Documentary

All Episodes of Explained

Browse all episodes of Explained

Binge this in 14h 40m•Peaking at 8.5/10

This documentary series, made in partnership with Vox, explain some of the world's current trends, from politics, to science to pop culture.

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Season 1

8.2/10517 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.7/10523 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.6/10428 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.5/10429 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.5/10528 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.4/10617 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.4/10428 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.4/10527 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.3/10499 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.2/10585 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.2/10465 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.2/10458 votes
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: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.1/10392 votes
!
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 7/11/2018
Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.0/10485 votes
Cryptocurrency
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 6/6/2018
Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.0/10404 votes
eSports
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 6/27/2018
Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters, and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.0/10377 votes
Cricket
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 7/18/2018
Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
7.0/10439 votes
Political Correctness
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 8/29/2018
Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
6.9/10392 votes
Tattoo
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 8/1/2018
They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
6.6/10454 votes
K-Pop
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 5/30/2018
Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
6.6/10435 votes
Astrology
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 8/8/2018
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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown