Episode list

Explained

The Racial Wealth Gap
Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.
7.4 /10
Designer DNA

Tue, May 22, 2018
Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.
7.7 /10
Monogamy

Tue, May 22, 2018
What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.
7.2 /10
K-Pop

Tue, May 29, 2018
Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style".
6.6 /10
Cryptocurrency

Tue, Jun 05, 2018
Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and why it's so coveted.
7 /10
Why Diets Fail

Tue, Jun 12, 2018
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.
7.2 /10
The Stock Market
Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.
7.2 /10
eSports

Tue, Jun 26, 2018
Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.
7.1 /10
Extraterrestrial Life
Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?
7.4 /10
Exclamation Mark (!)
Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.
7.2 /10
Cricket

Tue, Jul 17, 2018
Explained looks at the popular English sport of cricket. First developed in the mid-1800s, cricket has grown into one of the most popular sports in the world. It looks at the complicated and confusing rules behind the game and examines how the British Empire exported the game to its colonies including the West Indies and India. It also looks at different forms of the game including test cricket and Twenty20 cricket.
7 /10
Weed

Tue, Jul 24, 2018
Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quest for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.
7.5 /10
Tattoo

Tue, Jul 31, 2018
They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.
7 /10
Astrology

Tue, Aug 07, 2018
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.
6.7 /10
Can We Live Forever?
An examination of aging, what causes us to live longer and what limits us from living even longer. In addition, the history of human longevity is examined, including the breakthroughs and developments that caused longevity to increase.
7.6 /10
The Female Orgasm
The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why -- and how women are embracing hands-on solutions.
7.5 /10
Political Correctness
Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.
7 /10
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."
7.3 /10
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?
8.2 /10
Music

Tue, Sep 18, 2018
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.
7.4 /10
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