Today, Explained is Vox's daily news explainer podcast. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King will guide you through the most important stories of the day.
Publishing houses and entertainment studios have come for fan fiction, but writers and readers want to make sure it stays weird.
24 min
77
Kanye's comeback
The rapper, who sold swastika T-shirts and released a song called "Heil Hitler," says he's sorry. Ye or nay?
23 min
78
Apocalypse Not Now
President Donald Trump moved from an existential threat to a very tentative ceasefire.
23 min
79
Mission accomplished?
The US war in Iran is reminding people, uncomfortably, of the US war in Iraq — a conflict that raged on for years after leaders declared victory.
23 min
80
When nature calls in space
Artemis II is a historic mission for a number of reasons, including the Orion capsule’s bathroom.
23 min
81
Can someone explain these prices?
From the gas station to the café to the grocery store, we break down why things cost so much these days.
26 min
82
Tackling Trump’s corruption
President Donald Trump’s blatant, sometimes open corruption is the focus for Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT). This conversation was a live taping at the American Economic Liberties Project event.
22 min
83
Quitting OnlyFans
With the death of its billionaire owner, OnlyFans is having a bit of an existential crisis all while porn-quitting apps have never been more popular.
24 min
84
Tucker Carlson explains himself
"President Trump has not made a coherent case for the Iran war. On today's show, one of his longtime supporters makes an aggressive case against it…and talks about conservatives' Nazi problem. "
23 min
85
Pushing peptides
The FDA and RFK Jr. want to make it easier for you to take peptides.
23 min
86
How Iran is winning
Iran is using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in the war. It's working.
23 min
87
Should we privatize TSA?
The US government shutdown has left TSA workers unpaid, airports a hot mess, and a lot of people wondering if it's time to privatize airport security.
23 min
88
Your accent… explained
How you talk reveals where you’re from and who you’d like to be.
26 min
89
Trump has lost the Iran war hawks
Ambassador John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, pushed for war with Iran for 20 years. But not like this.
27 min
90
Me, my husband, our girlfriend
Millennial feminist Lindy West's new book is about her path to polyamory. Cue the backlash — to West, her husband, and the idea of polyamory itself.
23 min
91
Trump vs. DC
President Trump came in like a wrecking ball in his second term, with a transformative vision for the nation's capital.
25 min
92
OpenAI owes us $180 billion
OpenAI's founders promised its tech would benefit humanity. Now that it has split into a giant charity and a for-profit company, that mission has gotten complicated.
23 min
93
Meme warfare
Have you seen the video of the US military bombing Iran spliced with clips of SpongeBob Squarepants? It’s an official video released by the US government and represents a new kind of wartime propaganda.
23 min
94
Attack of the drones
Iran's cutting-edge drones are changing how wars are fought, and the US is running out of munitions to combat them.
23 min
95
The book of Mormon influence
From TikTok to reality TV, Mormons are having a big moment in pop culture.
27 min
96
Nancy Pelosi explains her optimism
Nancy Pelosi, the longtime speaker of the House, plans to retire later this year at age 86 after trailblazing a path for women in Democratic politics.
25 min
97
The cult of abusive chefs
One of the most influential chefs in the world has been accused of tormenting his staff physically and psychologically.
23 min
98
Everyone’s vibe coding
AI code is here to stay.
23 min
99
The rage bait candidate
James Fishback is racist, antisemitic, economically populist, and the longshot candidate for Florida governor. He might be where the Republicans are heading next.
23 min
100
Betting on the Iran war
Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are making it possible for just about anyone to profit off war.