Explained - Season 1

Explained

Season 1

2018 • 20 Episodes

Episodes

The Racial Wealth Gap - Explained

1. The Racial Wealth Gap

7.4

May 23, 2018

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

Designer DNA - Explained

2. Designer DNA

8.0

May 23, 2018

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

Monogamy - Explained

3. Monogamy

7.5

May 23, 2018

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

K-Pop - Explained

4. K-Pop

8.0

May 30, 2018

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

Cryptocurrency - Explained

5. Cryptocurrency

7.7

June 6, 2018

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

Why Diets Fail - Explained

6. Why Diets Fail

7.5

June 13, 2018

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.

The Stock Market - Explained

7. The Stock Market

6.7

June 20, 2018

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

eSports - Explained

8. eSports

6.7

June 27, 2018

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

Extraterrestrial Life - Explained

9. Extraterrestrial Life

7.0

July 4, 2018

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

! - Explained

10. !

6.3

July 11, 2018

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

Cricket - Explained

11. Cricket

7.0

July 18, 2018

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

Weed - Explained

12. Weed

7.7

July 25, 2018

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

Tattoo - Explained

13. Tattoo

7.3

August 1, 2018

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

Astrology - Explained

14. Astrology

7.0

August 8, 2018

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.

Can We Live Forever ? - Explained

15. Can We Live Forever ?

7.7

August 15, 2018

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

The Female Orgasm - Explained

16. The Female Orgasm

7.0

August 22, 2018

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

Political Correctness - Explained

17. Political Correctness

7.7

August 29, 2018

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

Why Women Are Paid Less - Explained

18. Why Women Are Paid Less

7.0

September 5, 2018

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

The World's Water Crisis - Explained

19. The World's Water Crisis

8.7

September 12, 2018

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?

Music - Explained

20. Music

7.0

September 19, 2018

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.