The Pudding
@puddingviz.bsky.social
The Pudding is a digital publication that explains ideas debated in culture with visual essays. https://pudding.cool/
Email: sup@pudding.cool
Support us: http://patreon.com/thepudding
Email: sup@pudding.cool
Support us: http://patreon.com/thepudding
How much does Congress talk about democracy? How often do they worry that democracy is eroding? @alv9n.com's latest project analyzes every congressional speech in the last 145 years.
pudding.cool/2025/11/demo...
pudding.cool/2025/11/demo...
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
How much does Congress talk about democracy? How often do they worry that democracy is eroding? @alv9n.com's latest project analyzes every congressional speech in the last 145 years.
pudding.cool/2025/11/demo...
pudding.cool/2025/11/demo...
I ruptured my achilles in January. Couch-bound for most of the winter, I read over a dozen books about walking journeys. I was inspired. Obsessed? I decided to walk across Massachusetts.
You decide how to experience my story here: pudding.cool/2025/10/walk/
You decide how to experience my story here: pudding.cool/2025/10/walk/
What it’s like to walk across Massachusetts
A visually-aided journal of a very long walk home.
pudding.cool
October 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I ruptured my achilles in January. Couch-bound for most of the winter, I read over a dozen books about walking journeys. I was inspired. Obsessed? I decided to walk across Massachusetts.
You decide how to experience my story here: pudding.cool/2025/10/walk/
You decide how to experience my story here: pudding.cool/2025/10/walk/
Ever cry while cutting an onion? Well, now you don’t have to! Building off of chef J. Kenji López-Alt, we found the mathematically optimal way to dice an onion. *Cutting uniform pieces has not been proven to reduce crying, but you do get bragging rights.
pudding.cool/2025/08/onio...
pudding.cool/2025/08/onio...
August 14, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Ever cry while cutting an onion? Well, now you don’t have to! Building off of chef J. Kenji López-Alt, we found the mathematically optimal way to dice an onion. *Cutting uniform pieces has not been proven to reduce crying, but you do get bragging rights.
pudding.cool/2025/08/onio...
pudding.cool/2025/08/onio...
Reposted by The Pudding
The Pudding showing me, yet again, why it’s my favourite online publication.
New project! @yufeng.bsky.social analyzed all of the words found on NYC Streets. The data comes from from 8 million Google Street View images, which yielded 138 million snippets of text:
🔗: pudding.cool/2025/07/stre...
🔗: pudding.cool/2025/07/stre...
July 30, 2025 at 8:49 AM
The Pudding showing me, yet again, why it’s my favourite online publication.
New project! @yufeng.bsky.social analyzed all of the words found on NYC Streets. The data comes from from 8 million Google Street View images, which yielded 138 million snippets of text:
🔗: pudding.cool/2025/07/stre...
🔗: pudding.cool/2025/07/stre...
July 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
New project! @yufeng.bsky.social analyzed all of the words found on NYC Streets. The data comes from from 8 million Google Street View images, which yielded 138 million snippets of text:
🔗: pudding.cool/2025/07/stre...
🔗: pudding.cool/2025/07/stre...
“Look at Mr. Frog! He’s so grumpy.”
Wait, why are so many frogs boys? @mellymeldubs.bsky.social explores how we gender animals in kids’ stories—and why it matters.
pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
Wait, why are so many frogs boys? @mellymeldubs.bsky.social explores how we gender animals in kids’ stories—and why it matters.
pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
July 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
“Look at Mr. Frog! He’s so grumpy.”
Wait, why are so many frogs boys? @mellymeldubs.bsky.social explores how we gender animals in kids’ stories—and why it matters.
pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
Wait, why are so many frogs boys? @mellymeldubs.bsky.social explores how we gender animals in kids’ stories—and why it matters.
pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
New project! What happens when strangers have to talk for 30 minutes? @alv9n.com's latest project tracks how their moods change as the conversation progresses.
🔗 pudding.cool/2025/06/hell...
🔗 pudding.cool/2025/06/hell...
June 16, 2025 at 1:09 PM
New project! What happens when strangers have to talk for 30 minutes? @alv9n.com's latest project tracks how their moods change as the conversation progresses.
🔗 pudding.cool/2025/06/hell...
🔗 pudding.cool/2025/06/hell...
Reposted by The Pudding
My latest piece for @puddingviz.bsky.social: 30 minutes with a stranger
30 minutes with a stranger
Watch hundreds of strangers talk for 30 minutes, and track how their moods change
pudding.cool
June 13, 2025 at 11:22 AM
My latest piece for @puddingviz.bsky.social: 30 minutes with a stranger
Reposted by The Pudding
Two years ago I made this interactive story about the loneliness epidemic: pudding.cool/2023/09/invi...
The brilliant @matthew-daniels.bsky.social turned it into a video. His touch on this piece is really quite incredible.
The brilliant @matthew-daniels.bsky.social turned it into a video. His touch on this piece is really quite incredible.
New video on YouTube (an animated version of one of @alv9n.com's greatest hits): The Loneliness Epidemic, in Data: Who Americans Spend Time With
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7w3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7w3...
The Loneliness Epidemic, in Data: Who Americans Spend Time With
YouTube video by The Pudding
www.youtube.com
June 5, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Two years ago I made this interactive story about the loneliness epidemic: pudding.cool/2023/09/invi...
The brilliant @matthew-daniels.bsky.social turned it into a video. His touch on this piece is really quite incredible.
The brilliant @matthew-daniels.bsky.social turned it into a video. His touch on this piece is really quite incredible.
New video on YouTube (an animated version of one of @alv9n.com's greatest hits): The Loneliness Epidemic, in Data: Who Americans Spend Time With
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7w3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7w3...
The Loneliness Epidemic, in Data: Who Americans Spend Time With
YouTube video by The Pudding
www.youtube.com
June 5, 2025 at 12:38 AM
New video on YouTube (an animated version of one of @alv9n.com's greatest hits): The Loneliness Epidemic, in Data: Who Americans Spend Time With
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7w3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7w3...
New project: From stereotypes to breakthroughs, Hollywood's history with Asian and Asian American characters is complicated.
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
May 29, 2025 at 1:08 PM
New project: From stereotypes to breakthroughs, Hollywood's history with Asian and Asian American characters is complicated.
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
Are you more likely to die on your birthday?
Come for the math, stay for the existential crisis.
pudding.cool/2025/04/birt...
Come for the math, stay for the existential crisis.
pudding.cool/2025/04/birt...
Are you more likely to die on your birthday?
Yes. We’ll run a study to show you how, and why.
pudding.cool
May 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Are you more likely to die on your birthday?
Come for the math, stay for the existential crisis.
pudding.cool/2025/04/birt...
Come for the math, stay for the existential crisis.
pudding.cool/2025/04/birt...
Reposted by The Pudding
Also this week — a pitching experience that was very worth it — my @puddingviz.bsky.social piece was on @kottke.org!
bsky.app/profile/kott...
bsky.app/profile/kott...
I love this interactive visualization by The Pudding of the shared DNA of music (i.e. how “borrowed beats, loaned lyrics, and multipurpose melodies” are passed down through generations of music, from Edvard Grieg (1876) to Tupac). [pudding.cool]
How Sonic DNA Connects Generations of Music
Songs have a far more complex and concealed musical history, spanning genres, cultures, and even centuries.
pudding.cool
April 25, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Also this week — a pitching experience that was very worth it — my @puddingviz.bsky.social piece was on @kottke.org!
bsky.app/profile/kott...
bsky.app/profile/kott...
Have you ever bought a bottle of wine based on the label alone? Yeah, us too.
Turns out, if a wine has an animal on the label that can help you predict price and quality. We looked at thousands of labels to help you find the best deals.
pudding.cool/2025/04/wine...
Turns out, if a wine has an animal on the label that can help you predict price and quality. We looked at thousands of labels to help you find the best deals.
pudding.cool/2025/04/wine...
April 16, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Have you ever bought a bottle of wine based on the label alone? Yeah, us too.
Turns out, if a wine has an animal on the label that can help you predict price and quality. We looked at thousands of labels to help you find the best deals.
pudding.cool/2025/04/wine...
Turns out, if a wine has an animal on the label that can help you predict price and quality. We looked at thousands of labels to help you find the best deals.
pudding.cool/2025/04/wine...
Reposted by The Pudding
What if we considered samples & interpolations as connections in sonic family trees?
My project out today @puddingviz.bsky.social w/ @jaredwhalen.com @matthew-daniels.bsky.social lets you see and hear the genealogy of our popular music.
pudding.cool/2025/04/musi...
My project out today @puddingviz.bsky.social w/ @jaredwhalen.com @matthew-daniels.bsky.social lets you see and hear the genealogy of our popular music.
pudding.cool/2025/04/musi...
April 1, 2025 at 2:00 PM
What if we considered samples & interpolations as connections in sonic family trees?
My project out today @puddingviz.bsky.social w/ @jaredwhalen.com @matthew-daniels.bsky.social lets you see and hear the genealogy of our popular music.
pudding.cool/2025/04/musi...
My project out today @puddingviz.bsky.social w/ @jaredwhalen.com @matthew-daniels.bsky.social lets you see and hear the genealogy of our popular music.
pudding.cool/2025/04/musi...
Reposted by The Pudding
"If we zoom out, we can see [...] how “In The Hall of the Mountain King” affects music across 5 generations and 833 songs" pudding.cool/2025/04/musi... via @puddingviz.bsky.social
How Sonic DNA Connects Generations of Music
Songs have a far more complex and concealed musical history, spanning genres, cultures, and even centuries.
pudding.cool
April 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
"If we zoom out, we can see [...] how “In The Hall of the Mountain King” affects music across 5 generations and 833 songs" pudding.cool/2025/04/musi... via @puddingviz.bsky.social
New project (with 🔊🎵!) : @luriethereal.bsky.social explores legacies of music dna, such as a 2pac bassline being a sample of sample: two generations of music created by a James Brown riff.
April 1, 2025 at 11:53 AM
New project (with 🔊🎵!) : @luriethereal.bsky.social explores legacies of music dna, such as a 2pac bassline being a sample of sample: two generations of music created by a James Brown riff.
What makes a good apology? We turned to an unlikely source, reality TV, for answers. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (#RHOSLC) is a masterclass in how not to apologize, which offers lessons for all of us on how to get it right.
pudding.cool/2025/03/hous...
pudding.cool/2025/03/hous...
The Real Apologies of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
What we can learn from watching reality stars apologize
pudding.cool
March 20, 2025 at 11:18 AM
What makes a good apology? We turned to an unlikely source, reality TV, for answers. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (#RHOSLC) is a masterclass in how not to apologize, which offers lessons for all of us on how to get it right.
pudding.cool/2025/03/hous...
pudding.cool/2025/03/hous...
March 13, 2025 at 4:39 PM
English cows go “moo”, while French cows go “meuh”, and Korean cows go “음메”. Our newest project takes a look at how animal sounds translate across languages and cultures.
pudding.cool/2025/03/lang...
pudding.cool/2025/03/lang...
March 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
English cows go “moo”, while French cows go “meuh”, and Korean cows go “음메”. Our newest project takes a look at how animal sounds translate across languages and cultures.
pudding.cool/2025/03/lang...
pudding.cool/2025/03/lang...
Do you think middle school sucks? You’re not alone. @alv9n.com uses a survey of millions of students to show how our brains and our sense of belonging change in middle school.
💻 pudding.cool/2025/02/midd...
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4zL...
💻 pudding.cool/2025/02/midd...
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4zL...
The Middle Ages
Follow hundreds of kids as they navigate their treacherous middle school years.
pudding.cool
March 3, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Do you think middle school sucks? You’re not alone. @alv9n.com uses a survey of millions of students to show how our brains and our sense of belonging change in middle school.
💻 pudding.cool/2025/02/midd...
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4zL...
💻 pudding.cool/2025/02/midd...
📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4zL...
We want to know: what's YOUR fav piece from us?! 👀
What is you biggest hit @puddingviz.bsky.social ?
February 22, 2025 at 6:24 PM
We want to know: what's YOUR fav piece from us?! 👀
New video tutorials! You don't need to be a developer to make cool charts — here's how to recreate some of our latest graphics without using any code.
pudding.cool/process/no-c...
pudding.cool/process/no-c...
How to recreate our charts without code
Video tutorials: You don't need to know how to code to make cool charts! Here's how to do it.
pudding.cool
January 29, 2025 at 8:03 PM
New video tutorials! You don't need to be a developer to make cool charts — here's how to recreate some of our latest graphics without using any code.
pudding.cool/process/no-c...
pudding.cool/process/no-c...
Listen to authors David Mora and Michelle Jia talk more about their recent project, "Is the love song dying?", on @npr.org's All Things Considered.
www.npr.org/2025/01/24/n...
www.npr.org/2025/01/24/n...
Is the love song dying? Here's what the data says
Is the love song dying? NPR's Juana Summers speaks David Mora and Michelle Jia about their recent essay in The Pudding, which set out to answer that question.
www.npr.org
January 24, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Listen to authors David Mora and Michelle Jia talk more about their recent project, "Is the love song dying?", on @npr.org's All Things Considered.
www.npr.org/2025/01/24/n...
www.npr.org/2025/01/24/n...
Rolling Stone just released their top albums of the 21st Century with Beyonce’s Lemonade at #1. Last year, we looked at what could influence these rankings: popularity, original release
medium, streaming availability, and the judge’s gender and age.
pudding.cool/2024/03/grea...
medium, streaming availability, and the judge’s gender and age.
pudding.cool/2024/03/grea...
What Makes an Album the Greatest of All Time?
Examining 30 years of Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Albums of All Time” Rankings
pudding.cool
January 12, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Rolling Stone just released their top albums of the 21st Century with Beyonce’s Lemonade at #1. Last year, we looked at what could influence these rankings: popularity, original release
medium, streaming availability, and the judge’s gender and age.
pudding.cool/2024/03/grea...
medium, streaming availability, and the judge’s gender and age.
pudding.cool/2024/03/grea...