Today, Explained

South Korean lawmakers impeached not only their martial-law-declaring president but also the guy who stepped up to replace him. The Wall Street Journal's Korea bureau chief Timothy Martin explains the political K-drama. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rame...

MAGA is fighting over immigration. Vox’s Andrew Prokop tells us what happened, and the Wall Street Journal’s Tim Higgins explains why it isn’t the first time Elon Musk has split the party — and won’t be the last. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox....

January 6 is always a big day in the DC jail where many alleged insurrectionists are awaiting trial and sentencing. It's even bigger this year, with "Patriot Wing" inmates preparing for a promised pardon from incoming President Trump. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Ro...

More Americans are now daily weed smokers than daily drinkers. To better understand this public health experiment, we turn to Canada, which has federally legalized marijuana. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-po...

The world's richest man is developing a company town outside Austin, Texas. Like the industrialists who came before him, Elon Musk may learn it’s hard to create (and sustain) a utopia. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-ex...

In 1979, Jimmy Carter delivered his “Crisis of Confidence” speech, a tirade against American individualism and consumerism. Historian Kevin Mattson says the speech helps make sense of Carter the president, Carter the American, and even the state of the US today. This episode was produced by Jillian Weinberger, edited by Matt Collette and Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Serena Solin and Laura Bull...

The appeal of "Country Roads" extends far beyond West Virginia or even the United States. We're revisiting an episode from this summer that examines the global popularity of the John Denver classic. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript...

Christmas is over and now comes the financial hangover. In an episode from earlier this year, guest host Jonquilyn Hill looks into the root causes of America's record-high credit card debt. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amina Al-Sadi, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Tr...

Sports betting is a costly mistake, says addiction researcher Charles Fain Lehman. He and NBA great Danny Green discuss how it's changed sports for the worse, and whether there's a way to fix it. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, fact checked by Laura Bullard with help from Victoria Chamberlin, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. S...

The Las Vegas Sphere was supposed to be the future of live entertainment. But just over a year into its run, New York Post writer Josh Kosman explains why the math ain’t mathin’. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explai...

Name and likeness rights are fundamentally changing college sports at a rapid pace. SB Nation’s JP Acosta and sports commentator Pablo Torre explain. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by bec...

He'd love to take credit for a deal, although Israel and Hamas are still deadlocked. But Amir Tibon of Haaretz and Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations say peace may be closer than ever. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Matt Collette with help from Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and h...

A growing number of countries are legalizing assisted suicide, mostly for terminally ill patients. The Washington Post's Karla Adam and Vox's Marin Cogan explain the debate over right-to-die policies. 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 Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/...

President-elect Trump says he can see Justin Trudeau becoming governor of “the great state of Canada.” It’s part of a pressure campaign to get big concessions on trade and immigration from Canada and Mexico. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Victoria Chamberlin, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by S...

Trad wives are having a moment. A new conservative women’s magazine promising to be the anti-Cosmo is capitalizing on the trend. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox...

Syrian refugees are celebrating the end of the Assad regime. But for Omar Alshogre and millions like him, going back to Syria is a complicated decision. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained...

The US saw a significant drop in the number of drug overdose deaths. The Trump administration has a shot at keeping the trend going. STAT News's addiction reporter, Lev Facher, explains. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. An addiction recovery billboard in Minneapolis. Photo by Mich...

Gothamist’s Brittany Kriegstein explains who police just arrested. STAT News’s Bob Herman explains the anger resonating against UnitedHealthcare. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Expl...

As Target struggles to retain its customers, rivals like Walmart are making gains. The Wall Street Journal’s Sarah Nassauer explains what’s behind this retail shift. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Expl...

Kyle Mooney dreams up a New Year’s Eve 1999 apocalypse. Historian Zachary Loeb explains why the real Y2K wasn't one. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Anouck Dussaud, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http:/...

A rebel group changed the course of Syria's long civil war when it seized Aleppo this past weekend. The Syria Report's Jihad Yazigi tells us what motivates the group's canny and mysterious leader. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon Rosen and Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Anouck Dussaud, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at...

Elon, Vivek, and the Department of Government Efficiency want to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. A libertarian says the only way to do that is to eliminate aid programs altogether. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Kim Eggleston, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-...

On Saturday, future President Donald Trump announced Kash Patel would lead the FBI. On Sunday, current President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter. Coincidence? The Washington Post’s Matt Viser and The Atlantic’s Elaina Plott Calabro explain. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Kim Eggleston, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byer...

Trump has named wrestling tycoon Linda McMahon to be his secretary of education. She’ll be tasked with his campaign promise of … closing the department she’ll run. Is it a good idea? This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, Kim Eggleston, and Anouck Dussaud, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir,...

Fast Company’s senior fashion writer Elizabeth Segran explains how the company overcame a problematic history to pull off a renaissance in this rebroadcast of our episode from July. 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...