• 30 minutes 23 seconds
    The quest for the perfect baby

    Men and women are trying to maximize their reproductive health due to anxieties around declining fertility trends. But are we taking “embryomaxxing” too far?

    This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    A surrogate mother undergoes an ultrasound scan at the Beta Fertility Clinic, where her pregnancy is being monitored, in Tbilisi in Georgia. Photo by Marie Audinet / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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    18 October 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 29 seconds
    The cost of loving your pet

    Our emotional relationships with our pets have only grown since the pandemic — and so has the financial price we pay.

    This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    Mackenzie Rullo, 4, waits ringside with golden retriever "Envy" at The Rocky Mountain Cluster All Breed Dog Show in Denver in 2016. Photo by Kathryn Scott Osler/The Denver Post via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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    11 October 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 30 seconds
    Mass-produced fashion slop

    How algorithms and instant fashion killed style — and how to get it back.

    This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    People search for clothes by sorting through piles of second hand textiles displayed on large tables during an Emmaus clearance sale in Poitiers, France. Photo by Jean-François FORT / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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    4 October 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 30 seconds
    The end of etiquette

    It’s not just about being nice. Manners allow us to peacefully coexist at work, in transit, and out in the wider world.

    This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    Manspreading is the practice of some men sitting on public transportation with legs wide apart, thereby covering more than one seat. Photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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    27 September 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 30 seconds
    We should party more

    We’re lonely, isolated, and bored. The solution may be as simple as an invite and killer playlist.

    This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    A raucous loft party. Photo by Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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    20 September 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 29 minutes 42 seconds
    How to date IRL

    People are getting tired of the dating apps and turning to a more old-fashioned way of finding love.

    This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    Known, an AI-driven dating app, has their branding plastered on a storefront in San Francisco, CA. Photo by Camille Cohen/For The Times.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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

    13 September 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 21 seconds
    How to survive a flop

    In the streaming era, success is public, failure is viral, and everyone's one release away from a flop era. How do you come back?

    This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton and Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    Lizzo at the "Scary Movie" global premiere at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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    30 August 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 27 minutes 7 seconds
    Why everyone's an introvert now

    Move aside extroverts. In this episode — which aired last year — we explore personality types and whether they are set in stone.

    This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by We Are/Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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

    23 August 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 29 minutes 16 seconds
    Why can’t I remember being a baby?

    Even if we have little to no memory of our first few years, our earliest experiences still matter.

    This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noam Hassenfeld.

    A baby crawling on the floor. Photo via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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

    16 August 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 20 seconds
    Vacation? In this economy?

    Gas is expensive and Europeans want us to stay home. How can you still make use of that precious PTO?

    This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    Tourists take selfies in front of the Barcelona Cathedral. Photo by Paco Freire/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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

    9 August 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 30 seconds
    Going broke on wellness

    Americans spend billions on healthcare products, from green powders and cold plunges to costly gym memberships. Last summer we asked: what good do they do?

    This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Matthew Billy, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.

    Visitors wear the Myblend myLEDmask2 "Anti-Aging" product at the FIBO trade show for health, fitness and wellness in Cologne, Germany. Photo by Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images.

    If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected].
    Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.

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

    2 August 2026, 12:00 pm
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