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.
2008 was the last time US male gymnasts won a medal at an Olympics. Justin Spring was on the team. He says that this week’s bronze medal and the team’s social media stars could help resuscitate the sport.
22 min
102
Why we’re all populists now
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.
23 min
103
Is your refrigerator running?
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.
23 min
104
Breaking the Olympics
Breaking will dance its way into the Olympics this summer. B-boy historian Alien Ness says this is destiny.
23 min
105
Kamala’s meme-mentum
Kamala Harris memes have taken over the internet. Now she needs to figure out how to capitalize on them.
23 min
106
Abercrombie is back
Fast Company’s senior fashion writer Elizabeth Segran explains how the company overcame a problematic history to pull off a renaissance.
23 min
107
Dengue’s biggest year ever
More than 10 million people worldwide have contracted dengue from mosquitos this year. Now experts are worried it might show up at the Olympics.
23 min
108
You did it, Joe
All bets are off as President Biden exits the 2024 race. Vox’s Andrew Prokop and Democratic strategist David Axelrod explain.
23 min
109
Trump-a-mania at the RNC
Hulk Hogan delivered at the final night of the RNC, but did Donald Trump? We hear from two conservative strategists who do not agree on whether Trump's speech worked.
24 min
110
Why banning Juul backfired
The US cracked down on Juul after an uptick in teen vaping and a flurry of health concerns. Podcaster Leon Neyfakh explains how the ban inadvertently created a dangerous new market for unregulated Chinese e-cigarettes.
23 min
111
Trump just avoided 40 felony counts
A federal judge has thrown out Trump's classified documents case. Wall Street Journal Justice Department reporter C. Ryan Barber explains what that might mean for Trump's future.
23 min
112
VP J.D.
Donald Trump’s running mate is Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance. Politico’s Ian Ward describes Vance’s transformation from a self-described hillbilly to the political face of the Republican future.
23 min
113
Is this us?
The assassination attempt on Donald Trump is part of a steady uptick in political — and increasingly partisan — violence in the United States. With a push toward unity from Trump and President Biden, this could be a moment to pull the nation back from the brink.
24 min
114
The song of the summer is DEAD
Long live the song of the summer. But wait! Switched on Pop’s Charlie Harding disagrees. And Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos says maybe it never existed at all.
23 min
115
What is Project 2025?
Donald Trump is trying to distance himself from it. Joe Biden wants you to Google it. Semafor’s Shelby Talcott explains what’s going on with the conservative plan for a second Trump presidency.
23 min
116
The Supreme Court’s power grab
The Supreme Court just fundamentally changed how the federal government works. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains.
23 min
117
Dancing in the Dark Money
Prosecutors ain’t nothing but tired of New Jersey’s political corruption. WNYC’s Nancy Solomon, host of the Dead End podcast, explains the cases against Sen. Robert Menendez and power broker George Norcross.
23 min
118
Joe Almighty
President Biden says only the “Lord Almighty” can get him to end his re-election campaign, though more and more Democrats are trying to sway him themselves.
23 min
119
Why “Country Roads” feels like home
John Denver’s ode to West Virginia might be more popular abroad than it is in the United States. This Independence Day, we’re asking why.
27 min
120
Criminalizing homelessness?
The Supreme Court has weighed in on homelessness for the first time in decades. The Economist's Steven Mazie tells us what the decision means, and Vox's Rachel Cohen has some ideas for tackling the problem.
23 min
121
Once again, immunity is back up for grabs
The Supreme Court sent the question of Donald Trump’s presidential immunity back to the lower courts. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains.
22 min
122
Panic! At The White House
Joe Biden needed to win the debate. He didn’t. Vox’s Christian Paz explains if Democrats can find a better candidate.
23 min
123
How Spotify picks its winners
No, Sabrina Carpenter probably isn’t paying the streamer to play “Espresso” every time you’re listening to music. But the app is making changes to its business model that could impact your listening.
23 min
124
The end of Made in China?
President Biden recently raised Trump-era tariffs, which could lead to even higher prices on Chinese imports. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai explains the Biden administration’s approach to trade with China, and Vox’s Dylan Matthews helps make sense of the changes.
22 min
125
It’s not Islamophobic, it’s anti-Palestinian
Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents are on the rise. Author Moustafa Bayoumi and Vox’s Abdallah Fayyad tell us about another kind of invisible discrimination: anti-Palestinian racism.