Explained · Season 2

All Episodes

10 episodes · (Complete)

S02E01: Cults

Sep 26, 2019 23 min

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.

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S02E02: Billionaires

Oct 3, 2019 16 min

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

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S02E03: Animal Intelligence

Oct 10, 2019 23 min

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.

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S02E04: Athleisure

Oct 17, 2019 20 min

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

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S02E05: Coding

Oct 24, 2019 20 min

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?

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S02E06: Pirates

Oct 31, 2019 24 min

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.

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S02E07: The Next Pandemic

Nov 7, 2019 16 min

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.

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S02E08: The Future of Meat

Nov 14, 2019 22 min

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

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S02E09: Beauty

Nov 21, 2019 23 min

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?

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