Amazon influencers are in a legal battle over whether or not one has appropriated the other’s aesthetic. The Verge’s Mia Sato breaks down the claims, and…
Today, ExplainedTikTok on the dock(et)
The TikTok ban lands at the Supreme Court on Friday. Turns out ByteDance is far from the only Chinese company in the US government’s crosshairs. This episode…
Today, ExplainedSeoul searching
South Korean lawmakers impeached not only their martial-law-declaring president but also the guy who stepped up to replace him. The Wall Street Journal's Korea…
Today, ExplainedMAGA meltdown
MAGA is fighting over immigration. Vox’s Andrew Prokop tells us what happened, and the Wall Street Journal’s Tim Higgins explains why it isn’t the first time…
Today, Explained"Happy Sixthmas"
January 6 is always a big day in the DC jail where many alleged insurrectionists are awaiting trial and sentencing. It's even bigger this year, with "Patriot…
Today, ExplainedCanadian bakin’
More Americans are now daily weed smokers than daily drinkers. To better understand this public health experiment, we turn to Canada, which has federally…
- Today, Explained
Elon's company town
The world's richest man is developing a company town outside Austin, Texas. Like the industrialists who came before him, Elon Musk may learn it’s hard to…
Today, ExplainedWhen Carter called out America
In 1979, Jimmy Carter delivered his “Crisis of Confidence” speech, a tirade against American individualism and consumerism. Historian Kevin Mattson says the…
Today, ExplainedAlmost Heaven
The appeal of "Country Roads" extends far beyond West Virginia or even the United States. We're revisiting an episode from this summer that examines the global…
Today, ExplainedOur trillion-dollar credit card bill
Christmas is over and now comes the financial hangover. In an episode from earlier this year, guest host Jonquilyn Hill looks into the root causes of America's…
Today, ExplainedThe case against legal sports betting
Sports betting is a costly mistake, says addiction researcher Charles Fain Lehman. He and NBA great Danny Green discuss how it's changed sports for the worse…
Today, ExplainedOne year of Sphere
The Las Vegas Sphere was supposed to be the future of live entertainment. But just over a year into its run, New York Post writer Josh Kosman explains why the…
Today, ExplainedThe price of paying college athletes
Name and likeness rights are fundamentally changing college sports at a rapid pace. SB Nation’s JP Acosta and sports commentator Pablo Torre explain. This…
Today, ExplainedCan Trump get a Gaza ceasefire?
He'd love to take credit for a deal, although Israel and Hamas are still deadlocked. But Amir Tibon of Haaretz and Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign…
Today, ExplainedThe right to die
A growing number of countries are legalizing assisted suicide, mostly for terminally ill patients. The Washington Post's Karla Adam and Vox's Marin Cogan…
Today, ExplainedTrump trolls the neighbours
President-elect Trump says he can see Justin Trudeau becoming governor of “the great state of Canada.” It’s part of a pressure campaign to get big concessions…
Today, ExplainedTrad wife takeover
Trad wives are having a moment. A new conservative women’s magazine promising to be the anti-Cosmo is capitalizing on the trend. This episode was produced by…
Today, ExplainedWill Syrians return home?
Syrian refugees are celebrating the end of the Assad regime. But for Omar Alshogre and millions like him, going back to Syria is a complicated decision. This…
Today, ExplainedA win in the opioid crisis
The US saw a significant drop in the number of drug overdose deaths. The Trump administration has a shot at keeping the trend going. STAT News's addiction…
Today, ExplainedThe UnitedHealth CEO shooting
Gothamist’s Brittany Kriegstein explains who police just arrested. STAT News’s Bob Herman explains the anger resonating against UnitedHealthcare. This episode…
Today, ExplainedTarget misses the mark
As Target struggles to retain its customers, rivals like Walmart are making gains. The Wall Street Journal’s Sarah Nassauer explains what’s behind this retail…
Today, ExplainedThe truth about Y2K
Kyle Mooney dreams up a New Year’s Eve 1999 apocalypse. Historian Zachary Loeb explains why the real Y2K wasn't one. This episode was produced by Avishay…
Today, ExplainedReigniting Syria's civil war
A rebel group changed the course of Syria's long civil war when it seized Aleppo this past weekend. The Syria Report's Jihad Yazigi tells us what motivates the…
Today, ExplainedCan DOGE cut $2 trillion?
Elon, Vivek, and the Department of Government Efficiency want to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. A libertarian says the only way to do that is to…
Today, ExplainedThe Hunter becomes the pardoned
On Saturday, future President Donald Trump announced Kash Patel would lead the FBI. On Sunday, current President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter…
Today, ExplainedWrestling with the Education Department
Trump has named wrestling tycoon Linda McMahon to be his secretary of education. She’ll be tasked with his campaign promise of … closing the department she’ll…