99% Invisible

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.

  • 38 minutes 5 seconds
    The Checkerboard

    A single diagonal step on a map sparks a legal war with huge consequences.

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    9 December 2025, 6:15 pm
  • 38 minutes 24 seconds
    U Is for Urbanism

    How Jane Jacob's urbanism dreams came to life on the most beloved kids' TV block.

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    2 December 2025, 6:15 pm
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    Constitution Breakdown #4: Janet Napolitano

    This is the fourth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.

    This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to Article Two, which establishes the executive branch, alongside former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Elizabeth also explains why Trump administration’s attacks on Venezuelan boats defy even the broadest interpretation of the president's war powers.

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    28 November 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 27 minutes 59 seconds
    Murderland

    Writer Caroline Fraser argues a chilling link between industrial poison, deadly design, and a generation of serial killers in the Pacific Northwest.

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    25 November 2025, 6:15 pm
  • 39 minutes 38 seconds
    The Moving Walkway Is Ending

    People once dreamed of sidewalks that could whisk them across cities. Somehow, that dream ended up at the airport.

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    18 November 2025, 6:15 pm
  • 31 minutes 20 seconds
    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.

    Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense is out on Nov 12. Find it in your favorite bookstore.

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    11 November 2025, 6:15 pm
  • 59 minutes 9 seconds
    Gear (Articles of Interest)

    From buckskin breeches to Patagonia vests, uncover how America’s obsession with ruggedness and war shaped the clothes we wear every day. Avery Trufelman is back with an episode from Articles of Interest's latest season.

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    4 November 2025, 6:15 pm
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    Constitution Breakdown #3: Sen. Elizabeth Warren

    This is the third episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.

    This month, Roman and Elizabeth dive into Article One, Sections 8 through 10, which spells out what Congress can and cannot do. They unpack everything from the Commerce Clause to the taxing and spending powers, the Necessary and Proper Clause, and even a few long-forgotten quirks like letters of marque and reprisal.

    Then, Senator Elizabeth Warren joins to talk about Congress’s “power of the purse,” how it’s being challenged under President Trump, and what it means for the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches.

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    31 October 2025, 5:30 pm
  • 29 minutes 20 seconds
    Your Call Is Important to Us

    What if all those dropped calls, endless wait times and dead end hotlines every time you try to reach customer service weren’t accidents but part of the plan?

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    28 October 2025, 5:15 pm
  • 40 minutes 38 seconds
    Hidden Levels #6: Segagaga

    One SEGA employee chronicles the company’s struggles the only way he knows how: by turning it into a game.

    Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless Thread.

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    24 October 2025, 9:00 am
  • 41 minutes 47 seconds
    Hidden Levels #5: Press B to Touch Grass

    From blocky biomes to breathtaking open worlds, video games are teaching us new ways to see, build, and even save nature.

    Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless Thread.

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    21 October 2025, 9:00 am
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