Decoder Ring

Investigating the history and cultural significance of everyday mysteries AI summary

Slate Podcasts Visit website › Society & Culture · EN · 168 episodes · latest 2026-11-04

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What it is about

Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Latest episodes

Presenting: The Sporkful | Does The World Need A Better Tomato?

2026-11-04 · 38 min · Episode 140

In New Jersey, the tomato is king. Almost a century ago, a scientist at Rutgers University developed a variety that became the tomato that lined grocery store shelves for decades. Now, Rutgers scientists are at it…
The Spooky Saga of the Icelandic Dracula

2026-10-29 · 51 min · Episode 139

Since Bram Stoker’s Dracula was first published in 1897 it has inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of other fictional vampires. But none are quite as strange as that found in the frigid climes of Iceland. There, just a…
Clown Panic (Encore)

2026-10-21 · 36 min · Episode 138

Clowns have existed in various forms for thousands of years. From the big top to Bozo’s TV show, they used to be beloved figures of amusement and delight. What changed and made so many people suspect and fear them? In…
Gandhi Never Said “Be the Change”

2026-10-14 · 1 hr 1 min · Episode 137

Few inspirational phrases are quoted more often than Mahatma Gandhi’s “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It shows up on t-shirts, bumper stickers, even tattooed on people’s bodies. Life coaches, leadership…
Preview: Decoder Rings Back | The Second Spice

2026-10-07 · 8 min

One of the many perks of subscribing to Decoder Ring Plus is access to every episode of Decoder Rings Back, our member-exclusive series where host Willa Paskin calls up a listener to answer their question about a…
Bridget in the Buff

2026-09-23 · 1 hr 4 min · Episode 136

In the early 1970s, a jigsaw puzzle of a cheerful, young, naked, fat woman known only as “Bridget in the Buff” arrived in stores all over America. It was just the first of countless Bridget-related merchandise that…
What Even Is a “Podcast” Anymore?

2026-09-09 · 59 min · Episode 135

Podcasts are everywhere. They’re more popular and influential than they’ve ever been. But at the same time, what makes a podcast a “podcast” has never been more confusing.Until recently, the definition of “podcast” was…
McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime, Part 2 (Encore)

2026-08-26 · 43 min

McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug PSAs was inundating the youth of America. These messages didn’t always work as intended—but they did work their way…
McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime, Part 1 (Encore)

2026-08-12 · 34 min

McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug PSAs was inundating the youth of America. These messages didn’t always work as intended—but they did work their way…
The Fight Over Sunlight

2026-07-29 · 52 min · Episode 134

The sun has always been a hot topic. For centuries, we’ve flip-flopped over whether our health depends on soaking up its rays—or shielding ourselves from them. The current conventional wisdom is clear: Avoid sunburns at…

Episode details from the publisher’s feed. Playback happens at the publisher.

Publisher details

Oldest episode in feed: 04/2018 · over 8 years
Typical length: 38 min
Format: Episodic Newest first, episodes stand alone

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