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Explain It to Me

Vox

300 episodes

Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement? Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it's to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn't expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. When AI agents run your life

    · 31 min

    What you gain, and what you give up, when you let AI agents take control. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan, and…

  2. The quest for the perfect baby

    · 30 min

    Men and women are trying to maximize their reproductive health due to anxieties around declining fertility trends. But are we taking “embryomaxxing” too far? This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Avishay…

  3. The cost of loving your pet

    · 30 min

    Our emotional relationships with our pets have only grown since the pandemic — and so has the financial price we pay. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa…

  4. Mass-produced fashion slop

    · 31 min · Explicit

    How algorithms and instant fashion killed style — and how to get it back. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted…

  5. The end of etiquette

    · 31 min

    It’s not just about being nice. Manners allow us to peacefully coexist at work, in transit, and out in the wider world. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa…

  6. We should party more

    · 31 min · Explicit

    We’re lonely, isolated, and bored. The solution may be as simple as an invite and killer playlist. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by…

  7. How to date IRL

    · 30 min · Explicit

    People are getting tired of the dating apps and turning to a more old-fashioned way of finding love. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Melissa…

  8. How to survive a flop

    · 30 min · Explicit

    In the streaming era, success is public, failure is viral, and everyone's one release away from a flop era. How do you come back? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton and Miranda Kennedy,…

  9. Why everyone's an introvert now

    · 27 min

    Move aside extroverts. In this episode — which aired last year — we explore personality types and whether they are set in stone. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by…

  10. Why can’t I remember being a baby?

    · 29 min

    Even if we have little to no memory of our first few years, our earliest experiences still matter. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by…

  11. Vacation? In this economy?

    · 30 min

    Gas is expensive and Europeans want us to stay home. How can you still make use of that precious PTO? This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by…

  12. Going broke on wellness

    · 31 min

    Americans spend billions on healthcare products, from green powders and cold plunges to costly gym memberships. Last summer we asked: what good do they do? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda…

  13. The perimenopause moment

    · 30 min

    Women’s health and hormones have been misunderstood by the medical establishment for decades. That’s changing. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch,…

  14. What's in a name?

    · 30 min

    Jalen and Olivia and Liam and Ailany. We look at what makes a name top the popularity charts. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Sarah Schweppe, engineered by David…

  15. Tanning is back

    · 30 min

    Never mind skin cancer. Summer 2026 is all about tanmaxxing. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Matthew Billy, and…

  16. Can we cheat death?

    · 30 min

    The trick to living a longer, happier life. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Michelle Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Iris Apfel…

  17. How to beat mosquitoes

    · 30 min

    They’re the deadliest animal on the planet. Now even Google is getting into the extermination business. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Michelle Hirsch, engineered…

  18. The lost art of handwriting

    · 31 min

    How our relationship with writing has changed, and how that’s changed us. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted…

  19. DIY or don’t?

    · 30 min

    YouTube has advice for how to do everything from plumbing to electrical work. Should you take it? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Isabelle Lichtenstein, engineered…

  20. Why people cheat

    · 30 min · Explicit

    Our fears about infidelity reveal a lot about us. And so do our reasons for cheating. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered…

  21. Prepping for doomsday (or Tuesday)

    · 30 min

    How to prepare for the worst while still living your best life. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by…

  22. Chems in your cosmetics

    · 30 min

    From lotions to hair extensions, the products that make us look good may also make us feel bad. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa…

  23. The cost of “I do”

    · 30 min

    Love is in the air, but only if you’ve got thousands to throw at it. How couples are navigating the pressures and expenses of planning their perfect wedding. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by…

  24. Burnout sandwich

    · 30 min · Explicit

    How to manage the squeeze of taking care of your kids and your parents at the same time. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch,…

  25. How to fight burnout

    · 29 min

    We've been stuck in cycles of burnout for decades. Have Gen Z workers found a way out? This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch,…

  26. Why you have to be optimistic

    · 30 min

    When the world is on fire, it’s difficult to stay hopeful. But our future depends on it. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David…

  27. Can someone explain these prices?

    · 30 min

    From the gas station to the café to the grocery store, we break down why things cost so much these days. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered…

  28. Your accent… explained

    · 30 min

    How you talk reveals where you’re from and who you’d like to be. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn…

  29. The book of Mormon influence

    · 31 min

    From TikTok to reality TV, Mormons are having a big moment in pop culture. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick…

  30. Sugar crash

    · 30 min

    We’re obsessed with sugar. And Big Sugar is obsessed with us. How do we make a break? This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by…

  31. Your clutter is holding you back

    · 30 min

    You won’t wear those jeans again. Or use that pasta maker. So why can’t you get rid of them? This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru with Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch,…

  32. You, me, and ADHD

    · 30 min

    It’s not just for school kids anymore. Why more adults are getting diagnosed with the disorder. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick…

  33. Make credit cards work for you

    · 30 min

    America runs on credit. Those plastic cards we carry around can get us into big trouble — or score us free vacations. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Avishay Artsy and Jenny Lawton,…

  34. No one will save us but ourselves

    · 30 min

    When crises hit, neighbors turn to mutual aid. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.…

  35. Living in a winter bummerland

    · 31 min

    The days are shorter and colder, and can leave us feeling listless and drained of energy. When do the winter blues tip over into seasonal affective disorder, and how do we make the most of the season? This episode was…

  36. Surviving online cringe

    · 30 min · Explicit

    The internet is forever. So how do we handle posts from our past selves? This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Sarah Schweppe, engineered by Bridger…

  37. Battling brain rot

    · 31 min · Explicit

    Bland colors, AI summaries, and declining literacy rates have lots of us worried that we’re losing our intelligence to the modern world. Can we get it back? This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny…

  38. Sexy TV is back

    · 31 min · Explicit

    Why we’re obsessed with Heated Rivalry and hooking up on the small screen. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jenny Lawton and Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Brandon…

  39. Why everyone is sick right now

    · 30 min

    How this season’s flu got supercharged — and why viruses may make you healthier. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and…

  40. Internet bad

    · 30 min · Explicit

    Once a place of serendipity and discovery, the internet now thrives on feeding us toxic rage bait designed to piss us off. Can we get the good internet back? This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Hady…

  41. Is your brain lying to you?

    · 30 min · Explicit

    Our brain constructs the world we hear, see, and feel — but tinnitus shows how that superpower can backfire. This episode is made in collaboration with Vox's Unexplainable. Hear their series on sound here. This…

  42. Let AI replace you

    · 29 min

    If AI handles all our busy work and optimizes our resources, it may also give us the one thing there never seems to be enough of: time. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked…

  43. The rise of the introverts

    · 27 min

    Turns out those personality tests you’re taking online are all wrong. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by…

  44. Talk turkey to me

    · 30 min

    How this big, lean bird became the staple of the most American of meals. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Hill and hosted by…

  45. The case for renting forever

    · 29 min

    Housing prices aren't coming down, and that's challenging us to redefine the American dream. Maybe renting isn't so bad? The episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jenny Lawton,…

  46. Why your health insurance is so expensive

    · 30 min · Explicit

    It’s open enrollment season, and new health insurance premiums are causing sticker shock around the country. So how do you pick a health care plan that won’t break the bank? This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy…

  47. That text is a scam

    · 31 min

    You know those annoying scam texts offering an easy, remote job? We find out how they work, why they're so ubiquitous and the dark world behind them. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Ariana Aspuru,…

  48. Paging Dr. ChatBot

    · 30 min · Explicit

    Patients and doctors both are turning to AI for help with diagnosing ailments and managing chronic issues. Should we trust it? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by…

  49. Why (some) food tastes better abroad

    · 30 min · Explicit

    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…

  50. Should we give toddlers phones?

    · 30 min

    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,…

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