Today, Explained

Vox’s Adam Clark Estes explains why that might be a good thing. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Photo via Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http...

Bloomberg’s Loren Grush explains how two astronauts got stuck on the International Space Station and astronaut Cady Coleman tells us why she is jealous of them. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Matt Collette, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images. Transcript...

Noel closes out her week in Chicago with a recap of Kamala Harris’s speech. Political strategist Mike Podhorzer looks ahead. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Matt Collette, engineered by Rob Byers and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images. Transcript at vox....

Around 50,000 migrants have poured into Chicago in the last two years. Some Chicagoans are furious. We talk to residents, clergy, and migrants on Chicago's South Side about an issue that may be Kamala Harris's biggest liability. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Avishay Artsy, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hoste...

The Democrats call Black women the "backbone" of their party. We ask three Black women delegates in Chicago about making history, Gaza, and Black men voting for Trump. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andi Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Photo by Gerry Melendez/San Francisco Chronicle via G...

The last two Democratic presidents took distinct approaches toward leading their party and the nation. New York magazine’s Jonathan Chait explains why he thinks Kamala Harris should embrace Barack Obama’s style of governance over Joe Biden’s. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard with help from Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd a...

When Chicago hosted the Democratic National Convention in 1968, it descended into riots in the street and chaos on the floor. Historian Rick Perlstein talks about whether 2024 risks a repeat. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andi Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Photo credit: Bettman / Getty...

But it doesn't have to. Myisha Battle, a sexologist and host of KCRW’s How's Your Sex Life?, tells us how to move beyond the apps. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi with help from Lissa Soep, fact-checked by Matt Collette, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox M...

Donald Trump keeps referencing the infamous fictional cannibal in his speeches. Intelligencer’s Margaret Hartmann attempts to explain why. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy with help from Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Toda...

Bangladeshis are about to find out if a Nobel laureate can run their government better than a nepo baby. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah with help from Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member...

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are vying for Silicon Valley's support. Democrats typically get it. But Elon Musk threw his weight behind Trump in an interview last night on X. The Wall Street Journal's Emily Glazer examines a shift in the valley's values. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kris...

Students are returning to college campuses this month armed with generative AI tools. One professor who has banned them and one who has embraced them explain why. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast...

Paris wanted this to be the greenest Olympics ever. We assess. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices....

A clinical trial for MDMA-assisted therapy showed promising results. But participants who say they suffered afterward allege their experiences aren’t reflected in the data. This episode was reported and produced by Haleema Shah, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. It was edited by Lissa Soep and Matt Collette, who also fact-checked. It’s the final epis...

Disinformation after a knife attack in the UK transformed a local tragedy into nationwide upheaval. The Guardian's Robyn Vinter explains how it got to this point. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Matt Collette and Peter Balonon-Rosen, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcri...

The governor of Minnesota is Kamala Harris’s running mate. Minnesota Public Radio’s Dana Ferguson and Vox’s Andrew Prokop explain the Democratic ticket. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Amina Al-Sadi, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram and Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/...

Project 2025 and J.D. Vance have brought fringe policies to the presidential campaign. Democrats are using both to label the Republican ticket "weird." Shelby Talcott of Semafor and Eli Stokols from Politico explain how this messaging strikes voters. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Matt Collette and Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boy...

Military veterans are unlikely collaborators with the psychedelic counterculture. The two groups’ efforts are being tested this month, when the FDA is poised to announce whether or not it’ll approve MDMA for PTSD. This episode was reported and produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Lissa Soep and Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and host...

In 1980s Berkeley, an eccentric chemist and his wife, a self-taught therapist, experimented with MDMA. Their work would kickstart a decades-long campaign to mainstream psychedelics as a therapeutic tool — one that’s coming to a head this month, with a decision due from the FDA. This episode was reported and produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Lissa Soep and Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bul...

2008 was the last time the US men’s gymnastics won a team medal at the Olympics. Justin Spring was part of that team, and he says that this week’s bronze medal — and the gymnasts’ vault into social media stardom — could help resuscitate the sport. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Matt Collette, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd...

Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and Kamala Harris all want to distance themselves from the inflation and bad vibes of President Biden’s economy. The Washington Post’s Jeff Stein explains why both parties are upending decades of economic norms. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andre...

Fridges are our go-to way of storing food, but they’re not good for the planet or even good for a lot of our food. Gastropod’s Nicola Twilley, author of a new book on refrigeration, says there are chiller options for our cold storage challenges. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Miles Bryan, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdott...

Breaking will dance its way into the Olympics this summer. B-boy historian Alien Ness says this is destiny. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Lea...

Kamala Harris memes have taken over the internet. Now she needs to figure out how to capitalize on them. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Matt Collette and Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram and Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today...

Fast Company’s senior fashion writer Elizabeth Segran explains how the company overcame a problematic history to pull off a renaissance. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Matt Collette, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming...