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 / 7 / 21The Original 100 ObjectsNeil MacGregor reflects on creating the landmark series that changed how people think about history. Then, revisit the Rosetta Stone, the artifact that unlocked ancient Egypt. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+...
- 2026 / 7 / 17100 Objects #9: Missing Children Milk CartonIn 1982, a twelve-year-old paperboy, Johnny Gosch, vanished from a quiet Iowa street and sparked an unlikely campaign: the faces of missing children printed on milk cartons by the billions. Roman Mars and...
- 2026 / 7 / 14If Mosquito Hawks Can FlyA Louisiana man born into slavery designs an airship with hopes to take flight. Those plans are interrupted, but maybe not forever. Listen to Family Lore wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to SiriusXM...
- 2026 / 7 / 10100 Objects #8: Billy PossumIn 1902, an American classic was born: the teddy bear. Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the toy became a huge hit, and sparked an idea…maybe every president from then on should have their own viral...
- 2026 / 7 / 7The ScoreWe keep score of everything these days. But what happens when the numbers start changing what we actually care about? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a...
- 2026 / 7 / 3100 Objects #7: The Otis PamphletBefore the Declaration of Independence was even a twinkle in the founding fathers' eyes, there was James Otis. Journalist Jack Hitt returns to tell the wild, tragic story of America’s forgotten proto-founding...
- 2026 / 6 / 30Transatlantic Fiber-Optic ExpialidociousBefore the internet went global, one undersea gamble made it possible. Jane Ruffino’s story, "Say Goodbye to the Undersea Cable That Made the Global Internet Possible," appears in the May-June issue of Wired...
- 2026 / 6 / 26100 Objects #6: "Sharpened Screwdriver"In this episode, Roman and historians Heather Ann Thompson and Elliot Williams tell the story of the sharpened screwdriver: the object at the heart of the 1984 Bernhard Goetz subway shooting. In a difficult...
- 2026 / 6 / 23The Most Exciting Change America Has Ever SeenBillions of state quarters disappeared from circulation...and that was exactly the plan. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a...
- 2026 / 6 / 19100 Objects #5: Blue Back SpellerIn this episode, Roman and historian Imani Perry follow the Webster Blue Back Speller from the early days of the United States, to the heart of Black intellectual life. Through the lives of Booker T....
- 2026 / 6 / 16The Horn That Divided the World CupLove it or hate it, one buzzing horn changed the sound of the World Cup forever. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free...
- 2026 / 6 / 12100 Objects #4: Lowe's Gas BagIn 1861, one man and a “gas bag” filled with hydrogen sparked America's obsession with going higher, farther, into the unknown. In this episode, Roman and journalist Jack Hitt tell the story of Thaddeus Lowe...
- 2026 / 6 / 9Karaoke VideosBehind every cheesy karaoke track was a surprisingly ambitious filmmaking experiment. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a...
- 2026 / 6 / 5100 Objects #3: The Pension FilesWhat do Civil War pension files reveal about one of history's most successful slave rebellions? Historian Edda Fields-Black joins Roman to trace a story of fire, flight, and freedom — beginning on a South...
- 2026 / 6 / 2The MAPL TestCanada reshaped its music industry with a quirky radio rule that changed who got heard. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a...
- 2026 / 5 / 29100 Objects #2: 60-Degree ScrewIn the early 20th century, nothing quite fit — fire hoses couldn't connect to one another, football teams played with different balls, traffic lights meant different things in different states. Then World War...
- 2026 / 5 / 26Drug Story: IvermectinWhat started as a revolutionary treatment for river blindness became something far messier. Listen to Drug Story wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of...
- 2026 / 5 / 19100 Objects #1: The Century SafeIn 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story — to be opened a century later. Roman Mars and historian Jill Lepore trace its long wait, from Reconstruction to Watergate, and...
- 2026 / 5 / 12Ask Your Doctor AboutAs wild and random as they might seem, a lot of work—and even poetry—goes into coming up with today's catchiest, most unforgettable drug names. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99%...
- 2026 / 5 / 8A History of the United States in 100 Objects TrailerAmerica’s 250th birthday calls for a history as sprawling and contradictory as the country itself. A History of the United States in 100 Objects — hosted by Roman Mars and produced by BBC Studios and 99%...
- 2026 / 5 / 8A History of the United States in 100 ObjectsAmerica’s 250th birthday calls for a history as sprawling and contradictory as the country itself. A History of the United States in 100 Objects — hosted by Roman Mars and produced by BBC Studios and 99%...
- 2026 / 5 / 5EnshittificationWhy is it suddenly so hard to fix the stuff we depend on most? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple...
- 2026 / 4 / 28Citizen of the WorldOne man rejected nationality and dared the world to recognize him anyway. Listen to Far From Home wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible...
- 2026 / 4 / 24Constitution Breakdown #9: Alondra NelsonThis is the ninth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article VI and VII, which include some odds and ends like the Debts Clause, the No...
- 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...