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Explained - Episode Guide

Season 1

The Racial Wealth Gap

Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: May 23, 2018 (16 min)

The Racial Wealth Gap

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

Designer DNA

Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: May 23, 2018 (18 min)

Designer DNA

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

Monogamy

Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: May 23, 2018 (18 min)

Monogamy

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

Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: May 30, 2018 (20 min)

K-Pop

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

Cryptocurrency

Episode: 1x05 | Airdate: Jun 6, 2018 (14 min)

Cryptocurrency

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

Why Diets Fail

Episode: 1x06 | Airdate: Jun 13, 2018 (15 min)

Why Diets Fail

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

Episode: 1x07 | Airdate: Jun 20, 2018 (18 min)

The Stock Market

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

eSports

Episode: 1x08 | Airdate: Jun 27, 2018 (18 min)

eSports

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

Episode: 1x09 | Airdate: Jul 4, 2018 (19 min)

Extraterrestrial Life

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

!

Episode: 1x10 | Airdate: Jul 11, 2018 (15 min)

!

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

Cricket

Episode: 1x11 | Airdate: Jul 18, 2018 (17 min)

Cricket

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

Weed

Episode: 1x12 | Airdate: Jul 25, 2018 (20 min)

Weed

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

Tattoo

Episode: 1x13 | Airdate: Aug 1, 2018 (19 min)

Tattoo

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

Astrology

Episode: 1x14 | Airdate: Aug 8, 2018 (18 min)

Astrology

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?

Episode: 1x15 | Airdate: Aug 15, 2018 (18 min)

Can We Live Forever?

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

Episode: 1x16 | Airdate: Aug 22, 2018 (19 min)

The Female Orgasm

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

Episode: 1x17 | Airdate: Aug 29, 2018 (18 min)

Political Correctness

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

Episode: 1x18 | Airdate: Sep 5, 2018 (19 min)

Why Women Are Paid Less

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

Episode: 1x19 | Airdate: Sep 12, 2018 (19 min)

The World's Water Crisis

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

Episode: 1x20 | Airdate: Sep 19, 2018 (20 min)

Music

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.

Season 2

Cults

Episode: 2x01 | Airdate: Sep 26, 2019 (26 min)

Cults

How do cults lure people in and exert control? Learn a cult's telltale signs, and how loneliness and life online makes indoctrination easier than ever.

Billionaires

Episode: 2x02 | Airdate: Oct 3, 2019 (23 min)

Billionaires

There are more billionaires than ever. But how does this vast accumulation of wealth affect the world? Mark Cuban and Bernie Sanders offer insights.

Animal Intelligence

Episode: 2x03 | Airdate: Oct 10, 2019 (22 min)

Animal Intelligence

What goes on inside an animal's mind? Figuring out how they think and feel might just be the key to understanding our own place in the world.

Athleisure

Episode: 2x04 | Airdate: Oct 17, 2019 (17 min)

Athleisure

It began with bloomers. Then came spandex. Now we sport leggings and other activewear everywhere. How did comfy, casual clothing go mainstream?

Coding

Episode: 2x05 | Airdate: Oct 24, 2019 (24 min)

Coding

Computer code now controls how we live. But how did these programming languages evolve? And how can they be used to build a new and better world?

Pirates

Episode: 2x06 | Airdate: Oct 31, 2019 (21 min)

Pirates

In pop culture, pirates are often depicted as booty-looting rogues, but their history is far more complicated. See how they became enemies of humanity.

The Next Pandemic

Episode: 2x07 | Airdate: Nov 7, 2019 (21 min)

The Next Pandemic

If you're not worried about a looming global pandemic, you probably should be. Are we prepared for an outbreak? Bill Gates and other experts weigh in.

The Future of Meat

Episode: 2x08 | Airdate: Nov 14, 2019 (24 min)

The Future of Meat

The planet's current rate of meat consumption is unprecedented -- and becoming unsustainable. In the future, will meat alternatives be the answer?

Beauty

Episode: 2x09 | Airdate: Nov 21, 2019 (17 min)

Beauty

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but what exactly makes things such as art and architecture aesthetically pleasing, and why do we like looking?

Diamonds

Episode: 2x10 | Airdate: Nov 28, 2019 (23 min)

Diamonds

A diamond is forever. But why is that? Dig into how these mined pieces of carbon became both a status symbol and a sparkly sign of everlasting love.

Season 3

Sugar

Episode: 3x01 | Airdate: Jul 16, 2021 (24 min)

Sugar

Once crucial for survival, sugar now poses a health risk. Is there a way to satisfy our primeval craving for sweetness in a healthy, balanced way?

Royalty

Episode: 3x02 | Airdate: Jul 23, 2021 (25 min)

Royalty

How do monarchies survive when they no longer wield power? By presenting a royal fairy tale that may not reflect the reality of the past — or present.

Flags

Episode: 3x03 | Airdate: Jul 30, 2021 (26 min)

Flags

A flag can unite, divide and terrorize. Explore how a piece of cloth transformed into a powerful symbol of both love and hate, freedom and oppression.


 

Dogs

Episode: 3x04 | Airdate: Aug 6, 2021 (20 min)

Dogs

Who's a good dog? They all are! From puppy-dog eyes to feats of heroism, see how canines evolved into humankind's best friends and sources of pure love.

The End of Oil

Episode: 3x05 | Airdate: Aug 13, 2021 (24 min)

The End of Oil

Oil led to huge advancements — and vast inequities. As the planet warms, why is it so hard to turn away from fossil fuels, and can it be done in time?

Chess

Episode: 3x06 | Airdate: Aug 20, 2021 (23 min)

Chess

For centuries, chess has captured hearts and minds — and pawns — and it's more popular than ever. What makes this ever-changing board game so special?

Your Skin

Episode: 3x07 | Airdate: Aug 27, 2021 (22 min)

Your Skin

Don't panic, but our skin plays host to trillions of bacteria, fungi, mites and other microscopic guests. Go beyond skin-deep with our largest organ.


 

Apologies

Episode: 3x08 | Airdate: Sep 3, 2021 (21 min)

Apologies

Apologizing is tough, and in this era of public mea culpas, forgiveness isn't guaranteed. What makes for a good apology, and why does it hold such power?


 

Hurricanes

Episode: 3x09 | Airdate: Sep 10, 2021 (21 min)

Hurricanes

As the planet warms, hurricanes could become even more dangerous and destructive. What can be done to survive and minimize the threat of these storms?

Plastic Surgery

Episode: 3x10 | Airdate: Sep 17, 2021 (21 min)

Plastic Surgery

The Instagram face. A shapely posterior. Cosmetic surgery can make the latest beauty trends a reality. Explore its origins and effects, inside and out.

Dance Crazes

Episode: 3x11 | Airdate: Sep 24, 2021 (24 min)

Dance Crazes

From the waltz to voguing, dance crazes have connected people throughout history. But when a dance catches on, who gets the credit — and compensation?

Time

Episode: 3x12 | Airdate: Oct 1, 2021 (22 min)

Time

Time flies... sometimes. Its passage can seem to speed up and slow down. Why do we experience time the way we do, and how do we take back some control?

Country Music

Episode: 3x13 | Airdate: Oct 8, 2021 (25 min)

Country Music

Dirt roads. Pickup trucks. Hip-hop? As the borders around country music shift, who decides what defines the popular genre, and who gets to be a star?

Fairy Tales

Episode: 3x14 | Airdate: Oct 15, 2021 (25 min)

Fairy Tales

Fairy tales have survived thousands of years for a reason. Explore their far-flung history and how the stories speak to fundamental human concerns.

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