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Artwork for 99% Invisible

99% Invisible

Roman Mars
Robert Moses
New York City
Climate Change
The Power Broker
Urban Planning
Robert Caro
Constitution
Los Angeles
California
Covid-19
Infrastructure
Urban Design
Congress
Video Games
Chicago
Tennessee Valley Authority
Supreme Court
Homelessness
Environmental Law
Design

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.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes838Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DesignArts

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Artwork for 99% Invisible

Latest Episodes

How a Swiss mountain call crossed the Atlantic and helped define the sound of country music.

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This episode is sponsored by Claude. For problems worth solving, get started with Claude at Claude.ai.

The Western Electric 500 Series Telephone used to be everywhere. For over 50 years, it was the default telephone for homes, offices and literally ... more

How a movie prop became one of Philadelphia’s most beloved monuments, and sparked a decades-long fight over where it belonged.

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Somewhere between 85 to 95 percent of Black women in the United States have used a chemical hair relaxer at least once in their lifetime. It is a ubiquitous American product with a complicated legacy: it built Black wealth and opened economic doors, ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Paul Farber
Director, Monument Lab
Monument Lab
Episode: The Rocky Statue
Laura Halsman
Art historian
Monument Lab / Philadelphia Museum of Art (as cited)
Episode: The Rocky Statue
Lori L. Tharps
Journalist and hair historian, co-author of Hair Story
Hair Story, Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America
Episode: 100 Objects #18: Hair Relaxer
Martin Ostwick
Collaborator on Souvenirs, musician for the live adaptation
The Illusionist live show collaboration
Episode: Doves Type
Helen Zaltzman
Aved live-show creator and host, featured for Souvenirs
The Illusionist / Answer Me This (as referenced) and live-stage work
Episode: Doves Type
Avery Chalfman
Host of Articles of Interest, focused on gear and design
Articles of Interest (BBC Studios / 99% Invisible)
Episode: 100 Objects #17: M43 Field Jacket
Alex Davies
Journalist and author of Kobuk the Destroyer and Other Tales from the Wild and Unseen World of Test Engineering
Author
Episode: Kobuk the Destroyer
Roy Eldridge
Former Denver police officer; Terry's father
Individual
Episode: 100 Objects #16: Wheel of Fortune Dalmatian
Adam Neediff
Game show author and researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
National Archives of Game Show History
Episode: 100 Objects #16: Wheel of Fortune Dalmatian

Host

Roman Mars
Host of 99% Invisible

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 46k ratings
  • A podcast celebrating human creativity and design shilling AI is mind bogglingly tone deaf.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Gwozeg
    a month ago
  • say no to AI money

    I love this podcast but am hugely disappointed by the AI ads. It’s antithetical to what this community stands for.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    sgnfsq
    United Statesa month ago
  • Ăĩ bad

    I’ve been a long time listener, but after hearing podcaster-recorded ai ads, I have to question the legitimacy of a podcast that educates on traditionally, human-designed things. Might as well ask, how much of the script is human written? Disappointed, will explicitly not recommend this podcast to friends and students. Do better

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Gerry Åtric
    United Statesa month ago
  • carefully crafted, perfectly executed

    constantly surprising, amusing, inspiring, and amazing

    2026 update: well, after the claude sponsorship for 100 objects i’m sad to say i’m incredibly sad to say that the longstanding integrity and trust i’ve had the show is gone. how incredibly tone deaf and sad and antithetical to design and justice.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    lene a
    Norwaya month ago
  • Aks

    I’ve really enjoyed this podcast but am unsubscribing after hearing Roman give a glowing ad for Anthropic and Claude lauding its research ability. That is harmful nonsense.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Aaaaakkkssssss
    Canadaa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few listeners enjoy the nerdy object deep-dives; others push back on ads and pacing.
Rigorous research, engaging interviews, and broad topic range.
Thoughtful design history storytelling that connects past and present.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#12
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#2
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#6
United States/Arts
Spotify
#16
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#114
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#1
Canada/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Doves Type
Q: How does the live stage approach differ from traditional radio storytelling on this subject?
The stage approach uses musical cues and live performance to personify the two protagonists, creating an immediate, visceral sense of their emotional arc, rather than relying primarily on narration and archival voice. It emphasizes the emotional progression and memory through sound design, making the historical conflict feel more present and dramatized.
The Rocky Statue
Q: What did the statue symbolize for different groups in Philadelphia over the years?
For many residents it symbolized working-class grit and local pride, while critics saw it as an ego-driven movie prop that clashed with high-culture ideals; over time it came to represent a contested urban identity and conversation about who gets to shape public spaces.
The Original 100 Objects
Q: Why interview the makers of objects, like David Hockney, instead of only discussing the artifacts themselves?
Interviewing makers adds a dimension of agency and intention, showing how objects embody freedom, creativity, and social change, and it marks a turning point in the storytelling approach.
The Original 100 Objects
Q: What was it like to shift from a traditional narrative of world history to a hundred-object approach that includes everyday items?
The approach allows us to tell a more inclusive, interconnected story of humanity, highlighting the biographies of objects and the voices of those who weren't always heard.
The Score
Q: How do we use scores and scoring systems in an effective way to make the world a better place, and have them not dominate our lives in a bad way?
Use scores to coordinate at scale where appropriate (like lifespan metrics), but guard against over-relying on single metrics; cultivate ironic distance; allow for context and nuance; and create spaces where people design their own metrics to reflect values beyond simple counts.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About 99% Invisible

What is 99% Invisible about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show repeatedly explores how design and artifacts shape culture, society, and everyday life. Recent episodes thread together themes like the social power of consumer goods, design history, and how objects carry meaning beyond their utilitarian use. Guests range from historians and design scholars to journalists and industry practitioners, offering deep dives into topics like slavery's material culture, public policy around welfare programs, and iconic design instruments. The series stands out for connecting archival research with contemporary critique, often weaving in manufacturing, policy, and cultural storytelling to illuminate how small objects reflect broader historical forces. Potential listeners will likely appreciate rigorous r... more

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1. Articles of Interest
2. Radiolab
3. What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law
4. Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
5. Search Engine

How many episodes of 99% Invisible are there?

99% Invisible launched 16 years ago and published 838 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on 99% Invisible?

Recent guests on 99% Invisible include:

1. Paul Farber
2. Laura Halsman
3. Lori L. Tharps
4. Martin Ostwick
5. Helen Zaltzman
6. Avery Chalfman
7. Alex Davies
8. Roy Eldridge

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