Description
Design is everywhere in our lives, perhaps most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is a weekly exploration of the process and power of design and architecture. From award winning producer Roman Mars. Learn more at 99percentinvisible.org.
Episodes
- 2026 / 4 / 21Co-op CityThe world’s largest housing co-op—built to save New York City’s middle class—became the unlikely site of a resident revolt Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free...
- 2026 / 4 / 14RoboUmp Hits the Big LeaguesOne study from 2018 found that Major League Baseball umpires blow about 14 calls every game. That’s 34,000 bad calls every year. And it makes a difference. A blown strike call can decide a win or a loss, a...
- 2026 / 4 / 7Service Request #5: Dude, Where's My Car?A missing car reveals the confusing rules, murky fees, and private actors behind modern towing. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with...
- 2026 / 4 / 3Service Request #4: How Does the Grid in Phoenix Work?In a place where losing power can turn deadly, keeping the lights on is a high-stakes balancing act. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo...
- 2026 / 3 / 31Service Request #3: Why Is There So Much Litter in San Francisco?Why did it take nearly a decade to redesign a city trash can, and why haven't more bins made the streets cleaner? What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a...
- 2026 / 3 / 27Constitution Breakdown #8: Jill LeporeThis is the eighth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution. Then, Jill Lepore...
- 2026 / 3 / 24Service Request #2: Why Is This Red Light So Damn Long?What the world's most advanced traffic system can—and can't—do for the city that invented gridlock. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo...
- 2026 / 3 / 17Service Request #1: What Happens When I Call 311?The surprising power of a simple phone number to connect a community. What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with your question and emailing...
- 2026 / 3 / 10A Man, a Plan, a Canal—Mars!How one wealthy, amateur astronomer convinced the world Martians were real. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial...
- 2026 / 3 / 3Where the F*** Are We?For centuries, the world's greatest minds were stumped by the deadly mystery of longitude, until an obsessive underdog entered the fray and changed navigation forever. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to...
- 2026 / 2 / 27Constitution Breakdown #7: California AG Rob BontaThis is the seventh episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article IV, which outlines the relationship between states and between states and...
- 2026 / 2 / 24The Longest Fence in the WorldHow a fence meant to protect sheep transformed the entire Australian landscape. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free...
- 2026 / 2 / 17Molar CityHow a small Mexican border town transformed itself into the dental tourism capital of the world, where dental care costs up to 80% less than what it might cost in the United States. Subscribe to SiriusXM...
- 2026 / 2 / 10Artistic License ReduxIdaho was the first state to slap a slogan on a license plate, “Idaho Potatoes,” which may not seem like a big deal, but it turns out this idea would end up having outsized consequences, and not just for...
- 2026 / 2 / 3The Em DashThe strange history of a punctuation mark that makes writing feel human, and why people now think it proves the opposite. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and...
- 2026 / 1 / 30Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam LiptakThis is the sixth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside New York Times chief...
- 2026 / 1 / 27What’s in a NameThroughtout Africa and beyond, Zimbabweans are known for choosing some of the most bold, head-turning English-language names. Zimbabwean producer Kim Chakanetsa tells the story of how her country's journey...
- 2026 / 1 / 20Audio FluxThis week we're featuring Audio Flux, a short-form audio challenge where artists squeeze surprising stories into three minutes.Find out more about Audio Flux by visiting audioflux.orgFollow Audio Flux on...
- 2026 / 1 / 13Exit Interview With Michael BierutA young designer faces an impossible brief and discovers the spark that will define his legendary career.ALSO: Come see Roman as he hosts a conversation with The Memory Palace's Nate DiMeo on Thursday,...
- 2026 / 1 / 6Mini-Stories: Volume 22Performance changing gear, a Titanic era nurse with unbelievable resilience, and an ingenious art vending project reveal how innovation and endurance shape unexpected worlds. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+...
- 2025 / 12 / 30Beyond the 99% Invisible CityFrom rogue stop signs to rooftop mini golf, discover how chaos and creativity quietly shape the urban world. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week...
- 2025 / 12 / 26Constitution Breakdown #5: Dr. Tom FriedenThis is the fifth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to the rest of Article Two with former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden, talking about the...
- 2025 / 12 / 23Mini-Stories: Volume 21A glowing Vegas pyramid, a famously mistyped domain, and a long-delayed miracle investigation unfold in three unexpected tales. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible...
- 2025 / 12 / 16Sax AppealFrom military parades to smoky clubs, one invention’s wild journey reveals how an instrument can become a symbol of rebellion and reinvention. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99%...
- 2025 / 12 / 9The CheckerboardA single diagonal step on a map sparks a legal war with huge consequences. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial...
- 2025 / 12 / 2U Is for UrbanismHow Jane Jacob's urbanism dreams came to life on the most beloved kids' TV block. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free...
- 2025 / 11 / 28Constitution Breakdown #4: Janet NapolitanoThis is the fourth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to Article Two, which establishes the executive branch, alongside former Secretary of...
- 2025 / 11 / 25MurderlandWriter Caroline Fraser argues a chilling link between industrial poison, deadly design, and a generation of serial killers in the Pacific Northwest. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes...
- 2025 / 11 / 18The Moving Walkway Is EndingPeople once dreamed of sidewalks that could whisk them across cities. Somehow, that dream ended up at the airport. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a...
- 2025 / 11 / 11How to Write a JokeComedy writer Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show, The Flop House, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and co-host of the 99% Invisible Breakdown of The Power Broker) spills the secrets of how he grows jokes from tiny...
- 2025 / 11 / 4Gear (Articles of Interest)From buckskin breeches to Patagonia vests, uncover how America’s obsession with ruggedness and war shaped the clothes we wear every day. Avery Trufelman is back with an episode from Articles of Interest's...
- 2025 / 10 / 31Constitution Breakdown #3: Sen. Elizabeth WarrenThis is the third episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth dive into Article One, Sections 8 through 10, which spells out what Congress can and cannot...
- 2025 / 10 / 28Your Call Is Important to UsWhat if all those dropped calls, endless wait times and dead end hotlines every time you try to reach customer service weren’t accidents but part of the plan?San Francisco! Come to a screening of Drop Dead...
- 2025 / 10 / 24Hidden Levels #6: SegagagaOne SEGA employee chronicles the company’s struggles the only way he knows how: by turning it into a game.San Francisco! Come to a screening of Drop Dead Cityfollowed by a conversation with Roman on Monday,...
- 2025 / 10 / 21Hidden Levels #5: Press B to Touch GrassFrom blocky biomes to breathtaking open worlds, video games are teaching us new ways to see, build, and even save nature.Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless Thread. Subscribe to...
- 2025 / 10 / 17Hidden Levels #4: MachinimaBack in the 90s, artists turned video games into movie sets, and their wildest ideas are finally hitting documentaries.Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless Thread. Subscribe to...
- 2025 / 10 / 14Hidden Levels #3: This Game Wants YOUBefore Fortnite and Call of Duty ruled the scene, the US Army quietly shaped the early 2000s with a wildly popular, free shooter designed to excite young people about enlisting.Hidden Levels is a production...
- 2025 / 10 / 10Hidden Levels #2: Stick It to 'EmFrom airplanes to Pac-Man to the battlefield, the joystick has quietly shaped the way humans connect with machines.Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless Thread. Subscribe to...
- 2025 / 10 / 7Hidden Levels #1: Mr. BoomshakalakaStep back into the ’90s, when dunks broke backboards, catchphrases caught fire, and one arcade game turned every kid into an NBA superstar.Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless...
- 2025 / 10 / 3Get Played with Roman Mars and Ben Brock JohnsonIn anticipation of the release of Hidden Levels, Roman and Ben join Heather Anne Campbell (Rick and Morty) and Matt Apodaca of Get Played to talk controllers, culture, and why video games might just be...
- 2025 / 9 / 30The Power Broker #13: Drop Dead CityLike a shadow epilogue to The Power Broker, this story plunges into the chaos of 1970s New York where debt, unions, and one brutal headline nearly broke the city.Drop Dead City is now playing in select...
- 2025 / 9 / 27Constitution Breakdown #2: Rep. Sharice DavidsThis is the second episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth dive into Article One with Representative Sharice Davids, examining lawmaking, committees,...
- 2025 / 9 / 23The New JungleIn a Colorado meatpacking town, refugees fleeing persecution find themselves in some of the most dangerous jobs in America.This episode was produced in partnership with the Food & Environment Reporting...
- 2025 / 9 / 16Replaceable YouMary Roach dives into the strange, funny, and unsettling world of designing new body parts, from pig hearts to prosthetic feet, revealing just how messy replacing ourselves can be.Replaceable You Subscribe to...
- 2025 / 9 / 9Revisiting The 99% Invisible CityWe’re excited to celebrate the 5th anniversary of The 99% Invisible City, a NYT Bestseller by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt, with a guided audio tour of beautiful downtown Oakland, California. Join us as we...
- 2025 / 9 / 2The 99PI Anniversary Special: 15 for 15For 99PI’s 15th anniversary, Roman sits in the hot seat to answer 15 eclectic questions, touching on everything from his dream merch to the one object he's always wanted to cover on the show.Plus, a...
- 2025 / 8 / 26Ambassador BridgeA billionaire family’s private bridge empire shaped Detroit for decades, sparking battles over power, neighborhoods, and the future of an international crossing.Ambassador Bridge Subscribe to SiriusXM...
- 2025 / 8 / 12Sister Aimee and the Birth of the MegachurchAimee Semple McPherson built America’s first megachurch, blended showbiz with salvation, and vanished in a scandal that captivated the nation.Sister Aimee and the Birth of the Megachurch Subscribe to SiriusXM...
- 2025 / 8 / 5Weeding is Fundamental RevisitedLibraries get rid of books all the time. There are so many new books coming in every day and only a finite amount of library space. The practice of freeing up library space is called weeding. When the main...
- 2025 / 7 / 29Air-BorneOld ideas about air and disease were wrong on the science, but looking to the past might actually help us design healthier buildings today.Air-Borne Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes...