The startup that cried dire wolf
24 April - 28 minsColossal says it's brought the dire wolf back from extinction — but the accuracy of that claim and the ethics of de-extinction are in question.
This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.
Further reading: The Dire Wolf Is Back. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast.
Colossal’s Dire Wolves, Romulus and Remus, at one month old. Photo credit Business Wire.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trump’s emergency powers grab
President Donald Trump has declared an unprecedented number of national emergencies. He's used them to wage a trade war, deport people, and speed up oil drilling. And more could be coming. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office. Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 mins
14 May Finished
Oops!... I voted for Trump
explicitIn the run-up to the election, Donald Trump successfully convinced a historic number of younger, Black, and Latino voters that he was the best option. Some are now second-guessing their decision. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Sharita White, a former Democrat who voted for Donald Trump last year, at her rowhouse home in Philadelphia. Photo by Christian Paz for Vox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
28 mins
13 May Finished
Is John Fetterman ok?
New York magazine’s Ben Terris talks through his reporting on Sen. John Fetterman’s health and what it means for the future of the Democratic Party. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz with help from Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Matthew Billy, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) questions tech leaders in artificial intelligence during a Senate hearing. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 mins
12 May Finished
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
With the at-home DNA testing company 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to all the data millions of Americans handed over? And how should you approach the family you've found through sites like these? If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545. Or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Brandon MacFarland and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo of 23andMe Ancestry + Traits Service DNA kit by Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
32 mins
11 May Finished
Chicago Pope
The first American pope's pro-immigrant views have put him publicly at odds with Vice President JD Vance. How Pope Leo XIV's ancient Catholic order collides with the beliefs of a growing group of converts like Vance. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Gabrielle Berbey, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King and Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Photo by Francesco Sforza - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 mins
9 May Finished
What did Wikipedia do?
explicitThe Trump administration is going after the free encyclopedia. Journalist Stephen Harrison explains how the site went from “the last bastion of shared reality” to “Wokepedia.” This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 mins
8 May Finished