Seven-Minute Explainers
80 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 6 years ago - ★★★★ - 81 ratingsYour audio guide to everything you need to know about compelling and complex topics, from a variety of The Week's smart and witty writers, editors, and thinkers. Concise and entertaining, Seven-Minute Explainers packs a lot of information in a short amount of time.
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Episodes
Ep. 79: Almost every language has a word for 'Christmas.' Few reference Christ.
December 21, 2017 05:36 - 5 minutes - 5.29 MBHow’s that for a war on Christmas? For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 78: Why so strangely Yoda speaks?
December 14, 2017 05:00 - 4 minutes - 4.31 MBHear something odd in his syntax, you do. For more, go the TheWeek.com/podcasts
Ep. 77: A brief timeline of tax reform
December 07, 2017 05:56 - 7 minutes - 6.66 MBHow previous reforms led to the system we have today. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 76: Did God have a wife?
November 30, 2017 05:45 - 5 minutes - 5.12 MBThe history and mystery of Asherah. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts.
Ep. 75: 6 unique Thanksgiving celebrations from around the world
November 23, 2017 05:19 - 6 minutes - 6.38 MBThe Macy's Day Parade, football, and Black Friday deals may be uniquely American, but giving thanks for a good harvest is a tradition that crosses cultures. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 74: The secret history of cowboy socialism
November 16, 2017 05:20 - 7 minutes - 6.72 MBThe American West may fly the flag of individualism, but it was built on a bedrock of Big Government. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 73: Why Puerto Rico never had a path to statehood
November 09, 2017 05:40 - 9 minutes - 8.7 MBEven as other territories became states, the U.S. kept Puerto Rico's legal status vague. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 72: The strange, circuitous history of Daylight Saving Time
November 02, 2017 04:41 - 7 minutes - 6.54 MBHow war, the golf industry, and Big Candy got (most of) us an extra hour of sleep this weekend. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 71: Why cheap horror flicks are Hollywood gold
October 26, 2017 04:46 - 7 minutes - 6.8 MBFrom Night of the Living Dead to Paranormal Activity, low-budget horror movies continue to def Hollywood's box-office expectations. For a starter guide to the best low-budget horror films to stream, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts.
Ep. 70: The lessons of the Russian revolution, 100 years later
October 19, 2017 04:37 - 7 minutes - 6.64 MBIs Marxism just a turn-crank formula for purges and dictatorship or was something else to blame? For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 69: The self-aware legacy of 'Friends'
October 12, 2017 04:45 - 7 minutes - 6.57 MBHow the end of Matt LeBlanc's Episodes closes the door on the Friends era of gossip, fame, and meta-spinoffs. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 68: Why Ronald Reagan enthusiastically signed America's first real gun control law
October 05, 2017 04:32 - 6 minutes - 6.11 MBA lifelong member of the NRA, Reagan might be the most consequential president for gun control legislation in the past century
Ep. 67: Why severe flooding is becoming increasingly common — and more destructive
September 28, 2017 04:09 - 7 minutes - 6.52 MBStorms like Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, are only going to keep coming. Which parts of the U.S. are most vulnerable? What is the government doing about it? Here's everything you need to know. Read more at TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 66: The burglars who broke into the FBI and brought down J. Edgar Hoover
September 21, 2017 04:45 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBIn 1971, a group of activists stole thousands of incriminating documents that proved the bureau was spying on Americans. The burglars got away scot-free. For more, visit TheWeek.com/podcasts
Ep. 65: Why do we have a debt ceiling anyway?
September 14, 2017 04:42 - 6 minutes - 5.79 MBHow a legislative fluke turned into a political weapon. Learn more at TheWeek.com/podcasts
Ep. 64: Congressional censure, explained
September 07, 2017 04:38 - 7 minutes - 6.69 MBWhen elected officials break the rules, this congressional tool puts them in check
Ep.63: How to put your savings on autopilot
August 31, 2017 04:55 - 6 minutes - 6.34 MBSaving is a habit, and like all habits, the best way to make it stick is to do it over, and over, and over again, until it becomes second nature. Here's four steps to help you save money without even thinking about it.
Ep. 62: Multivitamins are useless. Here's why.
August 24, 2017 04:06 - 6 minutes - 6.22 MBThose daily pills aren't doing you any favors. In fact, they might be doing you some harm. Find more at TheWeek.com/Podcasts
Ep. 61: America's eclipse craze, explained
August 17, 2017 04:15 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBOn Aug. 21, the moon's shadow will roll across the U.S. and, for the first time in decades, tens of millions of Americans will witness a total solar eclipse outside their door. For more, visit TheWeek.com/podcasts
Ep. 60: The new monopolies
August 10, 2017 04:08 - 6 minutes - 6.03 MBAmazon, Google, and Facebook have enjoyed unstoppable growth, with no end in sight. Such enormous success may be a sign that we're in the second Gilded Age, where our lives are channeled once again through fewer and fewer companies that are controlled by just a handful of men. And this isn't good. For more, visit TheWeek.com/podcasts
Ep. 59: The genetic breakthrough that could change humanity, explained
August 03, 2017 04:58 - 7 minutes - 6.52 MBThe gene-editing tool CRISPR isn't some super high-tech piece of lab equipment. It's a part of our DNA that scientists have now figured out how to harness.
Ep. 58: A linguist's guide to HULK SMASH
July 27, 2017 04:20 - 7 minutes - 6.53 MBWHERE HULKSPEAK COME FROM? Let's explore all the potential inspiration that came before Hulk smashed into our comic book world in 1962.
Ep. 57: How to avoid being eaten by a shark
July 20, 2017 04:51 - 7 minutes - 6.69 MBA Hawaiian's tried-and-true advice for avoiding a shark attack
Ep. 56: 'Game of Thrones': 5 fun facts about the Valyrian language
July 13, 2017 04:48 - 6 minutes - 6.42 MBThe Valyrian language has four genders — and an unexpected Monty Python tribute. Listen for more fun and interesting facts about this intricate language that might help you impress at your next Game of Thrones party.
Ep. 55: Your family name did not come from a mistake at Ellis Island
July 06, 2017 13:23 - 5 minutes - 4.74 MBSo how did Jensen become Johnson, Koenigsberger become Kingsley, and Mlodzianowski become Murphy?
Ep. 54: Our irrational fear of flying
June 29, 2017 04:27 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBYou're more likely to die from a lightning strike than in an airplane crash, and yet we just can't seem to shake our aviophobia.
Ep. 53: China's plan to run the world
June 22, 2017 04:29 - 7 minutes - 6.47 MBThe People's Republic is investing trillions to build railways, ports, and telecommunications in other countries. Here's everything you need to know. Find out more at TheWeek.com/podcasts
Ep. 52: How to revolutionize the tax code with only 'find and replace'
June 15, 2017 04:33 - 7 minutes - 6.46 MBThe simplest way to revolutionize the tax code? Just convert deductions to credits.
Ep. 51: How a preemptive strike on North Korea could end up killing millions
June 08, 2017 04:14 - 7 minutes - 6.63 MBIt seems the Trump administration is ready to take the toughest of lines when it comes to dealing with the Hermit Kingdom. And this policy is nothing short of apocalyptic. For more on this story, visit TheWeek.com/podcasts.
Ep. 50: How impeachment works
June 01, 2017 04:52 - 7 minutes - 6.47 MBWith scandals swirling around the White House, the "I-word" is already being mentioned in Congress. But what's the origin of the process and how exactly is it used today? Here's everything you need to know.
Ep. 49: How previous White House scandals altered the political landscape
May 25, 2017 04:20 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBWatergate. Iran-Contra. Trump-Russia? History can provide scenarios for thinking about how this investigation might play out.
Ep. 48: Anatomy of a commencement speech
May 18, 2017 04:38 - 7 minutes - 6.53 MBWe combed through dozens of inspirational, funny, and memorable commencement speeches and found the best ones follow a surprisingly similar pattern comprising eight distinct parts.
Ep. 47: A phonological description of beatbox noises
May 11, 2017 05:37 - 7 minutes - 6.48 MBWhenever people listen to a beatboxing expert, there are two big questions that come up: What are those noises? And how are they being made? Linguistics to the rescue! Even if you still can't reproduce the sounds, you will soon be able to talk about them in terms nearly as startling as the sounds themselves.
Ep. 46: How today's pro-immigrant activists are adopting the tactics of abolitionists
May 04, 2017 05:57 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBTheir plan to stop Trump's immigration crackdown: Resist. Rebuff. Repeat.
Ep. 45: The EPA's changing mission, explained
April 27, 2017 04:43 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBAfter decades of dramatic successes — as well as failures — the Environmental Protection Agency is at a crossroads.
Ep. 44: The obscure 19th century murder case that shaped our reproductive laws
April 20, 2017 04:38 - 7 minutes - 6.69 MBThe origins of our modern battles over abortion date back to 1838 and the untimely death of a 21-year-old factory girl named Eliza Sowers
Ep. 43: How sugar became Public Enemy No. 1
April 13, 2017 04:52 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBMany experts believe that sweetened foods have caused a global health crisis. What's so bad about sugar?
Ep. 42: The rise and fall and rise of bitcoin
April 06, 2017 04:09 - 6 minutes - 6.08 MBIn 2014, bitcoin was all but written off as a failed experiment. In March 2017, it made history. And its recent, more gradual success suggests the virtual currency is here to stay. Here's the story behind its resurrection and the factors that might help it survive. For more, visit theweek.com/podcasts.
Ep. 41: The growing nuclear threat from North Korea
March 30, 2017 05:08 - 6 minutes - 6.36 MBKim Jong Un is building a nuclear missile that can reach the U.S. Can he be stopped?
Ep. 40: Can President Trump rescue the Rust Belt?
March 23, 2017 05:50 - 7 minutes - 6.44 MBHe promised to reverse the decades-long decline of manufacturing jobs. Can it be done?
Ep. 39: America's secret and forgotten wars
March 16, 2017 05:00 - 7 minutes - 6.44 MBPresident Trump inherited several undeclared wars around the world. Will he change U.S. policy?
Ep. 38: Why it's difficult to tell a Canadian accent from a Californian one
March 09, 2017 06:44 - 6 minutes - 5.63 MBNot so easy, eh?
37: The mainstreaming of mindfulness meditation
March 02, 2017 06:56 - 33 minutes - 31 MBStressed-out Americans, from war veterans to Google workers, are embracing mindfulness meditation. Does it really work?
Ep. 36: Why Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds couldn't stay apart
February 23, 2017 06:35 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBHBO's documentary Bright Lights highlights the intimacy between the famous mother and daughter
Ep. 35: Life after the White House
February 16, 2017 06:22 - 7 minutes - 6.44 MBOnce they've relinquished the highest office in the land, many presidents enjoy rewarding second acts
Ep. 34: The great billionaire space race
February 09, 2017 06:22 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBA brief history of the space race then and a look at what rich entrepreneurs are to open a new frontier of privately funded space travel.
Ep. 33: The true origin story of the football huddle
February 02, 2017 06:48 - 3 minutes - 2.86 MBIt was first invented by deaf players
Ep. 32: Are Google and Facebook the new monopolies?
January 26, 2017 06:55 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBGoogle and Facebook are the new railroads. And the media is a powerless farmer trying to get his vegetables to town.
Ep. 31: A brief history of Inauguration Day traditions
January 19, 2017 06:29 - 7 minutes - 6.45 MBThe Constitution mandates only the day and the oath of office. The rest is dictated entirely by tradition.
Ep. 30: How the geeks inherited the Earth
January 12, 2017 06:30 - 6 minutes - 6.33 MBWhat the presidential election tells us about the geeks' ascension in politics, business, and culture.