Explain It to Me

Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?

Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it's to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn't expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Society & Culture
Politics
Education
76
Ok for real, what is a REAL ID?
And do I need it?
30 min
77
We’ve got some news for you!
Starting this week, Explain It to Me is moving to Sundays. Check out our next episode here on March 2. You can also find us in the Today, Explained feed as of Sunday, March 9.
1 min
78
Why can't I sleep?
25 min
79
Should I freeze my eggs?
Listener Elisa has heard egg freezing touted as “an easy, perfect solution” for women who want to have it all, but she’s skeptical. Writer MeiMei Fox tells the disastrous story of freezing her own eggs, and Vox senior correspondent Anna North explains why freezing your eggs is not really a girlboss panacea.
31 min
80
We have some questions for you
9 min
81
Is flying ethical?
Sometimes questions don’t have one right answer. Then what?
24 min
82
Why can I make a citizen's arrest?
Are they a real-life thing, or just something on TV?
35 min
83
Should I buy antibacterial soap?
Am I using the wrong soap? Does it even matter?
26 min
84
Is cuffing season real?
When temperatures drop, do our romantic prospects heat up?
36 min
85
Bite-sized questions
What’s the deal with hush puppies, wedding cakes, and A2 milk?
49 min
86
Why is it so hard to make new friends?
We have some research-backed tips for breaking the ice.
39 min
87
Could ranked choice voting fix our elections?
Ranked choice voting — yay, nay, or something else?
41 min
88
Why can’t I tell my left from my right?
And why are there lefties and righties?
26 min
89
What just happened, and what comes next
Your election questions answered
46 min
90
It’s election week. Ask us anything.
Call us with your election questions.
1 min
91
Why can I buy Halloween candy that would be ban...
How food additive regulation works in the US.
43 min
92
Why do I keep getting these weird fundraising t...
Two of your election questions, explained
48 min
93
Will the world end before I can retire?
How to balance retirement advice and climate change realism
35 min
94
My parents divorced. Will I?
What current marriage trends say about modern relationships
27 min
95
Is it okay to go to the zoo?
Do the pros outweigh the cons?
31 min
96
Why do I say “like” so much?
In defense of the supremely useful and unfairly maligned word
41 min
97
Is my dentist scamming me?
There’s a reason why going to the dentist can feel so shady.
40 min
98
Introducing Explain It to Me
2 min
99
Our next chapter
There are some big changes coming to this feed, and we need your help with them!
2 min
100
How we Got Milk
And why the government wants you to drink it.
37 min