Today, Explained

We tell the stories of three ingredients that can shine outside the US: beef, bread, and tomatoes. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Megan Cunnane, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Lilly and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images. If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The lingerie brand was tarnished by its connection to Jeffrey Epstein, and by fading cultural appeal. With the relaunch of its once-iconic fashion show, Victoria's Secret is fighting for relevance. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Gigi Hadid at the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Read more from Amy Odell on her substack: https://amyodell.substack.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over two weeks in, the government shutdown is exposing fault lines on both sides of the aisle. Perhaps the most surprising one: the political left turn of the MAGA darling from Georgia. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., outside the U.S. Capitol. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 1965 Voting Rights Act enfranchised millions of Black voters in the Jim Crow era. The Supreme Court may be about to decide it's no longer needed. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. Demonstrators outside the Supreme Court. Photo by Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens next in Gaza now that a ceasefire has been reached and how the last two years might have taught the world the wrong lessons about war. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Hady Mawajdeh, engineered by Adriene Lilly and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. A bus carrying Palestinians released from Israeli prisons arriving in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. Photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Getting a cancer diagnosis at any age is life changing. But when you’re in your 20s or 30s, it can feel like hitting the pause button on life. That’s how some young cancer survivors described it in this episode that originally ran earlier this year.Since the episode first aired, research has come out about cancer in young people. You can read Dylan Scott’s reporting on the research here. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. A meeting of the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer awareness organization. Photo by JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What we know about early childhood and screens, including a surprising argument for introducing tech at a tender age. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Megan Cunnane, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Lilly and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images.  You can find Dr. Jenny Radesky and her colleagues’ tool kit for parents here.If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special feed drop of On with Kara Swisher, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber talks about standing up to Donald Trump and what free speech on campus really looks like. This episode was produced by Cristian Castro Rossel, Kateri Jochum, Michell Eloy, Megan Burney and Kaelyn Lynch. It was engineered by Fernando Arruda and Rick Kwan. Theme music is by Trackademicks and Vox Media's executive producer of podcasts is Nishat Kurwa. Students and faculty staging a walkout at American University demanding an end to President Trump's "occupation of DC." Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Riyadh Comedy Festival was billed as “two weeks of laughs in the desert” but has comics asking, “At what cost?” This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. A poster for the The Riyadh Comedy Festival shared by the Visit Saudi social media feed. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The president is attempting to send the National Guard into two American cities for two (seemingly) different reasons with two (for now) different results. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Kelli Wessinger, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. Anti-ICE demonstrators marching in downtown Chicago. Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meta just dropped Vibes and OpenAI just dropped Sora 2. Both social media platforms are filled with AI videos that warp our sense of reality. This episode was made in collaboration with Vox's Future Perfect. It was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump wants to put his stamp on health care. But TrumpRx is no Obamacare. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. President Trump after announcing a deal with Pfizer to lower Medicaid drug prices. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Society teaches us empathy is a good thing. But some are now saying the opposite, and science is complicating our assumptions too. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Megan Cunnane, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Lilly and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Image credit Olga Pankova/Getty Images. If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters is a mega cultural phenomenon. And the studio that used to own animation, Disney, is watching its dominance be tested...and maybe even fade. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. A fan during a KPop Demon Hunters dance and singalong event in Seoul. Photo by Jintak Han/The Washington Post via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered top military officials to DC for a surprise lecture on the "warrior ethos." Chaos ensued. With Hegseth, it usually does. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru and Devan Schwartz, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. Secretary Hegseth speaking to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We ask Sen Elizabeth Warren why. President Donald Trump is reportedly mostly worried about the midterms. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger with help from Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. A sign advertising a government shutdown relief loan in the Hart Senate Office Building. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Murdoch has built a media empire that leads all the way to the White House. But nothing lasts forever. And at age 94, he finally has an official successor. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Denise Guerra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Rupert Murdoch with his son Lachlan. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Murdoch started his media empire in Australia, sharpened his playbook in the UK, and became one of the most powerful people in the world once he came to the United States. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen with help from Denise Guerra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Rupert Murdoch with some of his newspapers and magazines, at the offices of the New York Post in 1985. Photo by Roger Ressmeyer/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Young men are more interested in becoming parents than young women are, and there's a growing number of single dads by choice. A look at modern fatherhood. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Megan Cunnane, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Lilly and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.  Thanks to Jonquilyn Hill for sharing a family photo for our episode image today. Image of dad John and baby Jonquilyn courtesy of the Hill family. If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How TikTok reshaped the trend cycle. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. A young woman holding an iced matcha latte. Photo by Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices