99% Invisible

99% Invisible

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

October 17, 2025 45 mins

Back in the 90s, artists turned video games into movie sets, and their wildest ideas are finally hitting documentaries.

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

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Before Fortnite and Call of Duty ruled the scene, the US Army quietly shaped the early 2000s with a wildly popular, free shooter designed to excite young people about enlisting.

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

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October 10, 2025 41 mins

From airplanes to Pac-Man to the battlefield, the joystick has quietly shaped the way humans connect with machines.

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

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October 7, 2025 37 mins

Step back into the ’90s, when dunks broke backboards, catchphrases caught fire, and one arcade game turned every kid into an NBA superstar.

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

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In anticipation of the release of Hidden Levels, Roman and Ben join Heather Anne Campbell (Rick and Morty) and Matt Apodaca of Get Played to talk controllers, culture, and why video games might just be running the world.

Hidden Levels launches on October 7th wherever you get your podcasts. Join SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to each episode early and ad-free.

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September 30, 2025 54 mins

Like a shadow epilogue to The Power Broker, this story plunges into the chaos of 1970s New York where debt, unions, and one brutal headline nearly broke the city.

Drop Dead City is now playing in select cities, and available on VOD on November 14. You can watch the trailer here.

The Power Broker #13: Drop Dead City

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

This month, Roman and Elizabeth dive into Article One with Representative Sharice Davids, examining lawmaking, committees, and the unique responsibilities of the House of Representatives.

Elizabeth also explains how the Supreme Court’s “major questions doctrine" could decide whether Trump’s sweeping use of tariffs under emergency powers is constitut...

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September 23, 2025 35 mins

In a Colorado meatpacking town, refugees fleeing persecution find themselves in some of the most dangerous jobs in America.

This episode was produced in partnership with the Food & Environment Reporting Network, an independent, nonprofit news organization.

The New Jungle

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September 16, 2025 34 mins

Mary Roach dives into the strange, funny, and unsettling world of designing new body parts, from pig hearts to prosthetic feet, revealing just how messy replacing ourselves can be.

Replaceable You

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September 9, 2025 41 mins

We’re excited to celebrate the 5th anniversary of The 99% Invisible City, a NYT Bestseller by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt, with a guided audio tour of beautiful downtown Oakland, California. Join us as we explore different everyday designs, using examples from the built environment around our old offices as jumping-off points.

And if you don't already have one: be sure to get your print or audio copy of the book at 99pi.org/book.

E...

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September 2, 2025 50 mins

For 99PI’s 15th anniversary, Roman sits in the hot seat to answer 15 eclectic questions, touching on everything from his dream merch to the one object he's always wanted to cover on the show.

Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at how the show gets made.

The 99PI Anniversary Special: 15 for 15

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August 26, 2025 40 mins

A billionaire family’s private bridge empire shaped Detroit for decades, sparking battles over power, neighborhoods, and the future of an international crossing.

Ambassador Bridge

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August 19, 2025 25 mins

Vintage music barely had any bass. Today’s hits are all about the low end. What changed? An episode this week from our friends at Twenty Thousand Hertz, featuring hip hop legend DJ Jazzy Jeff and Roland's Paul McCabe.

All About That Bass

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Aimee Semple McPherson built America’s first megachurch, blended showbiz with salvation, and vanished in a scandal that captivated the nation.

Sister Aimee and the Birth of the Megachurch

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August 5, 2025 38 mins

Libraries get rid of books all the time. There are so many new books coming in every day and only a finite amount of library space. The practice of freeing up library space is called weeding. When the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library was damaged by an earthquake 1989, the argument over which books need to be weeded, and how they were chosen for removal, reached fever pitch.

This episode originally aired on May 14, 201...

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July 29, 2025 40 mins

Old ideas about air and disease were wrong on the science, but looking to the past might actually help us design healthier buildings today.

Air-Borne

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

This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss the Preamble, alongside Nikole Hannah-Jones

Elizabeth also explains that while the United States generally does not allow a standing army to be used against civilians, Trump has been exploiting an exception to keep troops in Los Angeles to protect ICE agents — with terrifying implications.

Constitutio...

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July 22, 2025 40 mins

How a radio show born at a small college station in DC and dedicated to smooth, romantic love songs transformed black radio and reshaped love lives across the country.

The Quiet Storm

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July 15, 2025 31 mins

A rock icon sets out to save music with a strange yellow gadget that almost no one understood.

Neil Young’s iPod Killer

If you're new to the show (thanks Apple Podcasts!) here are some favorite episodes to get you started:

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July 11, 2025 30 mins

In this bonus episode, an offbeat walking tour through San Francisco uncovers hidden rooftop parks, a leaning skyscraper scandal, a vanished statue, and the graceful brilliance of the Golden Gate Bridge.

This episode is sponsored by GetYourGuide. Discover and book experiences for your next trip at getyourguide.com.

Roman Mars's Guide to San Francisco

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