Explained

20min

Documentary

This documentary series, made in partnership with Vox, explain some of the world's current trends, from politics, to science to pop culture.

Production Companies

Vox Entertainment

Vox Media Studios

Episodes

Cast

The Racial Wealth Gap

1. The Racial Wealth Gap

16min

23rd May 2018

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

Designer DNA

2. Designer DNA

17min

23rd May 2018

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

Monogamy

3. Monogamy

18min

23rd May 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

4. K-Pop

20min

30th May 2018

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

Cryptocurrency

5. Cryptocurrency

14min

6th Jun 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

6. Why Diets Fail

14min

13th Jun 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

7. The Stock Market

17min

20th Jun 2018

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

eSports

8. eSports

17min

27th Jun 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

9. Extraterrestrial Life

18min

4th Jul 2018

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

!

10. !

15min

11th Jul 2018

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

Cricket

11. Cricket

16min

18th Jul 2018

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

Weed

12. Weed

20min

25th Jul 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

13. Tattoo

18min

1st Aug 2018

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

Astrology

14. Astrology

18min

8th Aug 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 ?

15. Can We Live Forever ?

18min

15th Aug 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

16. The Female Orgasm

18min

22nd Aug 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

17. Political Correctness

18min

29th Aug 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

18. Why Women Are Paid Less

18min

5th Sep 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

19. The World's Water Crisis

18min

12th Sep 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

20. Music

19min

19th Sep 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.

First air date

23rd May 2018

Last air date

15th Oct 2021

Status

Ended

Type

Documentary

Original language

en

Networks