Today, Explained

Contact tracing President Trump

The president had a very busy week, then tested positive for the coronavirus. Vox’s Aaron Rupar traces his steps and Ella Nilsen explores the possible scenarios. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Missing Chapter

A forgotten protest movement in a seaside Florida town helped end legal segregation in the United States. Vox’s Ranjani Chakraborty explains. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe Versus the Volcano

While it might feel as though nothing could be worse than last night’s presidential debate, Vox’s Ezra Klein explains what could happen if President Trump loses the election and refuses to leave office. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amy Coney Barrett

President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee first garnered attention after being questioned about her Catholic faith. Vox’s Ian Millhiser says that attention likely motivated her nomination. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

$750

That's how much "billionaire" President Trump paid in federal income taxes his first year in office, according to reporting from the New York Times. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justice For Breonna Taylor (Part II)

One of the three officers who shot at Breonna Taylor’s apartment was indicted ... for endangering her neighbors. Tessa Duvall from the Louisville Courier-Journal explains. And Vox’s Fabiola Cineas says the ruling isn’t surprising. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Fauci on pandemic politics

With mounting concerns over the politicization of federal health agencies, Dr. Anthony Fauci explains why Americans should still trust the vaccine approval process. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Working from work

What do a bus driver, a teacher, a McDonald’s employee, and a project manager with a conference on her calendar all have in common? Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RBG’s seat

Republicans appear ready to fill the seat left vacant by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the end of the year. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains Democrats’ last defense. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Supreme

The fight over Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat has already begun, but let’s not forget to celebrate her legendary life. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Class of Covid-19

Colleges reopened. Outbreaks followed. Robert J. Jones, chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, explains why he still thinks bringing students back was the right decision. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ICE and involuntary hysterectomies

A whistleblower complaint alleges immigrants being detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Georgia have been subjected to involuntary procedures — including hysterectomies. Vox’s Nicole Narea explains. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A firefighter on battling wildfires

After 16 seasons of wildfires, Glen Haydon has figured out how to cope. For everyone else, there’s an app for that. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the future Joe Biden wants

Trillions spent on the environment, caregiving, manufacturing, and the racial wealth gap: Vox’s Dylan Matthews explains how Biden wants to “Build Back Better.” Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Vox Media is conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Find it here: voxmedia.com/podsurvey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can the Democrats take the Senate?

Vox’s Ella Nilsen says the implausible is now looking possible. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cupid-19

The pandemic hasn’t stopped Americans from dating, hooking up, or tying the knot. In fact, lockdown has been helping people get down. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was Putin the tea?

A chief political rival of Vladimir Putin has been poisoned in what Foreign Policy’s Amy MacKinnon says is a watershed moment for Russia. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The truth about herd immunity

Some people think it’s the only way out of the pandemic. Those people are very wrong. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Fake News Survival Guide

As the election draws near, of fake news you must steer clear. For you (and your uncle), this episode is here. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The movies are back*

*But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should go see one. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the stock market bull?

Vox’s Emily Stewart clears up the mystery of the market, and Ella Nilsen offers an update on the stimulus that has collapsed into stalemate. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s talk about ventilation

Ventilation is key to reopening office buildings safely. But The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson says many workers aren’t going back, even when it’s safer. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Facebook ready for the election?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company made an “operational mistake” in its handling of Kenosha militia groups. The Verge’s Casey Newton explains whether that has implications for November’s election. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wakanda forever

The actor Chadwick Boseman died of cancer on Friday, but because of Black Panther he’ll live forever. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Island of Explained: A Summer of Protest

All summer long, we have been explaining complex news stories to kids. In our final summer camp journey to the Island of Explained, we tackle the fight for racial justice in the United States. Go to vox.com/todayexplainedkids for a discussion guide on implicit bias and the role it plays in our communities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unconventional (Part II)

The GOP proved that laws were made to be broken at its 2020 convention. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kenosha

Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times by police and the protests escalated all the way to the NBA. Gina Barton, investigative reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, explains. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Optimism in 2020

Being an optimist can seem ridiculous right now, but in the inaugural episode of The Cut podcast, host Avery Trufelman is searching for some well-grounded positivity. She finds it in conversation with Cheer’s La’Darius Marshall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plasmania

Covid’s hottest new treatment is plasma. Vox’s Umair Irfan explains why, and where the world stands on a vaccine. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is QAnon?

As the Republican National Convention gets underway, a bonkers (and dangerous) conspiracy theory is gaining a foothold inside the GOP. President Trump appears to be okay with it. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices