Seven-minute Explainers

The 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.

WHERE HULKSPEAK COME FROM? Let's explore all the potential inspiration that came before Hulk smashed into our comic book world in 1962.

A Hawaiian's tried-and-true advice for avoiding a shark attack

The 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.

So how did Jensen become Johnson, Koenigsberger become Kingsley, and Mlodzianowski become Murphy?

You'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.

The 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

The simplest way to revolutionize the tax code? Just convert deductions to credits.

It 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.

With 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.

Watergate. Iran-Contra. Trump-Russia? History can provide scenarios for thinking about how this investigation might play out.

We combed through dozens of inspirational, funny, and memorable commencement speeches and found the best ones follow a surprisingly similar pattern comprising eight distinct parts.

Whenever 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.

Their plan to stop Trump's immigration crackdown: Resist. Rebuff. Repeat.

After decades of dramatic successes — as well as failures — the Environmental Protection Agency is at a crossroads.

The 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

Many experts believe that sweetened foods have caused a global health crisis. What's so bad about sugar?

In 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.

Kim Jong Un is building a nuclear missile that can reach the U.S. Can he be stopped?

He promised to reverse the decades-long decline of manufacturing jobs. Can it be done?