99% Invisible
by Roman Mars
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
Service 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?
Constitution Breakdown #8: Jill Lepore
Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution. Jill Lepore is our guest.
Service 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.
Service Request #1: What Happens When I Call 311?
The surprising power of a simple phone number to connect a community.
A Man, a Plan, a Canal—Mars!
How one wealthy, amateur astronomer convinced the world Martians were real.
Where 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.
Constitution Breakdown #7: California AG Rob Bonta
Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article IV, which outlines the relationship between states and between states and the federal government. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is our guest this month.
The Longest Fence in the World
How a fence meant to protect sheep transformed the entire Australian landscape.
Molar City
How 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.
Artistic License Redux
When Idaho put a slogan on their license plates in 1928 it started a trend across all states and this would prove surprisingly contentious.
The Em Dash
The strange history of a punctuation mark that makes writing feel human, and why people now think it proves the opposite.
Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak
This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside New York Times chief legal affairs correspondent, Adam Liptak.
What’s in a Name
Throughtout 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 from colonial rule to independence shaped the nation's unique naming traditions.
Audio Flux
This week we're featuring Audio Flux, a short-form audio challenge where artists squeeze surprising stories into three minutes.
Exit Interview With Michael Bierut
A young designer faces an impossible brief and discovers the spark that will define his legendary career.
U Is for Urbanism
How Jane Jacob's urbanism dreams came to life on the most beloved kids' TV block.
The Moving Walkway Is Ending
People once dreamed of sidewalks that could whisk them across cities. Somehow, that dream ended up at the airport.
How to Write a Joke
Comedy 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 ideas into full-blown laughs.
Hidden Levels #1: Mr. Boomshakalaka
Step back into the ’90s, when dunks broke backboards, catchphrases caught fire, and one arcade game turned every kid into an NBA superstar.