The BEST episodes of Explained
Every episode of Explained ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Explained!
This enlightening series from Vox digs into a wide range of topics such as the rise of cryptocurrency, why diets fail, and the wild world of K-pop.
#1 - The Next Pandemic
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/7/2019
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.
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - The World's Water Crisis
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 9/12/2018
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?
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#3 - Dogs
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/6/2021
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.
Watch Now:Amazon
#4 - The Future of Meat
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/14/2019
The planet's current rate of meat consumption is unprecedented -- and becoming unsustainable. In the future, will meat alternatives be the answer?
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#5 - Billionaires
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/3/2019
There are more billionaires than ever. But how does this vast accumulation of wealth affect the world? Mark Cuban and Bernie Sanders offer insights.
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#6 - Cults
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/2019
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.
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#7 - Designer DNA
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 5/23/2018
Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.
#8 - Coding
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/24/2019
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?
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#9 - Why Women Are Paid Less
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 9/5/2018
Hillary Clinton and Anne-Marie Slaughter discuss the cultural norms at the center of the worldwide gender pay gap, including the "motherhood penalty."
#10 - Animal Intelligence
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/2019
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.
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#11 - The Racial Wealth Gap
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 5/23/2018
Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.
#12 - Chess
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/20/2021
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?
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#13 - Sugar
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/16/2021
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?
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#14 - Music
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 9/19/2018
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.
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#15 - Extraterrestrial Life
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/4/2018
Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?
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#16 - Can We Live Forever?
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 8/15/2018
Can we uncover the secrets to extending the human lifespan? Experts discuss how developments in science -- even the French lilac -- hold some clues.
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#17 - The Female Orgasm
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 8/22/2018
The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why and how women are embracing hands on solutions.
#18 - The End of Oil
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/13/2021
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?
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#19 - Weed
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/25/2018
Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quests for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.
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#20 - Pirates
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/31/2019
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.
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#21 - Time
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 10/1/2021
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?
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#22 - Flags
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/30/2021
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.
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#23 - Monogamy
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 5/23/2018
What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.
#24 - Diamonds
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/28/2019
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.
Watch Now:Amazon
#25 - Why Diets Fail
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 6/13/2018
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.
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