Explain It to Me
Explain It to Me is Vox’s new franchise focused on answering your questions—through a weekly podcast, a weekly newsletter, and a video series.
Wondering about why American politics work the way they do? Have a question about retirement? Or just curious about something in your everyday life—like whether your dentist is scamming you? We want to hear from you.
The Explain It to Me newsletter tackles a question each week, delivering a digestible explainer that’s fun to read, answered by different journalists around our newsroom.
Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement? The Explain It to Me podcast is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Call in your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you at 1-800-618-8545. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it’s to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn’t expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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Want to inspire a Vox story? Share your ideas with us.
What the cost of gas, coffee, and milk tells us about why everything feels more expensive right now.
👁 Why some American accents have endured — while others have faded away
The history of how we talk mirrors the history of the country.
The latest in Explain It to Me
America’s clutter problem, explained.
👁 Are more people getting ADHD — or are we just catching more cases?
It’s not just for kids anymore.
A brief history of credit card debt.
👁 How communities rally when the government fails them
The deep roots of mutual aid.
It’s possible to survive — and maybe even thrive — during the coldest months of the year.
Don’t be afraid of your bad posts.
Technology is rotting our brains — but there are ways to stop it.
👁 The real reason people are so passionate about Heated Rivalry
It’s not just the smut. It’s about a deeper desire.
There are still things you can do to save yourself — and others.
👁 How millennials fell out of love with the internet
Is the internet really worse than it used to be, or are some of us just getting older?
Your brain interprets reality for you. But how good of an interpreter is it?
The world is on the precipice of a technological revolution. But how much disruption can a society take?
👁 Your personality is more complicated than you think
A practical guide for talking about your “type” — without sounding silly.
A practical guide to eating on Turkey Day.
👁 When did Thanksgiving turkey become such a big deal?
Here’s the real reason we eat turkey and stuffing.
It’s time to rethink a key pillar of the American dream.
👁 The 2 factors driving your health care costs higher and higher
Another open enrollment, another eye-popping premium increase. Why?
👁 The hidden, horrifying world behind all those recruitment scam texts
The people likely to be sending them are victims, too.
The surprising path to more truly personal medicine.
👁 What is Dubai chocolate and why is it everywhere?
TikTok is only part of the reason the snack has become the epitome of “IRL brainrot aesthetic.”
👁 Sorry, it’s true: The US really does have crappy bread
The difference between a baguette here and in France is a matter of law.
👁 Your kids are watching YouTube. Here’s the best way for them to navigate it.
Experts created a coding scheme for kids’ media quality. Here’s what’s at the top and bottom.
It’s become controversial. Here’s how to really think about it.
Why are so many young men turning toward fatherhood?
One author’s quest to get to the bottom of our self-improvement obsession.
👁 Why 2025 has been a banner year for horror movies
Weapons, The Conjuring, and more have fueled a horror movie boom.
How A/C, tax breaks, and hip-hop tilted America southward.
👁 Everyone agrees organ donation saves lives. So why don’t more people do it?
The hidden reasons behind America’s organ donation crisis.
Parasocial relationships get a bad rap. How should you relate to your favorite celebrity?
👁 You lift bro? How America became a nation of exercise obsessives.
And why fitness culture is a quintessentially American invention.
There are 90,000 supplements on the market. Do they actually work?
Today’s trend goes back way further than the modern influencer.
Other countries have reliable trains that travel as fast as 200 mph. In the US...not so much.
How the beach read became so much more than escapism.
👁 Microwaves produce radiation. Is that bad for me?
Despite what your social media feed might say, microwaves are safe.
👁 How Black artists are reclaiming the American flag
July Fourth isn’t as simple as celebrating the red, white, and blue.
The animal researcher who tried to experience the world through the nose of a dog.
👁 What today’s new college graduates are up against
The class of 2025 is graduating into a weird job market.