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.
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The M-dash, a versatile punctuation mark, finds itself at the center of the AI debate, often mistaken for a sign of machine-generated text. This episode traces its fascinating journey, from solving ancient punctuation problems and adding dramatic flair in Elizabethan plays to conveying stream of consciousness in early novels and defining Emily Dickinson's unique poetry. It highlights the historical backlash against its overuse and introduces the innovative AM-dash, a creative solution aimed at reasserting human authorship in an increasingly AI-driven world.
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....
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. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, a...
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 Goffinski First Words by Peter Lang-Stanton Red Card by Vivien Schü...
A young designer faces an impossible brief and discovers the spark that will define his legendary career. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Performance changing gear, a Titanic era nurse with unbelievable resilience, and an ingenious art vending project reveal how innovation and endurance shape unexpected worlds. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advert...
From rogue stop signs to rooftop mini golf, discover how chaos and creativity quietly shape the urban world. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
This is the fifth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to the rest of Article Two with former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden, talking about the experience of being a highly trained expert in an inherently political institution within the executive branch. Dr. Frieden was also the New York City Public Health Commissioner under Mayor Bloomberg from 2002 to 2009, and he discusses the difference between running a city and a federal hea...
A glowing Vegas pyramid, a famously mistyped domain, and a long-delayed miracle investigation unfold in three unexpected tales. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
From military parades to smoky clubs, one invention’s wild journey reveals how an instrument can become a symbol of rebellion and reinvention. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
A single diagonal step on a map sparks a legal war with huge consequences. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
How Jane Jacob's urbanism dreams came to life on the most beloved kids' TV block. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
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. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early....
Writer Caroline Fraser argues a chilling link between industrial poison, deadly design, and a generation of serial killers in the Pacific Northwest. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
People once dreamed of sidewalks that could whisk them across cities. Somehow, that dream ended up at the airport. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
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. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by ...
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. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our ...
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 bei...
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? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for...
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers...
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswiz...
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...
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 . Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...
This episode features Roman Mars and Ben Brock Johnson discussing their new miniseries, "Hidden Levels," which explores how video games have profoundly reshaped the real world, from everyday language to design principles. They delve into personal gaming histories, the evolution of game design, and the broader societal impact—both positive and negative—of video games. The conversation highlights how games serve as tools for connection, problem-solving, and even focus.
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 Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podca...
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 constitutional. Constitution Breakdown #2: Rep. Sharice Davids Subscrib...
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 Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz ...
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 Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...
