Today, Explained

Latest Episodes:

The Washington Football Team Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

The District of Columbia's football team is abandoning the name it adopted almost a century ago. Paul Chaat Smith, a curator at the National Museum of the American Indian, hopes the country is at long last ready to reckon with its past. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stone free Jul 13, 2020

Show notes

President Trump commuted Roger Stone’s sentence in what Vox’s Andrew Prokop says is a particularly troubling variety of political corruption. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A million international students in limbo Jul 10, 2020

Show notes

The Trump administration announced it would send a million international students home this week. But Vox’s Nicole Narea says the students are collateral in a bigger political play.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Supreme Tax Court Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

The Supreme Court issued its remaining decisions today for the 2020 term, including the biggie: Trump’s tax returns.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!” Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

President Trump says students and teachers must return to the classroom. Reality says this is going to be the toughest reopening yet.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Surfaces vs. droplets vs. aerosols Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

239 scientists have signed a letter urging the World Health Organization to warn people about airborne transmission of the coronavirus. Professor Jose-Luis Jimenez, who helped write the letter, explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Netflix has no chill Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

Netflix grew so popular during lockdown, it almost broke the internet. Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect explains how the company has upended tech, Hollywood, and how we spend our free time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How AI makes policing more racist Jul 02, 2020

Show notes

Turns out it’s just as biased as people are. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A bounty on American troops Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

Russia allegedly paid the Taliban to attack US soldiers in Afghanistan. But President Trump’s response may be the real scandal. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Helicopter policing Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

Police across the country have responded to recent protests with military tactics and equipment. The Washington Post’s Alex Horton investigated how two military helicopters were used as a show of force against protesters in the nation’s capital. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices