Explained

1The Racial Wealth Gap

19 minMay 23, 2018★ 7.3

Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.

2Designer DNA

18 minMay 23, 2018

Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.

3Monogamy

18 minMay 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.

4K-Pop

18 minMay 30, 2018

Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."

5Cryptocurrency

18 minJun 6, 2018

Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.

6Why Diets Fail

18 minJun 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.

7The Stock Market

18 minJun 20, 2018

Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.

8eSports

18 minJun 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.

9Extraterrestrial Life

20 minJul 4, 2018

Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?

10!

16 minJul 11, 2018

Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.

11Cricket

15 minJul 18, 2018

Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.

12Weed

18 minJul 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.

13Tattoo

17 minAug 1, 2018

They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.

14Astrology

17 minAug 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.

15Can We Live Forever ?

14 minAug 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.

16The Female Orgasm

14 minAug 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.

17Political Correctness

20 minAug 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.

18Why Women Are Paid Less

18 minSep 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."

19The World's Water Crisis

17 minSep 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?

20Music

16 minSep 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.