The Best Episodes of Explained

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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?

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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?

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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?

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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?

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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?

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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?

Director: Emily Kassie

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A