Today, Explained – Details, episodes & analysis

The story of Army specialist Austin Valley highlights a crisis the US military can’t seem to solve: More service members die by suicide than in combat. A veteran psychologist told Congress what to do about it, and today he tells us. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Photo courtesy of Erik Valley. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time, a woman is playing on the US wheelchair rugby team at the Paralympics. It’s a sign of progress in the complicated arena of co-ed sports. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah with original reporting by Audrey Nelson, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Photo by Marco Mantovani/Getty Images. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Chicago hosted the Democratic National Convention in 1968, it descended into riots in the street and chaos on the floor. Historian Rick Perlstein talks about whether 2024 risks a repeat. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andi Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Photo credit: Bettman / Getty Images. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Oxford, Michigan, school shooter's parents will serve up to 15 years in prison. Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents held criminally liable for a mass school shooting in the US, but they likely won't be the last. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

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

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

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

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

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