8.5/10559 votesLoading...#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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/10509 votesLoading...#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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10379 votesLoading...#3 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10367 votesLoading...#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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/10414 votesLoading...#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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.8/10230 votesLoading...#6 - 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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.8/10207 votesLoading...#7 - 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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10515 votesLoading...#8 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10223 votesLoading...#9 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10418 votesLoading...#10 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10403 votesLoading...#11 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10419 votesLoading...#12 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10515 votesLoading...#13 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10364 votesLoading...#14 - 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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10607 votesLoading...#15 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10419 votesLoading...#16 - 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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10519 votesLoading...#17 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10338 votesLoading...#18 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10260 votesLoading...#19 - 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?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10200 votesLoading...#20 - 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?
Director: Emily Kassie
Writer: N/A
7.3/10490 votesLoading...#21 - 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."
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10205 votesLoading...#22 - Fairy Tales
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 10/15/2021
Fairy tales have survived thousands of years for a reason. Explore their far-flung history and how the stories speak to fundamental human concerns.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10572 votesLoading...#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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10455 votesLoading...#24 - 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.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10449 votesLoading...#25 - The Stock Market
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 6/20/2018
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
The Best Episodes of Explained
Every episode of Explained ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Explained!
This documentary series, made in partnership with Vox, explain some of the world's current trends, from politics, to science to pop culture.
Genre:Documentary
Network:Netflix
Best Episodes Summary
"The Next Pandemic" is the best rated episode of "Explained". It scored 8.5/10 based on 559 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 11/7/2019. This episode scored 0.3 points higher than the second highest rated, "The World's Water Crisis".