Explain It to Me
Vox
Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. 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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 10, 2026 • 30min
Chems in your cosmetics
Ami Zoda, environmental health professor at Columbia who studies cosmetics, regulation, and beauty’s unequal harms. Mariah Blake, investigative reporter on toxic chemicals and PFAS history. Dr. Alicia Franklin, chemist studying chemical exposures from braiding hair. They discuss harmful chemicals in hair and lotions, why endocrine disruptors matter, regulatory gaps, and how beauty norms create unequal risks.
6 snips
May 3, 2026 • 30min
The cost of “I do”
Lauren Miller, founder of the Tiny Wedding Collective who plans intimate ceremonies. Karen Dunnick, history professor and author studying the rise of the white wedding. Shelby Wax, Vogue weddings editor who curates bridal aesthetics. They discuss how media and social platforms shaped fairy-tale expectations, why micro weddings appeal, rising coast-to-coast budgets, and what makes a wedding feel editorial-worthy.
Apr 26, 2026 • 30min
Burnout sandwich
Amy Goyer, AARP caregiving expert with decades of practical experience, and Alyssa Quart, journalist and caregiver who covered caring for a sick parent while raising a child. They discuss the squeeze of caring for kids and aging parents, systemic barriers to care, multigenerational family dynamics, secondhand stress and burnout, practical self-care and delegation, and where policy changes could help.
15 snips
Apr 19, 2026 • 29min
How to fight burnout
Danielle Roberts, a career coach who models workplace boundaries and helps folks find balance, and Jonathan Melesic, an author and former professor who researched and lived burnout, discuss what burnout looks like and how different generations respond. They cover the science behind burnout, its historical and political roots, Gen Z boundary strategies, and practical hiring and day-to-day tactics to prevent collapse.
26 snips
Apr 12, 2026 • 30min
Why you have to be optimistic
Ari Wallach, futurist who champions long-term thinking, and Jamil Zaki, Stanford psychologist who studies empathy and hope, explore why optimism matters. They contrast toxic positivity with active hope. They discuss cultivating hopeful habits, thinking generations ahead, historical moments of shared vision, and real-world doers who turn long-range ideas into action.
33 snips
Apr 5, 2026 • 30min
Can someone explain these prices?
Sam Ory, climate and energy director who breaks down global oil and pump-price mechanics. Eilena Peng, Bloomberg agriculture reporter who traces coffee price swings and climate impacts. Chuck Nicholson, Penn State supply-chain lecturer who explains milk pricing and where value goes. They talk gas, coffee, and groceries in short, focused conversations about markets, supply chains, and regional price differences.
40 snips
Mar 29, 2026 • 30min
Your accent… explained
Valerie Fridlin, sociolinguist and author who traces historical and regional roots of American accents. Nicole Holliday, sociophonetician at UC Berkeley who studies how speech sounds signal identity. They discuss where American accents began, how regional varieties like Southern and Midwestern formed, how social factors shape sound, why accents converge or resurface, and personal stories about changing or keeping one’s speech.
7 snips
Mar 22, 2026 • 31min
The book of Mormon influence
McKay Coppins, Atlantic staff writer and Mormon, provides historical context on Mormonism in America. Bridget Reed, New York Magazine features writer, maps Mormon influence in pop culture and influencer commerce. They talk about Mormon women’s social media prominence, the Bachelorette controversy, historical assimilation, streaming’s role in niche religious media, and how religion appears in mainstream TV.
Mar 15, 2026 • 30min
Sugar crash
Maya Feller, a Brooklyn registered dietitian offering practical sugar-cutting tips; Dr. Kimber Stanhope, a UC Davis metabolism researcher explaining sugar biochemistry; David Singerman, a historian on sugar’s role in empire and industry. They trace sugar’s history and political power. They unpack types of sugars and how the body handles fructose. They share realistic strategies for managing cravings and reworking taste.
32 snips
Mar 8, 2026 • 30min
Your clutter is holding you back
Mary Dozier, a clinical psychologist who treats hoarding and clutter issues, and Emily Stewart, a reporter on consumer culture, dig into why we keep things. They explore historical shopping trends, the brain’s resistance to discarding, sentimental attachments, practical decluttering tactics, and when keeping items is helpful or harmful.
