Best Slate V Podcasts (2025)

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Decoder Ring | How to Hunt a Mammoth, and Other Experiments in Archaeology 57:03

7d ago57:03

57:03

Experimental archeology is, simply put, archeology that involves running experiments. Where traditional archaeologists may study, research, analyze, and theorize about how artifacts were made or used, experimental archaeologists actually try to recreate, test, and use them to see what they can learn. In doing so, they have given the field a whole n…

1
Polestar 3 Road Test, Aston Martin Vanquish, & Bentley Continental GT Speed

13d ago

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In Podcast #358, Jessica Ray fills in for John Davis on hosting duties this week. This episode features two half a million dollar dream machines from across the pond…Aston Martin’s Vanquish in drop top form and the latest Bentley Continental GT Speed, which also happens to be the most powerful road-going Bentley out there. Plus while no longer owne…

1
Decoder Ring | The Bad-Mouthing of British Teeth 51:01

21d ago51:01

51:01

From The Simpsons’ Big Book of British Smiles to Austin Powers’ ochre-tinged grin, American culture can’t stop bad-mouthing English teeth. But why? Are they worse than any other nation’s? June Thomas drills down into the origins of the stereotype, and discovers that the different approaches to dentistry on each side of the Atlantic have a lot to sa…

1
Road Testing the Hyundai IONIQ 9, Plus the Updated Toyota Sienna, & Wild Audi RS e-tron GT

28d ago

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In Podcast #357, John Davis and the MotorWeek digest some of the latest vehicles we’ve been road testing. Greg regales us about the updated Toyota Sienna, which adds new technology that brings it up a notch. Then John is wow’d by the impressive improvements to the Audi RS e-tron GT. And Jessica spent a long weekend road tripping in Hyundai’s larges…

1
Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Drug Names, Cow Abductions, and the “Ass-Intensifier” 48:01

1M ago48:01

48:01

In this episode we’re opening our mailbag to answer three fascinating questions from our listeners. How did “ass,” a word for donkeys and butts, become what linguists call an “intensifier” for just about everything? How do pharmaceuticals get their wacky names? And why do we all seem to think that aliens from outer space would travel to Earth just …

1
We Saw the New Nissan LEAF, Plus First Drives in the GMC Terrain & Honda CR-V TrailSport

1M ago

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In Podcast #356, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are back after the July 4th holiday to chat about some of the most recent vehicles we’ve seen and driven. Brian starts us off with his experience behind the wheel of the latest GMC Terrain, with plenty of comparisons to it’s Chevy sibling…the Equinox. Then Alex hits the trails in Honda’s all-new CR…

1
Decoder Ring | The White Noise Boom 52:58

2M ago52:58

52:58

White noise has a very precise technical definition, but people use the term loosely, to describe all sorts of washes of sound—synthetic hums, or natural sounds like a rainstorm or crashing waves—that can be used to mask other sounds. Twenty years ago, if you’d told someone white noise was a regular part of your life, they would have found that unu…

1
Decoder Ring | The Boston Cinematic Universe 47:37

2M ago47:37

47:37

This episode is a first for Decoder Ring: a live show, recorded at the WBUR Festival in Boston, Massachusetts. Given the setting, we decided to take on a Boston-based cultural mystery: namely, the “Boston movie.” Beginning in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hollywood has churned out a whole cycle of films drenched in Beantown’s particularities, cri…

1
Bunch of First Drives! Volkswagen Tiguan, Cadillac VISTIQ & Ford Expedition. Plus, the HEMI is Back??

2M ago

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On Podcast #355, Jessica Ray steps in as host and she and the MotorWeek crew talk utilities…specifically a few first drives. They include the Volkswagen Tiguan, which looks to make a great first impression with its all-new 2025 model. Then it’s Cadillac’s latest EV, the VISTIQ…a luxury ute that doesn’t give us the “ick”. And we’ll finish off with t…

1
Decoder Ring | The Laff Box (Encore) 36:17

3M ago36:17

36:17

Decoder Ring is marking its 100th episode this year. To celebrate, we’re revisiting our very first episode from 2018, which asks: What happened to the laugh track? For nearly five decades, the laugh track was ubiquitous, but beginning in the early 2000s, it fell out of sitcom fashion. What happened? How did we get from The Beverly Hillbillies to 30…

1
Toyota RAV4 Reveal, Update on our Long Term Fleet, & more Toyota News

3M ago

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In Podcast #354, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have plenty to talk about. Greg starts things off with an update on our Long Term fleet, aka vehicles we test for longer than our typical 2 week period. Then Alex breaks down all of the recent news coming from Toyota; from new models, to new names, to new colors. And Jessica is fresh back from Plan…

1
Decoder Ring | The Glaring Problem with Headlights 43:17

3M ago43:17

43:17

Something seems to have happened to car headlights. In the last few years, many people have become convinced that they are much brighter than they used to be—and it’s driving them to the point of rage. Headlight glare is now Americans’ number one complaint on the road. The story of how and why we got here is illuminating and confounding. It’s what …

1
New $20k Slate Truck, First Drive in the Vinfast VF8 & Updated Volkswagen Golf

3M ago

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In Podcast #353, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have a very diverse group of vehicles to discuss starting off with Alex’s recent time driving one of our favorite hatchbacks…the refreshed Volkswagen Golf. Then Jessica talks about the recently unveiled Slate Truck, a small cheap EV pickup from a new automaker. And Greg finishes off with our first …

1
Decoder Ring | Off-the-Wall Stories of Off-Label Use 52:01

4M ago52:01

52:01

Products often tell you exactly how they’re intended to be used. But why leave it at that? As a culture, we have long had a knack for finding ingenious, off-label uses for things. In this episode, we take a close look at a few examples of products that are ostensibly meant for one thing, but are better known for something else entirely. We explore …

1
Special Guest Joe Ligo Talks His Upcoming AMC Documentary, Plus New Navigator & 2025 Easter Jeep Safari

4M ago

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In Podcast #352, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are joined by alumni Joe Ligo, who has recently made a six-part documentary series about the story behind American Motors Corporation called The Last Independent Automaker. Then Greg dives into some recent drive time with the revamped and elegant Lincoln Navigator while Jessica lives the Jeep life …

1
Decoder Ring | How “Chicken Soup” Sold Its Soul 48:49

4M ago48:49

48:49

Chicken Soup for the Soul was the brainchild of two motivational speakers who preach the New Thought belief system known as the Law of Attraction. For more than 30 years, the self-help series has compiled reader-submitted stories about kindness, courage, and perseverance into easily digestible books aimed at almost every conceivable demographic: Ch…

1
What’s New from the 2025 New York Auto Show, and First Drives in the Ford Maverick & Bronco Sport

4M ago

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In Podcast #351, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew cover all of the news from the 125th edition of the New York International Auto Show! There was tons of news from Subaru including the unveiling of the all-new 7th-gen Outback, along with a big showing from the Korean’s with an all-new Palisade that includes a hybrid version, and more! We’ll finish…

1
Decoder Ring | Spring Break Forever 48:08

4M ago48:08

48:08

The infamous annual ritual of spring break—where thousands of college students head to the same warm location and go crazy—can seem like it’s always been here. But it hasn’t. The spring break phenomenon is a holdover from midcentury teen culture that has endured by changing, just enough, to be passed from one generation to the next. In this episode…

1
Cadillac Escalade IQ & OPTIQ First Drives, Honda Civic Si Road Test, & the all-new Acura ADX

5M ago

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In Podcast #350, Jessica Ray steps in as host for a vacationing John Davis. Her and the MotorWeek crew have a small constellation of vehicles to talk about, starting with two new entries into Cadillac’s all-electric IQ portfolio: the OPTIQ, yes, spelled with an ‘IQ’ at the end, and the Escalade IQ. Then we’ll shift over to the Honda Civic Si, a nam…

1
Decoder Ring | How Books About Things That Changed the World… Changed the World 56:24

5M ago56:24

56:24

Look in the nonfiction section of any bookstore and you’ll find dozens of history books making the same bold claim: that their narrow, unexpected subject somehow changed the world. Potatoes, kudzu, soccer, coffee, Iceland, bees, oak trees, sand, chickens—there are books about all of them, and many more besides, with the phrase “changed the world” o…

1
BMW M5 Performance Testing, a Recap of the Nissan Frontier, & RAM Heavy Duty First Drive up the Davis Dam Grade

5M ago

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In Podcast #349, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew dive into a bunch of “performance” cars…well they all perform in their own ways. Brian is fresh off a trip to the West where he tackled the Davis Dam Grade in the refreshed RAM Heavy Duty. Then Jessica reminds us of how simple trucks can (and should?) be with the latest Nissan Frontier. And Greg he…

1
Supercommunicators | 3. How to Have the Hardest Conversations 30:40

5M ago30:40

30:40

The final installment of our series explores the conversations that most of us dread, like frank discussions of our differences or a negative performance review at work. We often anticipate that these chats will go badly—and end in hurt feelings or embarrassment—but there are proven ways to make them easier to navigate. Host Charles Duhigg talks wi…

1
Decoder Ring | Truck Nutz (Encore) 39:29

5M ago39:29

39:29

Truck Nutz is a brand name for the dangling plastic testicles some people affix to the bumpers or hitches of their vehicles. Also sold as Bulls Balls, Your Nutz, and other brand names, these plastic novelties have a powerful symbolic charge and are often associated with a crass, macho, red state audience. But truck nuts are a surprisingly complicat…

1
Track Testing a Pair of McLarens, the Subaru WRX tS, & Toyota GR Corolla, Plus a First Drive in the Jeep Wagoneer S

6M ago

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In Podcast #348, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have no less than FIVE cars to discuss. Jessica starts us off with a First Drive in Jeep’s first global BEV, the Wagoneer S. Then Alex dives into our recent track time of two rally-inspired compacts, the Subaru WRX tS & Toyota GR Corolla. And Greg recounts our experience high performance testing th…

1
Supercommunicators | 2. How to Communicate Without Words 28:37

6M ago28:37

28:37

Why is it that we can tell someone “I’m totally fine!” and they instantly know we’re not? Gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and other subtle nonverbal cues play a huge role in how we connect with one another. In this episode, host Charles Duhigg explores how we communicate without words, including a deep dive into the visual and tonal cu…

1
Decoder Ring | Jerry Lewis’ Lost Holocaust Clown Movie 56:52

6M ago56:52

56:52

In 1972, Jerry Lewis—the actor and filmmaker known for slapstick comedies like The Nutty Professor—took the biggest risk of his career when he decided to make a drama called The Day The Clown Cried, about a circus clown who ends up in Auschwitz. This could have been a landmark as one of the first portrayals of the Holocaust in American cinema. Inst…

1
Supercommunicators | 1. How to Talk to Anyone 32:22

6M ago32:22

32:22

Why are some people able to talk with just about anyone—about almost anything? One answer may lie in the questions we ask—and how deeply we ask them. Stick with us here… In this episode, host Charles Duhigg examines why deep questions are so powerful and how to ask them in everyday life. He talks to Nick Epley, psychology professor at the Universit…

1
Introducing Supercommunicators 1:15

6M ago1:15

1:15

In a new miniseries inspired by Charles Duhigg’s bestseller, the former host of Slate’s How To! podcast sits down with psychologists, social scientists, and even a Hollywood writer to explore how to ask the right questions, communicate without words, and find meaningful connections in our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/…

1
First Drive in the New Toyota 4Runner, Track Time in the Lamborghini Revuelto, & Subaru at the Chicago Auto Show

6M ago

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In Podcast #347, Jessica Ray subs in for John Davis as host and her and the MotorWeek crew discuss a few of the latest hybrids we’ve driven. We touch on our recent track time in the all-new V12 powered plug-in Lamborghini Revuelto. Then it’s off the track and onto the trail with a first drive in the completely revamped Toyota 4Runner. And we’ll rec…

1
Decoder Ring | The Scratch-Off Ticket’s Instant Win 37:18

6M ago37:18

37:18

You may never have thought very hard about scratch-off tickets, but that’s part of their power. They’re a form of gambling that’s simply a pedestrian part of American life. But not so long ago, they were risky and innovative, the killer app of their time and the must-play game of the state lottery. In this episode, Ian Coss, host of the new podcast…

1
2025 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award Winners!

7M ago

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In Podcast #346, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew go through the full list of winners of our 2025 Drivers’ Choice Awards. These are the cars, trucks, & utilities that we liked to drive the most! So we’ll tell you why we picked them out of everything else we drove. And make sure to stay until the end when we announce which one takes home our Best o…

1
Outward | Creating A Home for Trans Surgery Recovery 45:45

7M ago45:45

45:45

This week, Jules Gill-Peterson sits down with Owen Dempsey, the founder of Quest Healing House, a post-op recovery home providing safe, affordable lodging and wraparound support for transmasculine people. They discuss how Quest House, began, the urgent need for trans-led recovery spaces, and how the project has grown to meet community needs. Dempse…

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