Explain It to Me

A caller asks why it's so hard to make biking safe in LA. We bike around different US cities to get the answer. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Colleen Barrett, engineered by Matthew Billy, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo of a cyclist in a bike lane intersection in Washington, DC by Kevin Carter/Getty Images.  If you have a question, give us...

Press-on nails, new music from Katy Perry, and an uptick in Klarna purchases: signs of an economic downturn or no?  This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Matthew Billy, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo of Katy Perry performing in Sydney, Australia by Nina Franova/Getty Images. If you have a question, give us a call o...

For the first time in decades, American Christianity is not in decline. What are young people looking for–and finding–at church? Further reading: The surprising chasm splitting Americans along religious lines by Christian Paz. Pew report: Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off.  This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by...

It feels like sneezing season lasts longer and takes more victims every year. An allergist and a public health specialist explain how to fight back. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Matthew Billy, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Bernd Weißbrod/picture alliance via Getty Images.  If you have a question for u...

With the at-home DNA testing company 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to all the data millions of Americans handed over? And how should you approach the family you've found through sites like these? If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545. Or send us a note here.  Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members This episode was produced by H...

Fashion has made a big swing from a strict set of rules to the idea that we should all just wear what we want. But personal style is still dictated by outside forces. And a lot of people don't even know where to start. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Matthew Billy, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Image of Clinton...

With 401(k)s taking a hit and the fate of Social Security uncertain, we get some advice for how to talk to the elders in your life about work and retirement. This episode was produced by Carla Javier and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo credit: Momo Productions/Getty Images.  Call u...

Many worry that the clean energy transition will be derailed by the Trump administration. But there's reason to believe otherwise. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Call in your question at 1-800-618-8545. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch and engineered by Matthew Billy. Photo of wind t...

For decades, high schools and parents have prioritized college for all graduating seniors. Now, more students are asking if there's another way. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Colleen Barrett, engineered by Matthew Billy and Patrick Boyd and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. Lear...

Given the economy and interest rates, homebuying doesn't seem like it’s necessarily the way to go anymore. So consider this not your parents’ real estate advice.  If you have a question about a story that matters to your life, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Carla Javier. It was edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered b...

Vox Members now get all our podcasts, ad-free. If you become a member, you will also get unlimited reading on our website, member-exclusive newsletters, and more special perks as a thank you. If you’d like to support our work and get ad-free listening on our podcasts, go to vox.com/members today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drivers and passengers are right: Car headlights are brighter now. And the solutions aren't simple. If you have a question for us, please give a call at 1-800-618-8545 or send a note at vox.com/askvox. This episode was produced and sound designed by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by zhen li fo...

Gen X women are freeing themselves from the hangups of the '90s, and having the best sex of their lives. Media portrayals of middle-aged women are starting to catch up too. If you have a question for us, please call us at 1-800-618-8545 or send a note at vox.com/askvox. This episode was produced and sound designed by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch, e...

There's a backlash against corporate DEI efforts, and it’s not just from the right. It's everywhere. What does that mean for employees? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, mixed by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo credit: jeffbergen for Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

The rules of romance have changed, and many young men feel they can't keep up. We get some tips from a Texas men's relationship coach. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Carla Javier, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch, mixed by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Shutterstock image by fstop Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...

Listener Tessa was at the airport and noticed that the REAL ID deadline had been extended — yet again — to May 2025. Why does it keep happening? Will REAL ID will ever become a thing? Team Explain It to Me goes on a reporting journey to bring her an answer nearly 20 years in the making.  If you have a question, please give us a call at 1-800-618-8545, or you can fill out this form.  This episode w...

Starting this week, Explain It to Me is moving to Sundays. Check out our next episode here on March 2. You can also find us in the Today, Explained feed as of Sunday, March 9. If you have questions you'd like us to investigate, call our hotline: 1-800-618-8545. The Explain It to Me newsletter is publishing Sundays now too! Sign up here: https://www.vox.com/pages/explain-it-to-me-newsletter-sign-up...

We spend about a third of our lives either sleeping or trying to fall asleep. Why are we so bad at it? We ask behavioral sleep specialist Jade Wu.  This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Carla Javier, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.  Have a question about relationships, the workplace, health or anything el...

Listener Elisa has heard egg freezing touted as “an easy, perfect solution” for women who want to have it all, but she’s skeptical. Writer MeiMei Fox tells the disastrous story of freezing her own eggs, and Vox senior correspondent Anna North explains why freezing your eggs is not really a girlboss panacea. Do you have a question about navigating family planning or reproductive health? Give us a c...

What’s going on with all those layoffs in the gaming industry? What does being “middle class” actually mean? What’s up with this weird thing that happens when I sleep? Life is full of questions: simple ones with complicated answers and complicated ones with simple answers hiding in plain sight. Explain It to Me is here to answer the ones that matter most to you. We’re your go-to hotline for all th...

Should I give up flying for the environment’s sake? Is it ethical to stay on Twitter and Facebook if I don’t like the owners’ politics? If a DNA test shows that my dad isn't my biological dad, should I tell him? There are no bad questions. But there are some that are really hard to answer. Those are the ones Vox senior reporter Sigal Samuel likes to tackle. This week on Explain It to Me, she tells...

After seeing someone make an illegal left turn, Mike joked to his daughter that they should do a citizen’s arrest. She had no idea what he was talking about, and now Mike wants to know: wait, are citizen’s arrests actually a real-life thing, or just something he saw on TV? And if they are real, how do they work? And what do they say about crime and policing in our country? This week on Explain It...

When it gets cold outside, we get colds inside. We also get the flu. And RSV. And — lately — norovirus. We all know that washing our hands helps defend against illness. But with what? There’s too many kinds of soap, and not all of them will keep you healthy in every situation. Should you up the ante with antibacterial or does bar soap set the bar? This week on Explain It to Me, host Jonquilyn Hill...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Cuffing season. Or is it? That’s the question Antares asked this week. She told her lovelorn friend he’ll have better luck on dating apps once the temperatures drop, but then she wondered… is that actually true? This week on Explain It to Me, host Jonquilyn Hill goes on a journey to find out if Cuffing Season is real. She speaks with artist Musa Murchison,...

Are hush puppies racist? Why do we celebrate weddings with a multi-tiered, super fancy, sometimes not particularly tasty, very expensive cake? Can a dairy-intolerant person actually drink a glass of A2 milk?  These three questions came from listeners. Just not our listeners. They came to Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley, hosts of Gastropod, a show that investigates the history and science behind...