Explained — Season 1

Aired 23 May 2018 • 19 min

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

Aired 23 May 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 23 May 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 30 May 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 6 June 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 13 June 2018 • 18 min

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.

Aired 20 June 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 27 June 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 4 July 2018 • 20 min

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

Aired 11 July 2018 • 16 min

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

Aired 18 July 2018 • 15 min

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

Aired 25 July 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 1 August 2018 • 17 min

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

Aired 8 August 2018 • 17 min

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.

Aired 15 August 2018 • 14 min

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

Aired 22 August 2018 • 14 min

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

Aired 29 August 2018 • 20 min

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

Aired 5 September 2018 • 18 min

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

Aired 12 September 2018 • 17 min

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?

Aired 19 September 2018 • 16 min

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.