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.
Americans are turning to "buy now, pay later" apps for purchases as small as a burrito—it’s a symptom of a larger national addiction to debt.
23 min
2
Elon Musk presents: Taxis
Elon Musk and Tesla launched their long-delayed robotaxi service this weekend in Texas. The Verge's Andrew Hawkins explains why so much is riding on its success.
23 min
3
America First (unless Iran...)
Vox's Josh Keating and author Vali Nasr explain what bombing Iran won’t accomplish.
23 min
4
Sleepaway camp's nostalgia economy
Unpacking the American rite of passage that so many children love — but that isn't right for everyone.
27 min
5
Elon’s Boring town
23 min
6
Five boroughs. One mayor. Mad drama.
23 min
7
Iran, Israel, and Trump
23 min
8
America the extreme
22 min
9
Let's fight over bike lanes
A caller asks why it's so hard to make biking safe in LA. We bike around different US cities to get the answer.
27 min
10
The big business of small streamers
23 min
11
Palantir has your info
The Trump administration wants to merge all of our data across government agencies. And it's asked a controversial company to help.
23 min
12
Elon and Trump need space
Vox’s Joshua Keating explains why the US government can’t have a big, beautiful breakup with Elon Musk. And now that he’s left DOGE, Elaine Kamarck from Brookings explains what happens to it.
25 min
13
Trump's other big breakup
President Trump recently blew up his alliance with the conservative legal group that helped him remake the judiciary. But the group’s leader is already moving on.
23 min
14
Fire and ICE in Los Angeles
President Trump sent in the National Guard to quell protests caused by ICE raids. LA Times reporter Rachel Uranga covered the chaos, which Mark Krikorian from the Center for Immigration Studies defends.
23 min
15
The recession indicator game
Press-on nails, new music from Katy Perry, and an uptick in Klarna purchases: signs of an economic downturn or no?
27 min
16
AI Video Killed the Video Star
23 min
17
Baby’s first gene edit
For the first time ever, experimental gene editing technology has been used to treat a baby with a fatal condition. Just don’t mess with the embryos.
23 min
18
Black schools, red states
A supporter of President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis was just appointed to lead the historically Black college Florida A&M University. Students and alumni are not happy. WFSU's Lynn Hatter and Tuskegee University's President Mark Brown explain how Black colleges are currently navigating red states.
23 min
19
Donald Trump's "Golden Dome"
23 min
20
The white gold rush
The US has enormous deposits of critical minerals like lithium right here at home. So why are we looking at mining the ocean floor and asteroids?
23 min
21
How Gen Z found religion
For the first time in decades, American Christianity is not in decline. What are young people looking for–and finding–at church?
27 min
22
What Bill Belichick’s relationship tells us
The legendary coach is getting more attention for his relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson than football these days. It’s a reminder that we should probably retire the term “gold digger.”
23 min
23
All eyes back on Gaza
From podcaster Theo Von to children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel to the new pope to President Trump, a strange coalition of people is criticizing Israel’s latest actions in Gaza.
23 min
24
A comedian tries to fix aviation
Newark’s crisis is coming soon to an airport near you. Thankfully, comedian Nathan Fielder is dead serious about aviation safety.