Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit;... more
We’re bringing you an episode of The Last Archive from our friends at Pushkin Industries. In this episode: an exploration... more
Pop culture is full of fictional bands singing songs purpose-made to capture a moment, a sound. This music doesn’t organically... more
Magazines have fallen on hard times – especially the weekly news, fashion, and celebrity mags that once dominated newsstands. The... more
In 1986, Andrew Wyeth was the most famous painter in America. He was a household name, on the cover of... more
Like a manager or an agent or a publicist, a stylist has become a kind of must-have accessory for well-dressed,... more
Thirty years ago, a new kind of soda arrived in select stores. Instead of crowing about how spectacular it was,... more
The eerie similarity of coffee shops all over the world was so confounding to Kyle Chayka that it led him... more
We’re back with a new batch of cultural mysteries! This year, we’re putting out more new episodes—like many more of... more
In 1992, a Minnesota-based software company known for its educational hit The Oregon Trail released another simulation-style game to school... more
From the moment it was released in 1995, The Rules was controversial. Some people loved it—and swore that the dating... more
We receive a lot of fantastic show ideas from our listeners—and we’re grateful for each and every one. For our... more
In the mid-1990s, the prime time drama Melrose Place became a home to hundreds of pieces of contemporary art—and no... more
Judging from teen dramas on Netflix, the slow dance seems to be alive and well. But when you talk to... more
We’re back with a new batch of cultural mysteries! This season, Decoder Ring explores the decline of an awkward yet... more
Once you start listening for catchphrases in everyday life—you can’t stop hearing them. From the radio era’s “Holy mackerel!” to... more
When Slate’s Evan Chung was a kid, he was obsessed with a mysterious advertisement that ran for decades in the... more
Kissing—the romantic, sexual, steamy kind—is so ingrained in us that it just seems like a fact of life. Like breathing... more
The mosh pit has a reputation as a violent place where (mostly) white guys vent their aggression. There’s some truth... more
Parmesan is a food—but it’s not just a food. Italy’s beloved cheese is often paired with a deep craving for... more
Join Decoder Ring as we unlock a whole new season of cultural mysteries. First, we’ll sniff around Italy’s best-loved cheese... more
We pride ourselves on being grounded, rational beings, but flitting amongst us is a mystery: the Tooth Fairy. This flying... more
Parking is one of the great paradoxes of American life. On the one hand, we have paved an ungodly amount... more
We bring you a special episode from Sidedoor, a podcast about the treasures that fill the vaults of the Smithsonian.... more
Last week, we put on the proverbial raincoat and made like Columbo to investigate Peter Falk’s claim that he recorded... more
Not too long ago an old clip surfaced of Peter Falk on David Letterman, in which he told an intriguing... more
Decoder Ring is back with a new season of cultural mysteries to crack. We'll kick things off with a proper... more
Host Willa Paskin and producer Katie Shepherd discuss how this season of Decoder Ring came together. Slate Plus members have access... more
We’re really lucky to get a lot of listener emails, suggesting topics for the show. In this episode, we’re going... more
(This episode originally aired in March 2020.) The 1998 romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, is... more
Ross Cellino and Steve Barnes were two Buffalo-based lawyers who became the literal poster-men for personal injury advertising. They poured... more
We bring you a special episode from the Articles of Interest podcast hosted by Avery Trufelman about the incredible reach... more
For this episode, a story from Slate senior producer Evan Chung about how Yanni, John Tesh and a number of... more
For about two decades towards the end of the Victorian era, in the 1870s and 1880s, a large bustle-enhanced bottom... more
In the history of viral images, #TheDress has got to be in the top 10. This unassuming photo of a... more
Decoder Ring is back with a new season of juicy topics, like.... Remember the viral phenomenon and optical mind-blower known... more
McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug... more
McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug... more
Host Willa Paskin talks about topics versus narratives, translating fabulists, and creating a sound landscape for the world of Mae... more
In the early 1930s, Mae West’s dirty talk and hip swiveling walk made her one of the biggest movie stars... more
When you think of an alien abduction, what do you picture? Humanoid creatures, medical experiments, lost memories retrieved through hypnosis?... more
For about two decades towards the end of the Victorian era, in the 1870s and 1880s, a large bustle-enhanced bottom was the... more