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
100 Objects #3: The Pension Files
Unearthing a remarkable slave rebellion through dusty Civil War paperwork.
The MAPL Test
Canada reshaped its music industry with a quirky radio rule that changed who got heard.
100 Objects #2: 60-Degree Screw
A tiny screw. A precise angle. How America built a hidden empire, one standard at a time.
Drug Story: Ivermectin
What started as a revolutionary treatment for river blindness became something far messier.
100 Objects #1: The Century Safe
A locked iron safe, sealed for 100 years. What objects did Americans choose to remember?
Ask Your Doctor About
As 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.
A History of the United States in 100 Objects
100 objects. 100 stories. A new history of the US hiding in plain sight.
Enshittification
Why is it suddenly so hard to fix the stuff we depend on most?
Citizen of the World
One man rejected nationality and dared the world to recognize him anyway.
Constitution Breakdown #9: Alondra Nelson
Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article VI and VII, which includes the all-important Supremacy Clause. Alondra Nelson, a leading expert on AI, is our guest.
Co-op City
The world’s largest housing co-op—built to save New York City’s middle class—became the unlikely site of a resident revolt
RoboUmp Hits the Big Leagues
The surprisingly long history of trying to use robots to call balls and strikes in baseball. With an update!
Service Request #5: Dude, Where's My Car?
A missing car reveals the confusing rules, murky fees, and private actors behind modern towing.
Service 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.
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.