Skip to content

Explained

Season 1

2018 · 20 episodes

  1. 1. The Racial Wealth Gap

    2018-05-23 · 19m

    Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.

  2. 2. Designer DNA

    2018-05-23 · 18m

    Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.

  3. 3. Monogamy

    2018-05-23 · 18m

    What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.

  4. 4. K-Pop

    2018-05-30 · 18m

    Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."

  5. 5. Cryptocurrency

    2018-06-06 · 18m

    Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.

  6. 6. Why Diets Fail

    2018-06-13 · 18m

    Atkins. Paleo. Keto. Do any work in the long term? Experts look at marketing, food environments and genes to explain why diets are often unsuccessful.

  7. 7. The Stock Market

    2018-06-20 · 18m

    Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.

  8. 8. eSports

    2018-06-27 · 18m

    Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters, and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.

  9. 9. Extraterrestrial Life

    2018-07-04 · 20m

    Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?

  10. 10. !

    2018-07-11 · 16m

    Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.

  11. 11. Cricket

    2018-07-18 · 15m

    Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.

  12. 12. Weed

    2018-07-25 · 18m

    Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quests for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.

  13. 13. Tattoo

    2018-08-01 · 17m

    They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.

  14. 14. Astrology

    2018-08-08 · 17m

    Do zodiac signs prescribe your fate? Or do horoscopes' accuracy lie in the placebo effect? Take a look at the science, history and lure of astrology.

  15. 15. Can We Live Forever ?

    2018-08-15 · 14m

    Can we uncover the secrets to extending the human lifespan? Experts discuss how developments in science -- even the French lilac -- hold some clues.

  16. 16. The Female Orgasm

    2018-08-22 · 14m

    The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why and how women are embracing hands on solutions.

  17. 17. Political Correctness

    2018-08-29 · 20m

    Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.

  18. 18. Why Women Are Paid Less

    2018-09-05 · 18m

    Hillary Clinton and Anne-Marie Slaughter discuss the cultural norms at the center of the worldwide gender pay gap, including the "motherhood penalty."

  19. 19. The World's Water Crisis

    2018-09-12 · 17m

    The global water crisis is at an inflection point. How do we price our most valuable resource, while also ensuring access to it as a human right?

  20. 20. Music

    2018-09-19 · 16m

    When does sound become music? Why are humans so uniquely able to master musicality? Researchers talk rhythm, octaves and the magic of song and dance.

Track it episode by episode

Rate films and shows on two axes — quality and fun — and share taste with friends.