Making sense of it all.
From Vox. A recent study found that many brands of braiding hair and hair extensions contain chemicals that could cause cancer and birth defects. On this week’s Explain It to Me, host Jonquilyn Hill finds out why those chemicals are in these products and what you can do to avoid them. Listen, wherever you get…
From Vox. Half of Americans under 50 get health information from social media influencers. A new Pew Research Center report found that most of those influencers have no real medical credentials. Vox’s Dylan Scott breaks down who is actually behind the accounts people trust with their health and why experts have struggled to compete. Subscribe…
From Vox. "Progressive" and "affordability" are trendy political buzzwords today, but for most Americans, they feel more like abstract concepts rather than lived realities. The Congressional Progressive Caucus is trying to change that by launching a 10-point "Affordability Agenda." Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX) joins America, Actually this week to discuss his caucus’s shift from focusing…
From Vox. “Couldn’t you have said, ‘I don’t like the slogan?’” Vox’s Astead Herndon talks to Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) about why sloganeering has been detrimental to the Democratic Party. Watch their whole America, Actually interview here on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts, on Saturday. Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications…
From Vox. We all know smoking is bad for you — but pop culture seems to have decided it’s cool again. The “pop girlies” like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX are partially to blame for the smoking renaissance we’re seeing in pop culture. Newsweek reporter Marni Rose McFall talks about why Gen Z…
From Vox. Sean talks with Vox senior correspondent Anna North about the strange rise of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement. They explore why MAHA resonates, especially with younger people, how legitimate concerns about food and public health blur into conspiracy thinking, and why social media has become such a powerful engine for both.…
From Vox. Are MAHA influencers creating a wellness-to-conspiracy pipeline? Vox Correspondent Anna North details how diet and health-focused social media content sometimes funnels into conspiracist thinking and institutional distrust. Listen to the full discussion with The Gray Area host Sean Illing wherever you get your podcasts. #TheGrayArea #Misinformation #ConspiracyTheories #WellnessPipeline #MahaWorldOnline #QAnon Subscribe to our…
From Vox. Hantavirus is usually spread through rodents, but it infected at least eight people on the MV Hondius cruise ship, three of whom died. How did this happen? And what even is hantavirus? Vox’s Sydney Bergan explains what you need to know about the disease. Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔)…
From Vox. Was Billie Eilish right when she told Elle magazine that you can’t say you love all animals and eat meat? Vox’s Kenny Torrella breaks down her logic, and what the backlash from her statement reveals about the American left. Read more: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/487818/billie-eilish-animal-rights-vegan-political-leftists Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you…
From Vox. Pete Hegseth’s obsession with the Crusades may seem like a personality quirk, like your uncle who is obsessed with World War 2 submarines. But when that worldview influences how a defense secretary thinks about modern conflicts, it stops just being about the past — and it starts shaping the future. Vox producer Nate…
From Vox. Lauren Sánchez Bezos’ Met Gala dress was boring — but the painting that inspired it once scandalized all of Paris. Vox’s Jonquilyn Hill breaks down the 1884 reference and why Sánchez Bezos wearing it was anything but an accident. Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you don’t miss any…
From Vox. Sean talks with psychologist Dacher Keltner about the science of awe and why it might be one of the most important emotions we have. They explore how awe quiets the ego, shifts our attention away from ourselves, and reconnects us to other people, nature, and larger patterns of meaning. Along the way, they…
From Vox. Sean talks with psychologist Dacher Keltner about the science of awe and why it might be one of the most important emotions we have. They explore how awe quiets the ego, shifts our attention away from ourselves, and reconnects us to other people, nature, and larger patterns of meaning. Along the way, they…
From Vox. Wedding planning is complicated enough without the external pressures of social media. But, for many brides and grooms, it’s hard not to fall into the trap of turning your special day into what you see on Pinterest. Vogue’s contributing weddings editor, Shelby Wax, explains why this can do more harm than good to…
From Vox. Are we in a period of reinvention, or is the 250-year-old "American experiment" now hitting a wall? This week on America, Actually, historian Heather Cox Richardson explains our current political climate and how the US is facing its biggest stress test since the Civil War. The substack author helps us write a new…
From Vox. Heather Cox Richardson, author of the newsletter Letters from an American, reflects on the country as an ongoing project: a story shaped by people who’ve fought to expand its promises to those once excluded. Listen to the full episode here on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to our channel and…
From Vox. The Supreme Court just gutted the Voting Rights Act, and analysts say as many as a dozen Black Democratic members of Congress could lose their seats because of it. Vox’s Ian Millhiser breaks down what the Court’s decision in Callais means for Southern politics, congressional power, and who ultimately controls Congress. Read the…
From Vox. Did problems in America’s political system pave the way for Donald Trump? Heather Cox Richardson, author of the newsletter Letters from an American, tells Vox’s Astead Herndon that the system isn’t inherently broken, but missed opportunities after the 1960s, creating fertile ground for the conservative right to reshape the national narrative. Listen to…
From Vox. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has a longstanding fascination with the Crusades. That’s right, the Crusades: the series of late 11th to 13th century medieval wars in which Europeans fought to control the Holy Land. He has tattoos that reference the Crusades, something that actually came up in his confirmation hearing in 2025.…
From Vox. Everyone says having kids changes your life. That’s true. But it’s not the whole story. Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO Sean talks with author Derek Thompson about fatherhood, how raising kids can shock you, and why parenting feels not so much “hard” as “nonstop.” They explore the weird psychology of loving something more…
From Vox. The first ticket drop for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics resulted in a “crashout” for many fans and locals hoping to get a seat at the summer Games. Why? Because the process was confusing and the tickets were way more expensive than the $28 seats they were promised. Read more: https://www.vox.com/culture/486760/2028-los-angeles-olympics-ticket-prices-fail Subscribe to…
From Vox. Nicole Kidman is becoming a death doula, and she’s not the first celebrity to do so. She’s part of a larger cultural shift toward embracing death and a growing openness to talking about death in ways we never used to. Vox’s Anna North spoke with death professionals like thanatologist and author Cole Imperi,…
From Vox. If billionaire Tom Steyer becomes the governor of California, he wants criminal liability for ICE agents and their leadership. Vox’s Zack Beauchamp talked to Steyer about why holding leadership accountable is important. Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you don’t miss any videos: http://goo.gl/0bsAjO Vox.com is a news website…
From Vox. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a very big deal. It transformed America, marking the end of the Jim Crow era and effectively banning racial discrimination in elections. Finally fulfilling the promise of a multiracial democracy, Black voter registration increased, and political representation across the nation better reflected America’s diverse population. 60…
From Vox. Billionaire and California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer tells Vox’s Zack Beauchamp that to protect democracy, political leaders have to stand up for Americans and their freedoms. “You think you’re getting out of an authoritarian crisis without standing up for something?” Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you don’t miss…
From Vox. As animal shelters in the US become overcrowded, it’s not just the pets that suffer. Animal control and animal shelter workers bear an enormous amount of stress, collectively euthanizing about 600,000 animals each year. Vox’s Kenny Torrella explains how you can help. Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you…
From Vox. Have you ever asked yourself: Am I someone I’d want to be friends with? It’s an important question that may reveal if you aren’t showing up for your friends in the way you want them to show up for you. Aka, it’ll help you find out if you’re a bad friend. But don’t…
From Vox. We drop fish out of planes. Well, sometimes. It’s a process called “fish stocking,” where US states breed fish with the purpose of releasing them into rivers and lakes to then be caught by fishers. And when those lakes are up in the mountains, it can take a plane or a helicopter to…
From Vox. Sean talks with psychologist Alison Gopnik about how children think, learn, experience the world, and why their minds may be more powerful than ours in some crucial ways. They explore the idea that kids are the “research and development” wing of the human species, built for exploration, curiosity, and discovery, while adults are…
From Vox. Sean talks with psychologist Alison Gopnik about how children think, learn, experience the world, and why their minds may be more powerful than ours in some crucial ways. They explore the idea that kids are the “research and development” wing of the human species, built for exploration, curiosity, and discovery, while adults are…
From Vox. Worried about your child’s intelligence and future? Developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik has the simplest, most essential advice for parents: “chill out.” In her conversation with the host of The Gray Area, Sean Illing (@seanilling), she argues that focusing on the “marvelous features” of the relationship and appreciating the “biggest human miracle”—watching your child…
From Vox. Matcha is a) everywhere and b) not cheap. So why are matcha prices rising? And how do you guarantee that you’re getting what you pay for? Vox’s Sydney Bergan breaks it down. 🍵 Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you don’t miss any videos: http://goo.gl/0bsAjO Vox.com is a news…
From Vox. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego is considering running for president in 2028. In a lot of ways, it makes sense: He’s an army veteran who represents a critical swing state with a sizable Latino electorate. But could his previously close relationship with former Congress member Eric Swalwell complicate his political future? This week on…
From Vox. "Good people in, bad people out. That’s where we start." Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) lays out the three-part Democratic case for immigration reform: border enforcement, targeting bad actors, and a flexible system that responds to reality, to Vox’s Astead Herndon. Listen to the full interview wherever you get your podcasts or watch it…
From Vox. On April 15, a federal jury found Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly, overcharging fans and shutting out competition. After years of complaints, lawsuits, and the fallout from the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket sale controversy, the states took the case to trial, and won. So now the…
From Vox. Yesteryear, the buzzy new novel by Caro Claire Burke, has an incredible premise. A modern-day tradwife travels back in time to 1855, forcing her to reckon with the realities of the lifestyle she touts on social media. While a great read, Vox’s book critic Constance Grady explains why the ending leaves more to…
From Vox. “Social media enabled Republicans to figure out the actual preferences of corporate America and they didn’t like them.” Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains to The Gray Area Host Sean Illing why the First Amendment has become a free-for-all. Listen to the whole episode wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to our channel and turn…
From Vox. The Supreme Court is aggressive on almost everything. Except the internet. Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO Sean talks with Vox’s Ian Millhiser about a surprising pattern at the Court. While it’s been eager to reshape schools, healthcare, and civil rights law, it has consistently taken a cautious, almost hands-off approach to regulating the…
From Vox. It’s been over 100 days since New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office. What’s he doing differently from other mayors? Brigid Bergin, a senior politics reporter at WNYC and Gothamist, explains to Today, Explained host Sean Rameswaram that Mamdani is practicing “pothole politics” — aka publicizing every small accomplishment. Subscribe to our…
From Vox. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is expanding to Orange County, and a lot of the new cast members have one thing in common: they aren’t actually Mormon. Jonquilyn Hill, host of Explain It to Me, breaks down who’s joining the show and asks the bigger question about our fascination with Mormon culture…