" The pattern – for some of us – of setting, forgetting, and resetting passwords might soon be behind us. Passwords are slowly dying out and simpler, more secure forms of authentication that don’t involve remembering a pesky string of numbers and letters are taking over. But will people be able to adapt and change their habits? Plus, learn “fall for.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: h...
Apr 18, 2022•26 min•Ep. 460
" Over one hundred years ago, an explorer’s ship sunk off the coast of Antarctica, and amazingly, the entire crew of 28 survived the wreck. Just last month, a team finally found the ship, and one of the scientists said it was the best-preserved wooden shipwreck he’s ever encountered. Plus, learn “eat away at.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/459 -- Learning En...
Apr 14, 2022•23 min•Ep. 459
" The University of Minnesota is close to kicking off human trials for a male birth control pill. Researchers have developed a pill for men that was found to be 99 percent effect in mice. But would men even take it? Plus, an update on another scientific breakthrough, and learn what it means to “shoulder the burden.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/458 -- Learn...
Apr 11, 2022•24 min•Ep. 458
" The US is investing in more animal overpasses to help wildlife navigate around highways. If you think about it, highways are fast and convenient for humans to get from place to place. At the same time, they restrict wildlife from getting where they need to go and harm animal species in the area. But these aren’t like ordinary bridges. Plus, learn “cut through.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be...
Apr 07, 2022•25 min•Ep. 457
" The Ukraine-Russia war is the first time the world is seeing social media and crowdsourced intelligence having a major impact on the battlefield. Both Russians and Ukrainians are leveraging social media to give real-time updates and share stories. It’s giving the world a less filtered view of war than we’ve seen before. Plus, learn “play out.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https:/...
Apr 04, 2022•26 min•Ep. 456
" Inflation is a hot topic around the world as countries are recording their highest inflation rates in decades. In the U.S., inflation recently hit its highest rate in over 40 years: 7.9 percent. Because customers are especially price sensitive right now, companies are trying not to raise prices. But they are still passing along the price increases in hidden ways. Plus, learn “apples-to-apples.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, i...
Mar 31, 2022•30 min•Ep. 455
" “Birdnesting” is a co-parenting trend where the kids of divorced or separated parents stay in the same home they had always lived in, and the parents take turns staying in the home with them. The arrangement is meant to give kids a more stable home environment. But is birdnesting really the best setup for the kids, or the parents? Plus, learn “move on.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found a...
Mar 28, 2022•23 min•Ep. 454
" COVID-19 seems to be on the trajectory to becoming an endemic disease, meaning that it follows a regular and predictable pattern. Diseases move from epidemic to endemic when its spread slows and people have the tools to reduce its severity. But does this mean we are going to be dealing COVID for forever? This lesson dives into endemic COVID. Plus, learn “build up.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, ca...
Mar 24, 2022•21 min•Ep. 453
" Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could spark a complete re-ordering of how the world works. Everything from supply chains to payment systems could change as the world scrambles to figure out how to carry on without relying on Russia. Plus, learn what it means to “set your sights on” something. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/452 -- Learning English should be fun...
Mar 21, 2022•23 min•Ep. 452
" Companies from around the globe are pulling out of Russia in a second wave of voluntary sanctions. These go above and beyond the government sanctions already in place against the Russian economy, and ordinary Russian citizens will certainly feel the effects. But will this just make the Russian people miserable while the government and military stay the course? Plus, learn “take it upon yourself.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson,...
Mar 17, 2022•28 min•Ep. 451
" After Russia invaded Ukraine, the West imposed a predictable – and usually ineffective – round of financial sanctions on Russia entities like banks, businesses, and government officials. But then, the US and the EU upped the ante and coordinated some of the strongest-ever financial sanctions on Russia. But the biggest possible sanction remains off the table. Plus, learn what it means to have a “change of heart.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full...
Mar 14, 2022•29 min•Ep. 450
" Would you go on a weekend getaway with your partner to finalize a divorce? More and more services are popping up that are aimed at making the divorce process less nasty. There is a trend towards “conscious uncoupling,” or a more peaceful way to separate from a partner without the fighting and blame of a traditional divorce. Plus, learn “work through.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:...
Mar 10, 2022•24 min•Ep. 449
" Thousands of truckers united to block North America’s busiest international border crossing in protest of Canada’s Covid-19 measures. Canada requires anyone who crosses the border to be vaccinated or quarantine for 14 days. For cross-border truckers, this was effectively a vaccine mandate, and thus, the ‘Freedom Convoy’ was formed. Plus, learn “in droves.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be foun...
Mar 07, 2022•23 min•Ep. 448
" Spotify came under fire after Joe Rogan, who has an exclusive podcast deal with the streaming service, spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines on his podcast. Social media sites have been in the spotlight for content moderation for years, but audio content has been able to escape it – until now. Plus, learn “call out.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/4...
Mar 03, 2022•24 min•Ep. 447
" Elizabeth Holmes, the ex-CEO of startup Theranos, was once the talk of Silicon Valley. Her company was on a mission to revolutionize blood testing by making it less painful and more accessible. Theranos claimed that comprehensive blood testing could be as simple as a prick of your finger. Instead, she now faces years in prison for defrauding investors. Plus, learn “buy into.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free tra...
Feb 28, 2022•24 min•Ep. 446
" The “right to repair” movement is a consumer-led movement that wants to force companies like Apple and John Deere to provide parts and knowledge necessary to allow consumers to make their own repairs. Advocates of the “right to repair” movement claim this unnecessarily raises costs for consumers. But there are strong arguments on the other side, too. Plus, learn “down the line.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free ...
Feb 24, 2022•24 min•Ep. 445
" The SAT exam is a standardized test high-schoolers in the United States take in preparation for college. It has always been administered the old-school way: with paper and pencil. However, beginning in 2024, students will take the exam entirely online. But fewer colleges are requiring standardized tests these days, especially after the pandemic. Is this the beginning of the end of the SAT? Plus, learn “just in case.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s...
Feb 21, 2022•23 min•Ep. 444
" As we covered in last week’s lesson, there is a lot of hype surrounding multi-sensory art exhibits. The immersive Van Gogh exhibit is especially popular, so we decided to try it out for ourselves in Chicago. This lesson covers exactly what we thought about this new approach to experiencing art. Plus, learn “turn off.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/443 -- L...
Feb 17, 2022•22 min•Ep. 443
" The Gates of Hell, a huge crater in Turkmenistan that has been burning for 50 years, is the country’s biggest tourist attraction. But now, they are considering extinguishing it. There are a couple theories on how the burning crater originated, but the country cites just one puzzling reason for closing it. Plus, learn “burn off.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.c...
Feb 14, 2022•23 min•Ep. 442
" Immersive art exhibits are exploding in popularity around the globe. These exhibits allow people to experience art in a new, modern, and immersive way – a stark change from the formal, quiet, and sometimes exclusive feel of traditional museums. But not everyone is sold on these immersive experiences. Plus, learn “breathe new life into.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plaine...
Feb 10, 2022•23 min•Ep. 441
" Last month, a massive undersea eruption cut off Tonga from the rest of the world. Just one undersea cable connects the small island nation to the outside world, and the cable is about the width of a garden hose. It may take weeks to make the repairs and will take much longer to restore other damage on the islands. Plus, learn “turn back.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plai...
Feb 07, 2022•21 min•Ep. 440
" The World Health Organization added gaming addiction to its list of disorders, meaning people can now officially, and medically, be addicted to playing video games in the same way they can be addicted to drugs or alcohol. But should video gaming be classified as an addiction? Opinions are split. Plus, learn “put ahead of.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/439...
Feb 03, 2022•26 min•Ep. 439
" Novak Djokovic was poised to compete for his tenth Australian Open championship. If he won, he also would have held the title for the most Grand Slam championships ever, edging ahead in the three-way tie with tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. But he ran into some trouble at the Australian border. Plus, learn “on the eve of.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plaine...
Jan 31, 2022•30 min•Ep. 438
" Egypt is moving its capital city and most government functions to a new city. The plans for the unnamed capital are impressive, and include constructing the tallest building in the world at exactly one kilometer high. But the city and all it offers will be out of touch for most Egyptians. Plus, learn “from scratch.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/437 -- Lea...
Jan 27, 2022•27 min•Ep. 437
" There are three things that make Teslas’ technology unique: the user experience, the auto driving features, and over-the-air updates. We took a Tesla out for a test drive, and we’re sharing a peek under the hood, or more like a peek behind the screen. Learn about Tesla voice commands, self-driving mode, and other Tesla tech features, including those that are overly hyped. Plus, learn “take care of.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English less...
Jan 24, 2022•27 min•Ep. 436
" Have you ever wondered what it’s like to take a Tesla out for a spin? It has all the ordinary features of a luxury car, plus all of the benefits – and thrills – of an electric car, like instant acceleration. Plus, Teslas have a feature that might make you less stressed in traffic, and you’ll learn “check the boxes.” On Monday, the lesson will focus on the Tesla technology. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transc...
Jan 20, 2022•26 min•Ep. 435
" E-mail is one of the oldest ways to communicate on the Internet, and it’s making a comeback in media. E-mail newsletters are on the rise as consumers seek curated, digestible content from trusted brands and voices. Plus, learn about the biggest media company you’ve probably never heard of and the English expression “spring up.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.co...
Jan 17, 2022•25 min•Ep. 434
" The internet era completely changed the media industry. The internet affected all news outlets, but print newspapers probably took the biggest hit. News publications have consolidated and specialized to adapt to the times, but the industry also made a critical mistake at the beginning of the internet era. Plus, learn “eat into.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.c...
Jan 13, 2022•24 min•Ep. 433
" Boston, Massachusetts is one of the oldest cities in the United States, and it’s chock-full of history to show for it. The city also has lots of culture, great education, delicious seafood, and a variety of sports teams and events. There’s plenty to do in this historical city in New England! Plus, learn how to use the English phrase “founded in.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: http...
Jan 10, 2022•25 min•Ep. 432
" Mental health and wellness has historically been a fairly taboo topic. But the pandemic supercharged the mental health movement and made it much more upfront and open. Apps, podcast, and other services are on the rise as professionals and others focus on their mental health. Plus, learn “open up.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/431 -- Learning English shoul...
Jan 06, 2022•22 min•Ep. 431
