Explained poster

TV show

Explained

  • Ended
  • 44 episodes
  • TMDB 7.4/10 · 140 votes

Overview

This enlightening series from Vox digs into a wide range of topics such as the rise of cryptocurrency, why diets fail, and the wild world of K-pop.

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Seasons & episodes

Season 1

  1. 1. The Racial Wealth Gap

    19 min

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

  2. 2. Designer DNA

    18 min

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

  3. 3. Monogamy

    18 min

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

  4. 4. K-Pop

    18 min

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

  5. 5. Cryptocurrency

    18 min

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

  6. 6. Why Diets Fail

    18 min

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    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. 7. The Stock Market

    18 min

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

  8. 8. eSports

    18 min

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

  9. 9. Extraterrestrial Life

    20 min

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

  10. 10. !

    16 min

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

  11. 11. Cricket

    15 min

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

  12. 12. Weed

    18 min

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

  13. 13. Tattoo

    17 min

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

  14. 14. Astrology

    17 min

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    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.

  15. 15. Can We Live Forever ?

    14 min

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

  16. 16. The Female Orgasm

    14 min

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

  17. 17. Political Correctness

    20 min

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

  18. 18. Why Women Are Paid Less

    18 min

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

  19. 19. The World's Water Crisis

    17 min

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    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?

  20. 20. Music

    16 min

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    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.

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