Explained
This documentary series, made in partnership with Vox, explain some of the world's current trends, from politics, to science to pop culture.
Seasons
1. The Racial Wealth Gap
Air Date: 2018-05-23
Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.
2. Designer DNA
Air Date: 2018-05-23
Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.
3. Monogamy
Air Date: 2018-05-23
What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.
4. K-Pop
Air Date: 2018-05-30
Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."
5. Cryptocurrency
Air Date: 2018-06-06
Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.
6. Why Diets Fail
Air Date: 2018-06-13
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. The Stock Market
Air Date: 2018-06-20
Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.
8. eSports
Air Date: 2018-06-27
Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters, and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.
9. Extraterrestrial Life
Air Date: 2018-07-04
Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?
10. !
Air Date: 2018-07-11
Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.
11. Cricket
Air Date: 2018-07-18
Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.
12. Weed
Air Date: 2018-07-25
Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quests for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.
13. Tattoo
Air Date: 2018-08-01
They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.
14. Astrology
Air Date: 2018-08-08
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. Can We Live Forever ?
Air Date: 2018-08-15
Can we uncover the secrets to extending the human lifespan? Experts discuss how developments in science -- even the French lilac -- hold some clues.
16. The Female Orgasm
Air Date: 2018-08-22
The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why and how women are embracing hands on solutions.
17. Political Correctness
Air Date: 2018-08-29
Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.
18. Why Women Are Paid Less
Air Date: 2018-09-05
Hillary Clinton and Anne-Marie Slaughter discuss the cultural norms at the center of the worldwide gender pay gap, including the "motherhood penalty."
19. The World's Water Crisis
Air Date: 2018-09-12
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. Music
Air Date: 2018-09-19
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.
1. Cults
Air Date: 2019-09-26
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.
2. Billionaires
Air Date: 2019-10-03
There are more billionaires than ever. But how does this vast accumulation of wealth affect the world? Mark Cuban and Bernie Sanders offer insights.
3. Animal Intelligence
Air Date: 2019-10-10
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.
4. Athleisure
Air Date: 2019-10-17
It began with bloomers. Then came spandex. Now we sport leggings and other activewear everywhere. How did comfy, casual clothing go mainstream?
5. Coding
Air Date: 2019-10-24
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?
6. Pirates
Air Date: 2019-10-31
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.
7. The Next Pandemic
Air Date: 2019-11-07
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.
8. The Future of Meat
Air Date: 2019-11-14
The planet's current rate of meat consumption is unprecedented -- and becoming unsustainable. In the future, will meat alternatives be the answer?
9. Beauty
Air Date: 2019-11-21
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?
10. Diamonds
Air Date: 2019-11-28
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.
1. Sugar
Air Date: 2021-07-16
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?
2. Royalty
Air Date: 2021-07-23
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.
3. Flags
Air Date: 2021-07-30
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.
4. Dogs
Air Date: 2021-08-06
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.
5. The End of Oil
Air Date: 2021-08-13
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?
6. Chess
Air Date: 2021-08-20
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?
7. Your Skin
Air Date: 2021-08-27
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.
8. Apologies
Air Date: 2021-09-03
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?
9. Hurricanes
Air Date: 2021-09-10
As the planet warms, hurricanes could become even more dangerous and destructive.
10. Plastic Surgery
Air Date: 2021-09-17
The Instagram face. A shapely posterior. Cosmetic surgery can make the latest beauty trends a reality. Explore its origins and effects, inside and out.
11. Dance Crazes
Air Date: 2021-09-24
From the waltz to voguing, dance crazes have connected people throughout history. But when a dance catches on, who gets the credit — and compensation?
12. Time
Air Date: 2021-10-01
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?
13. Country Music
Air Date: 2021-10-08
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?
14. Fairy Tales
Air Date: 2021-10-15
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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Rating
7.4/10
Release Date
2018-05-23
Episodes
44 (3 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Videos
Production Companies
Vox Entertainment
Vox Media Studios