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, Explained“Having kids was a mistake”
They thought they would learn to love parenthood. They were wrong. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel…
Today, ExplainedWhen your college closes
Hampshire College's closure is the latest sign of a death spiral in American higher education. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Avishay…
Today, Explained100 days of Mayor Mamdani
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's success may speak to a major shift among liberals on Israel and populism. If the Democratic Party will listen. This…
Today, ExplainedTMZ Goes to Washington
The celebrity tabloid outlet is turning its attention to DC and supercharging a new era of political reporting. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger…
Today, ExplainedThe case for holy war
The Secretary of Defense suggests the Iran war is blessed by God. The head of his church, Pastor Doug Wilson, agrees. Some call Wilson an extremist. He prefers…
Today, ExplainedHow to fight burnout
We've been stuck in cycles of burnout for decades. Have Gen Z workers found a way out? This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Danielle Hewitt…
Today, ExplainedWhy both sides fail on immigration
Immigration might be President Donald Trump’s signature issue, but what do Americans actually think about border security and enforcement? This show was edited…
Today, ExplainedThe secret soundtrack to your life
It's in your TV shows. It's in the ads you watch. It's in your TikToks. Sync music is everywhere, and it's changing the music industry. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedAI just got scarier
Anthropic and OpenAI are proving the inherent difficulties in trusting AI companies with our future. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by…
Today, ExplainedNo ceasefire for Lebanon
Israel and Lebanon are meeting for the first time in decades — even while Israel is still bombing Lebanon. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited…
Today, ExplainedThe Great American Tax Revolt
Across the country, Americans of all political stripes are asking themselves: Why should I have to pay taxes? This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited…
Today, ExplainedNo deal
Trump sent his vice president, son-in-law, and an old business buddy to negotiate an end to the war in Iran. The war...is still going. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedWhy you have to be optimistic
When the world is on fire, it’s difficult to stay hopeful. But our future depends on it. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny Lawton…
Today, ExplainedAmerica Post-Trump
What does US politics look like when Donald Trump is no longer at the center of it? In 2028, voters will get to decide. But for now, we explore. This show was…
Today, ExplainedWhy fan fiction is everywhere
Publishing houses and entertainment studios have come for fan fiction, but writers and readers want to make sure it stays weird. This episode was produced by…
Today, ExplainedKanye's comeback
The rapper, who sold swastika T-shirts and released a song called "Heil Hitler," says he's sorry. Ye or nay? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and…
Today, ExplainedApocalypse Not Now
President Donald Trump moved from an existential threat to a very tentative ceasefire. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi…
Today, ExplainedMission accomplished?
The US war in Iran is reminding people, uncomfortably, of the US war in Iraq — a conflict that raged on for years after leaders declared victory. This episode…
Today, ExplainedWhen nature calls in space
Artemis II is a historic mission for a number of reasons, including the Orion capsule’s bathroom. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by…
Today, ExplainedCan someone explain these prices?
From the gas station to the café to the grocery store, we break down why things cost so much these days. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by…
Today, ExplainedTackling Trump’s corruption
President Donald Trump’s blatant, sometimes open corruption is the focus for Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT). This conversation was a live taping at the American…
Today, ExplainedQuitting OnlyFans
With the death of its billionaire owner, OnlyFans is having a bit of an existential crisis all while porn-quitting apps have never been more popular. This…
Today, ExplainedTucker Carlson explains himself
President Trump has not made a coherent case for the Iran war. On today's show, one of his longtime supporters makes an aggressive case against it…and talks…
Today, ExplainedPushing peptides
The FDA and RFK Jr. want to make it easier for you to take peptides. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi…
Today, ExplainedHow Iran is winning
Iran is using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in the war. It's working. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked…
Today, ExplainedShould we privatize TSA?
The US government shutdown has left TSA workers unpaid, airports a hot mess, and a lot of people wondering if it's time to privatize airport security. This…
Today, ExplainedYour accent… explained
How you talk reveals where you’re from and who you’d like to be. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa…
Today, ExplainedTrump has lost the Iran war hawks
Ambassador John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, pushed for war with Iran for 20 years. But not like this. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedMe, my husband, our girlfriend
Millennial feminist Lindy West's new book is about her path to polyamory. Cue the backlash — to West, her husband, and the idea of polyamory itself. This…
Today, ExplainedTrump vs. DC
President Trump came in like a wrecking ball in his second term, with a transformative vision for the nation's capital. This episode was produced by Avishay…
Today, ExplainedOpenAI owes us $180 billion
OpenAI's founders promised its tech would benefit humanity. Now that it has split into a giant charity and a for-profit company, that mission has gotten…
Today, ExplainedMeme warfare
Have you seen the video of the US military bombing Iran spliced with clips of SpongeBob Squarepants? It’s an official video released by the US government and…
Today, ExplainedAttack of the drones
Iran's cutting-edge drones are changing how wars are fought, and the US is running out of munitions to combat them. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh…
Today, ExplainedThe book of Mormon influence
From TikTok to reality TV, Mormons are having a big moment in pop culture. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina…
Today, ExplainedNancy Pelosi explains her optimism
Nancy Pelosi, the longtime speaker of the House, plans to retire later this year at age 86 after trailblazing a path for women in Democratic politics. This…
Today, ExplainedThe cult of abusive chefs
One of the most influential chefs in the world has been accused of tormenting his staff physically and psychologically. This episode was produced by Avishay…
Today, ExplainedEveryone’s vibe coding
AI code is here to stay. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Andrea López-Cruzado, engineered by David…
Today, ExplainedThe rage bait candidate
James Fishback is racist, antisemitic, economically populist, and the longshot candidate for Florida governor. He might be where the Republicans are heading…
Today, ExplainedBetting on the Iran war
Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are making it possible for just about anyone to profit off war. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh…
Today, ExplainedIran's regime, unchanged
Iran's top leaders are dead, but regime change isn't in sight, and the US and Israel's attacks are dividing Iranians at home and abroad. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedSugar crash
We’re obsessed with sugar. And Big Sugar is obsessed with us. How do we make a break? This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Ariana Aspuru, edited by…
Today, ExplainedBernie vs. the billionaires
Senator Bernie Sanders has a whole new reason to go after the world’s billionaires. We ask him about his proposed annual wealth tax and how he plans to rein in…
Today, ExplainedOne nepo baby to rule them all
David Ellison’s daddy won him Warner Brothers. The rest of us are probably losing. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Avishay Artsy, edited by…
Today, ExplainedIsrael has lost Americans
The war with Iran is deepening divisions in the US-Israel alliance, on both the left and the right. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by…
Today, ExplainedThe kids in ICE detention
The Trump administration's immigration policies are taking a toll on families. No sign that the new pick running the effort will be any more moderate. This…
Today, ExplainedThe price of the Iran war
Gas prices are spiking in the US. Markets are crashing. The whole world will pay for this war. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Avishay Artsy…
Today, ExplainedIs Cuba next?
If you take the president at his word, the answer is yes. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Andrea…
Today, ExplainedYour clutter is holding you back
You won’t wear those jeans again. Or use that pasta maker. So why can’t you get rid of them? This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru with Avishay Artsy…
Today, ExplainedA pro-Israel case against Israel
Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former Chief of Staff, says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who's at the center of the Iran conflict, has isolated…
Today, ExplainedCan we enjoy anything anymore?
It felt like everyone came together for a brief moment after the US men and women won gold in hockey, but not for long. This episode was produced by Miles…
Today, ExplainedWhere is Nancy Guthrie?
No one knows. But that isn't stopping the true crime influencers. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Andrea…
Today, ExplainedAI goes to war
The US military is using AI to wage war while AI companies are fighting about how their tech is used. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Peter…
Today, ExplainedMAHA moms are mad
An executive order regarding pesticides has infuriated some of the most powerful people in the MAHA movement. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and…
Today, ExplainedA man, no plan, Iran
President Trump got what he wanted in Iran: a change in leadership. But what he wants next isn't clear... and seems to change by the minute. This episode was…
Today, ExplainedYou, me, and ADHD
It’s not just for school kids anymore. Why more adults are getting diagnosed with the disorder. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny…
Today, ExplainedThe “Epstein class”
No one did enough to stop Jeffrey Epstein, including elected Democrats. Rep. Ro Khanna says they should be held accountable. The episode was produced by Jesse…
Today, ExplainedThe reality TV that made us
A new documentary about America's Next Top Model has people reckoning with its legacy and the industry that birthed it. This episode was produced by Danielle…
Today, ExplainedConspiracy theory nation
The Epstein files are giving new life to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. American political culture has long been built on conspiracy theorizing. This episode…
Today, ExplainedA toymaker who got tariffed
And then sued the president, and won. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Andrea…
Today, ExplainedThe authoritarian hangover
Beating an authoritarian regime at the ballot box is hard, but rolling back its changes is harder. Just look at Poland. This episode was produced by Miles…