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.
This episode of 99% Invisible explores the concept of borders through historical and contemporary examples, featuring immigration reporter John Washington, author of "The Case for Open Borders." The podcast examines the Berlin Wall and its psychological impact ("wall sickness"), the arbitrary creation of the Radcliffe ...
This episode of 99% Invisible explores the history and misconceptions surrounding lifeboats, particularly in relation to the Titanic disaster. It challenges the common narrative that the lack of lifeboats was solely due to hubris, arguing that the "ship as its own lifeboat" philosophy, focusing on building safer and mo...
This episode of 99% Invisible is a rebroadcast about the history and significance of the Pan-African flag (red, black, and green), designed by Marcus Garvey in 1918. The episode traces the flag's origins, its connection to the Black liberation movement, and its symbolism representing the blood, land, and people of Afri...
In this episode of "What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law," hosts Roman Mars and Elizabeth Joh discuss the Alien Enemies Act and its use by the Trump administration to deport non-citizens, focusing on the case of Venezuelan nationals and the TREN de Aragua gang. They analyze the legal challenges to Trump's actions, inc...
In this episode of 99% Invisible, Roman Mars interviews Kurt Kohlstedt, the digital director of 99pi, about his experience with assistive technology after sustaining a nerve injury that paralyzed his right arm. Kurt discusses the challenges he faced adapting to a world designed for two-handed individuals, including dif...
In this episode of 99% Invisible, Roman Mars interviews Ezra Klein, co-author of "Abundance," about the legal and procedural obstacles hindering infrastructure development in the United States. Klein argues that problems like housing shortages and clean energy deficits aren't due to technological or financial limitatio...
The podcast episode delves into the history of "carpetas," surveillance files used in Puerto Rico to monitor and suppress supporters of the independence movement. It explores Puerto Rico's complex relationship with the United States, from its annexation during the Spanish-American War to its current status as a Commonw...
This episode explores the history and evolution of shortwave radio, from its early days as a tool for global connection to its use as a propaganda instrument during the World War II and Cold War eras. Against the backdrop of AM radio's limitations, shortwave emerged as a means to transmit signals across vast distances ...
This episode explores the increasing presence of emojis in legal contexts and the challenges courts face in interpreting their meaning. Against the backdrop of a Canadian farmer's thumbs-up emoji being deemed a legally binding signature, the discussion pivots to the ambiguous nature of emojis and their evolving interpr...
This episode explores the evolving symbolism of the South Vietnamese flag, particularly within the Vietnamese-American community, against the backdrop of the fall of Saigon and the January 6th Capitol riot. More significantly, the discussion centers on the personal experiences of a Vietnamese-American woman and her mo...
This episode explores the unique phenomenon of football (soccer) fan songs in the English Premier League, specifically how they are created, spread, and adopted by fans. Against the backdrop of a discussion about Arsenal's Kai Havertz and a new song created using Shakira's "Waka Waka," the podcast delves into the hist...
This episode explores the history and complexities of the US tax system, tracing its evolution from a simple, low-revenue system in the early republic to the intricate, often frustrating system we know today. Against the backdrop of the American Revolution, fueled by tax disputes, the early government cautiously approa...
This episode explores the history and ongoing impact of tuberculosis, the deadliest infectious disease in human history. Against the backdrop of its long history, the discussion details how tuberculosis was perceived differently across cultures and time periods, from a romanticized "consumption" associated with artis...
This episode explores the unique history and quirky features of Memphis, Tennessee, through an interview with local historian Jimmy Ogle. Against the backdrop of a previous episode about the Memphis Pyramid, the conversation delves into Ogle's extensive career, which includes managing Beale Street, operating the score...
This episode explores the fascinating and often bizarre history of the Memphis Pyramid, a colossal structure that has defied expectations throughout its existence. Against the backdrop of "Egyptomania," a 19th-century trend of incorporating Egyptian designs into Western architecture, Memphis, Tennessee, envisioned a g...
This episode explores the rise and fall of the American shopping mall, interwoven with the story of a group of artists who secretly built and lived in an apartment within a Providence, Rhode Island mall for several years. Against the backdrop of the mall's construction in the 1990s, artist Michael Townsend noticed a p...
This podcast episode interviews Alexis Madrigal about his book, "The Pacific Circuit," focusing on the history and impact of the Port of Oakland on West Oakland, a predominantly Black working-class community. The discussion traces the neighborhood's development from its origins as a railroad hub to its struggles with ...
This bonus episode of the 99% Invisible podcast features the production team sharing their recent favorite books. The discussion unfolds as each team member recommends a book, explaining their reasons and offering brief summaries. Lasha Madan highlights Usha's Pickle Digest, a self-published Indian pickling encyclope...
This podcast episode investigates the debate surrounding the naming of species after people, particularly focusing on the controversy of Anophthalmos hitleri ("Hitler's beetle"). The episode begins by describing the discovery of the beetle and its subsequent naming by a Nazi entomologist, then explores the broader pra...
This podcast episode discusses the portrayal of architects and architecture in film, using the movie "The Brutalist" as a springboard. The discussion begins with a general overview of Brutalism and its depiction in the film, transitioning into a broader conversation about how architects are typically characterized in ...
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