99% Invisible

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

This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article VI and VII, which include some odds and ends like the Debts Clause, the No Religious Test Clause, and the process for ratification. But tucked into Article VI is the all-important Supremacy Clause, which states that the Constitution is the “supreme Law of the Land,” and is probably the most frequently...

The world’s largest housing co-op—built to save New York City’s middle class—became the unlikely site of a resident revolt

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One study from 2018 found that Major League Baseball umpires blow about 14 calls every game. That’s 34,000 bad calls every year. And it makes a difference. A blown strike call can decide a win or a loss, a championship or six months at home, wondering what could have been. And while umpires are about 97% accurate in calling balls and strikes, Major League Baseball has been considering something drastic. Something to take us up to 1...

A missing car reveals the confusing rules, murky fees, and private actors behind modern towing.

What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with your question and emailing it to servicerequest@99pi.org.

Service Request is a production of 99% Invisible and Campside Media.

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In a place where losing power can turn deadly, keeping the lights on is a high-stakes balancing act.

What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with your question and emailing it to servicerequest@99pi.org.

Service Request is a production of 99% Invisible and Campside Media.

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Why did it take nearly a decade to redesign a city trash can, and why haven't more bins made the streets cleaner?

What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with your question and emailing it to servicerequest@99pi.org.

Service Request is a production of 99% Invisible and Campside Media.

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

This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution.

Then, Jill Lepore lays out her thesis that the Constitution is truly meant to be amended, explains why Article V amendments have become functionally impossible, and tells some fascinating stories about the people who have championed amendments.

What the world's most advanced traffic system can—and can't—do for the city that invented gridlock.

What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with your question and emailing it to servicerequest@99pi.org.

Service Request is a production of 99% Invisible and Campside Media.

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The surprising power of a simple phone number to connect a community.

What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with your question and emailing it to servicerequest@99pi.org.

Service Request is a production of 99% Invisible and Campside Media.

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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.

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

This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article IV, which outlines the relationship between states and between states and the federal government. They add the 10th Amendment to the conversation, because that also talks about the states.

Then, California Attorney General Rob Bonta joins to talk about how his office is using Article IV and the 10th...

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.

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Idaho was the first state to slap a slogan on a license plate, “Idaho Potatoes,” which may not seem like a big deal, but it turns out this idea would end up having outsized consequences, and not just for Idaho. Because what started in one state would soon spread. And when it did, the question of what should go on a license plate, and what shouldn't, would prove surprisingly contentious.

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The strange history of a punctuation mark that makes writing feel human, and why people now think it proves the opposite.

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

This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside New York Times chief legal affairs correspondent, Adam Liptak.

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Throughout 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.

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This week we're featuring Audio Flux, a short-form audio challenge where artists squeeze surprising stories into three minutes.

Find out more about Audio Flux by visiting audioflux.org

Follow Audio Flux on Instagram: @audiofluxing

Featured Audio Flux stories include:

• The Sound of Silence by Gregory Warner and Sana Krasikov
• In Between Silence by Talia Augustidis
• The Ghost on Side B by Katelyn Hale Wood with sound design by Alan Goffin...