CNN Explains

With the midterms approaching, there are tons of questions and conspiracy theories about how secure US elections really are. CNN's Marshall Cohen traces the system of integrity checks and safeguards that effectively prevent - and catch - voter fraud.

It's a good time to be a billionaire political donor. Decades of Supreme Court cases have eliminated key guardrails keeping political spending in check.

After a supposed "noise demonstration" at a Texas ICE detention facility went awry last year, the DOJ secured convictions for 15 people with a terrorism-related crime.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is up for renewal, and lawmakers are debating whether a law designed to prevent terrorism is also violating the constitutional rights of citizens. CNN's Krishna Andavolu explains.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is already the third largest in history. CNN explains just how big of a threat this disease could be for the US - and the world.

Cuba faced a US invasion in 1961 - and defeated it. Now, Cubans are bracing for a potential US attack after the indictment of Raul Castro. CNN's Patrick Oppmann explains how they're preparing amid rising tensions.

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for people under 50. With the rate of new diagnoses expected to rise 90% by 2030. CNN's Gianna Toboni explains.

Outside of higher gas prices, the US hasn't really felt the economic consequences of the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But it's about to. CNN's Phil Mattingly explains how - and when.

Prediction markets are federally regulated, like commodity futures that help farmers manage risk during down seasons. But over 40 states believe the "event contracts" on prediction sites are gambling, and should be regulated as such.

The war in Iran has spiked oil prices which in turn has sent gas prices soaring across the country. CNN's Krishna Andavolu and David Goldman explain why it could take years for those prices to come back down.

Antibiotics have saved millions of lives over the last century. But in that same period, some of the deadly bacteria that it used to destroy have evolved to resist them.

President Donald Trump says there's been regime change in Iran. But two months into the war, it's the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that seems to have risen.

The movement against petroleum-based food dyes is heated, with some states pursuing bans and pushing for natural alternatives. CNN's Gianna Toboni explains how these dyes operate in our brains, and why experts say natural dyes may not be a solution.

As states rapidly redraw districts ahead of the midterms, an impending Supreme Court decision could spur even more gerrymandering -- and according to experts, threaten the future of fair representation. CNN's Krishna Andavolu explains.

Cuba's economy was built over decades of isolation and chronic mismanagement by the government. Now, a near total oil blockade threatens to take down the system.

The cost of the Iran war runs deeper than military expenditures and rising gas prices. As the national debt rises, the cost of servicing the debt is getting more expensive, leaving future generations to pay. CNN's Gianna Toboni explains.

The last nuclear arms treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired in February. And both Russia and China are testing weapons systems designed to evade US nuclear defense. CNN's Krishna Andavolu explains how a new nuclear arms race is developing.

President Trump is the first in decades to try to influence the decisions of the Federal Reserve. But he's not the first ever. CNN's Phil Mattingly explains what happens with politics and the Fed mix.

Foreign influence campaigns are getting more advanced and harder to trace. China, Russia and others are using AI to quickly develop and spread misinformation, as the US government cuts key programs designed to shield Americans. Gianna Toboni explains.

Days into the war on Iran, oil tankers were bottlenecked in the Strait of Hormuz, sending up oil prices and threatening the global economy. CNN's Gianna Toboni explains what this means for Americans -- at the pump and beyond.

Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, Iran has fired barrages of ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation. Very few have hit their target. CNN's Krishna Andavolu explains why.

Iran's governing structure isn't a one-man show -- it's a system, with power distributed throughout several layers of government. CNN's Kylie Atwood explains.

From MAHA influencers to government officials to scientists, people are taking a new look at what makes certain foods addictive. Alex Clark explains how decades of development in food engineering have transformed these foods into something hard to resist.

At its best, an AI chatbot can be a useful tool. At its worst, it can generate inappropriate and potentially dangerous content. So what's keeping bots like ChatGPT and Grok in check? CNN's Hadas Gold explains.