← Explained

Season 2

10 episodes · 2019

  1. 1

    Cults

    Sep 26, 201923 min★ 7.6

    How do cults lure people in and exert control? Learn a cult’s telltale signs, and how loneliness and life online makes indoctrination easier than ever.

  2. 2

    Billionaires

    Oct 3, 201916 min★ 8.0

    There are more billionaires than ever. But how does this vast accumulation of wealth affect the world? Mark Cuban and Bernie Sanders offer insights.

  3. 3

    Animal Intelligence

    Oct 10, 201923 min★ 8.0

    What goes on inside an animal's mind? Figuring out how they think and feel might just be the key to understanding our own place in the world.

  4. 4

    Athleisure

    Oct 17, 201920 min★ 7.0

    It began with bloomers. Then came spandex. Now we sport leggings and other activewear everywhere. How did comfy, casual clothing go mainstream?

  5. 5

    Coding

    Oct 24, 201920 min★ 7.5

    Computer code now controls how we live. But how did these programming languages evolve? And how can they be used to build a new and better world?

  6. 6

    Pirates

    Oct 31, 201924 min★ 7.1

    In pop culture, pirates are often depicted as booty-looting rogues, but their history is far more complicated. See how they became enemies of humanity.

  7. 7

    The Next Pandemic

    Nov 7, 201916 min★ 8.5

    If you're not worried about a looming global pandemic, you probably should be. Are we prepared for an outbreak? Bill Gates and other experts weigh in.

  8. 8

    The Future of Meat

    Nov 14, 201922 min★ 8.0

    The planet's current rate of meat consumption is unprecedented -- and becoming unsustainable. In the future, will meat alternatives be the answer?

  9. 9

    Beauty

    Nov 21, 201923 min★ 7.1

    Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but what exactly makes things such as art and architecture aesthetically pleasing, and why do we like looking?

  10. 10

    Diamonds

    Nov 28, 201925 min★ 7.4

    A diamond is forever. But why is that? Dig into how these mined pieces of carbon became both a status symbol and a sparkly sign of everlasting love.