Plain English
Today: #87 in Education, Brazil on our combined chart.
Today: #112 in Education, Japan on our combined chart.
Chart positions today · United States
Not on the United States charts we track today.
Not on the United Kingdom charts we track today.
Not on the Canada charts we track today.
Not on the Australia charts we track today.
Not on the Germany charts we track today.
Not on the Mexico charts we track today.
Not on the New Zealand charts we track today.
Not on the Ireland charts we track today.
Not on the India charts we track today.
Not on the Philippines charts we track today.
Not on the South Africa charts we track today.
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Ranking history · United States
Latest episodes
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The past and present of marathons
October 26, 2026 · 17 minToday's story: The marathon takes its name from a Greek legend about a messenger who ran from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens with news of victory. That story isn't quite true, but it did inspire the modern-day race. Today, about 1.2…
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New way to catch burglars: DNA in the air
October 19, 2026 · 15 minToday's story: Burglars often leave no fingerprints or hair behind, but they may still leave traces of themselves floating in the air. What if that could be used to help solve crimes? In an experiment in Oslo, Norway and Adelaide…
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New women's record to solve a Rubik's cube
October 12, 2026 · 17 minToday's story: Six-year-old Lian Yunzhi from China set a new Rubik’s cube world record with an average time of 4.27 seconds, breaking her own record just three days after setting it. The Rubik’s cube has fascinated and frustrated puzzle…
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Five more favorites from 900 episodes
October 5, 2026 · 20 minToday's story: We continue our look back at 900 Plain English lessons with five more favorite topics. We revisit stories about airport chapels, the history of QR codes, what makes a good apology, the debate over top sheets, and the…
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Highlights from 900 Plain English stories
September 28, 2026 · 18 minToday's story: This week, Plain English is celebrating its 900th episode. We've touched on stories big and small over the years, and this is a time to look back on some of our favorites. In part 1, we look back on episodes about the movie…
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France lends the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum
September 21, 2026 · 14 minToday's story: The Bayeux Tapestry, a nearly 1,000-year-old embroidered account of the Norman Conquest, has traveled from France to the British Museum for a rare exhibition in London. The fragile 70-meter work required carefully engineered…
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America is united in opposition to data centers
September 14, 2026 · 17 minToday's story: As artificial intelligence drives demand for more computing power, huge new data centers are being proposed across the United States. But local communities are pushing back over higher electricity costs, noise, and blight…
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Dolly Parton was a great singer and a better person
September 7, 2026 · 16 minToday's story: Dolly Parton, the country music singer, died at age 80. She rose from rural poverty to become one of the most celebrated musical artists of her generation. While she was famous for her music, she was beloved for her…
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Expression: Eat away at
September 3, 2026 · 12 minLearn the English expression, "eat away at" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/eat-away-at -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear…
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Postcards are fading into the past
August 31, 2026 · 14 minToday's story: The first postcards were sold in the late 1800s and quickly became a popular way to communicate. In the days before social media (and even consumer photography), they were a fast and cheap way to communicate. But across the…
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Expression: Better off
August 27, 2026 · 7 minLearn the English expression, "better off" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/better-off -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear…
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Meet the lab-made SpudCell
August 24, 2026 · 14 minToday's story: Scientists at the University of Minnesota built a synthetic cell entirely from non-living chemical ingredients. Called SpudCell, it can absorb nutrients, copy its genetic code, divide into two, and even show natural…

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