Explain It to Me

Is my dentist scamming me? Why do political campaigns cost so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?

Explain It To Me is the hotline for all your unanswered questions. Sometimes explanations are hard to find, misinformation is rampant, and those internet searches and AI asks can come up empty. Call 1-800-618-8545 with what’s on your mind, and host Jonquilyn Hill will be your friendly guide to the answers you're looking for — and maybe even the ones you don’t expect. New episodes every Wednesday starting September 18. 

Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Education
Society & Culture
Politics
1
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
2
We have some questions for you
9 min
3
Is flying ethical?
Sometimes questions don’t have one right answer. Then what?
24 min
4
Why can I make a citizen's arrest?
Are they a real-life thing, or just something on TV?
35 min
5
Should I buy antibacterial soap?
Am I using the wrong soap? Does it even matter?
26 min
6
Is cuffing season real?
When temperatures drop, do our romantic prospects heat up?
36 min
7
Bite-sized questions
What’s the deal with hush puppies, wedding cakes, and A2 milk?
49 min
8
Why is it so hard to make new friends?
We have some research-backed tips for breaking the ice.
39 min
9
Could ranked choice voting fix our elections?
Ranked choice voting — yay, nay, or something else?
41 min
10
Why can’t I tell my left from my right?
And why are there lefties and righties?
26 min
11
What just happened, and what comes next
Your election questions answered
46 min
12
It’s election week. Ask us anything.
Call us with your election questions.
1 min
13
Why can I buy Halloween candy that would be ban...
How food additive regulation works in the US.
43 min
14
Why do I keep getting these weird fundraising t...
Two of your election questions, explained
48 min
15
Will the world end before I can retire?
How to balance retirement advice and climate change realism
35 min
16
My parents divorced. Will I?
What current marriage trends say about modern relationships
27 min
17
Is it okay to go to the zoo?
Do the pros outweigh the cons?
31 min
18
Why do I say “like” so much?
In defense of the supremely useful and unfairly maligned word
41 min
19
Is my dentist scamming me?
There’s a reason why going to the dentist can feel so shady.
40 min
20
Introducing Explain It to Me
2 min
21
Our next chapter
There are some big changes coming to this feed, and we need your help with them!
2 min
22
How we Got Milk
And why the government wants you to drink it.
37 min
23
Those pesky delivery fees
Nobody is happy with delivery apps right now
36 min
24
Panic! At The Drugstore
The panic about the crime rate really is just a panic.
37 min
25
A new era of cannabis research
What rescheduling cannabis could mean for science.
34 min