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99% Invisible

99% Invisible

Roman Mars 795 Episodes Jul 24, 2026

99% Invisible is a weekly exploration of the process and power of design and architecture. Hosted by Roman Mars, the podcast uncovers the hidden stories behind the objects, buildings, and systems that shape our world. From award-winning producer Roman Mars, it reveals how design influences our daily lives in ways we often overlook.

Episodes

100 Objects #10: Nunchaku
100 Objects #10: Nunchaku Jul 24, 2026 00:36:25 In the early 1970s, Bruce Lee made nunchaku (nunchucks) cool — kids were building their own and buying them in record numbers. But the nunchucks craze coincided with something much bigger: the birth of a radical new Asian American identity. Roman Mars and historian Jeff Chang trace how nunchucks went from ancient weapon to symbol of resistance — not only uniting Asian Americans in the fight for th
The Original 100 Objects
The Original 100 Objects Jul 21, 2026 00:44:59 Neil 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+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.  Hosted by Simplecast, a
100 Objects #9: Missing Children Milk Carton
100 Objects #9: Missing Children Milk Carton Jul 17, 2026 00:33:53 In 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 Annie Brown trace how a regional dairy campaign exploded into a national symbol — and how the “stranger danger” fears it stoked shaped American misconceptions about child safety that still echo t
If Mosquito Hawks Can Fly
If Mosquito Hawks Can Fly Jul 14, 2026 00:41:56 A 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 Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.  Hosted by Sim
100 Objects #8: Billy Possum
100 Objects #8: Billy Possum Jul 10, 2026 00:36:10 In 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 stuffed animal. Jon Mooallem tells the story of the ill-fated billy possum, and how our fickle feelings about animals have shaped the history—and perhaps the future—of our relationship with the
The Score
The Score Jul 7, 2026 00:26:08 We 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 whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abo
100 Objects #7: The Otis Pamphlet
100 Objects #7: The Otis Pamphlet Jul 3, 2026 00:37:26 Before 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 father and his inflammatory 1764 pamphlet. A story that is, in many ways, the story of the founding document of the United States of America. A History of the United States in 100 Objects is
Transatlantic Fiber-Optic Expialidocious
Transatlantic Fiber-Optic Expialidocious Jun 30, 2026 00:31:56 Before 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 magazine. 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 Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/
100 Objects #6: "Sharpened Screwdriver"
100 Objects #6: "Sharpened Screwdriver" Jun 26, 2026 00:40:28 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 moment in New York City, four Black teenagers were transformed in the public imagination into armed criminals. What follows is a gripping account of how misinformation takes hold, how fear shap
The Most Exciting Change America Has Ever Seen
The Most Exciting Change America Has Ever Seen Jun 23, 2026 00:43:28 Billions 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 free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of
100 Objects #5: Blue Back Speller
100 Objects #5: Blue Back Speller Jun 19, 2026 00:45:55 In 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. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, Roman and Imani uncover how a single object became a gateway to literacy, self-determination, and an enduring debate about what education, citizenship, and freedom sho
The Horn That Divided the World Cup
The Horn That Divided the World Cup Jun 16, 2026 00:33:34 Love 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 trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal

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