99% Invisible

Service Request #4: How Does the Grid in Phoenix Work?

<p>In a place where losing power can turn deadly, keeping the lights on is a high-stakes balancing act.</p> <p>What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request …

Apr 03, 2026 · 33m

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Service Request #3: Why Is There So Much Litter in San Francisco?

<p>Why did it take nearly a decade to redesign a city trash can, and why haven't more bins made the streets cleaner?</p> <p>What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? …

Mar 31, 2026 · 28m

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Constitution Breakdown #8: Jill Lepore

<p>This is the eighth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.</p> <p>This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss <a href="https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Article V</a>, which lays out the …

Mar 27, 2026 · 1h 6m

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Service Request #2: Why Is This Red Light So Damn Long?

<p>What the world's most advanced traffic system can—and can't—do for the city that invented gridlock.</p> <p>What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a …

Mar 24, 2026 · 28m

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Service Request #1: What Happens When I Call 311?

<p>The surprising power of a simple phone number to connect a community.</p> <p>What infrastructure mystery keeps you up at night? Submit your Service Request by recording a voice memo with …

Mar 17, 2026 · 34m

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A Man, a Plan, a Canal—Mars!

<p>How one wealthy, amateur astronomer convinced the world Martians were real.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.&nbsp;<br><br>Start a …

Mar 10, 2026 · 32m

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Where the F*** Are We?

<p>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.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to …

Mar 03, 2026 · 47m

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Constitution Breakdown #7: California AG Rob Bonta

<p>This is the seventh episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.</p> <p>This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss <a href="https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Article IV</a>, which outlines the relationship …

Feb 27, 2026 · 1h 17m

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The Longest Fence in the World

<p>How a fence meant to protect sheep transformed the entire Australian landscape.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.&nbsp;<br><br>Start …

Feb 24, 2026 · 31m

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Molar City

<p>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 …

Feb 17, 2026 · 41m

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Artistic License Redux

<p>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 …

Feb 10, 2026 · 33m

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The Em Dash

<p>The strange history of a punctuation mark that makes writing feel human, and why people now think it proves the opposite.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes …

Feb 03, 2026 · 39m

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Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak

<p>This is the sixth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.</p><p>This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside <i>New York Times …

Jan 30, 2026 · 1h 0m

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What’s in a Name

<p>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 …

Jan 27, 2026 · 26m

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Audio Flux

<p>This week we're featuring <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-audio-flux-podcast/id1846422537" target="_blank"><i><strong>Audio Flux</strong></i></a>, a short-form audio challenge where artists squeeze surprising stories into three minutes.</p><p>Find out more about <i>Audio Flux</i> by visiting <a href="http://audioflux.org/" target="_blank">audioflux.org</a></p><p>Follow …

Jan 20, 2026 · 37m

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Exit Interview With Michael Bierut

<p>A young designer faces an impossible brief and discovers the spark that will define his legendary career.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free …

Jan 13, 2026 · 36m

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Mini-Stories: Volume 22

<p>Performance changing gear, a Titanic era nurse with unbelievable resilience, and an ingenious art vending project reveal how innovation and endurance shape unexpected worlds.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen …

Jan 06, 2026 · 33m

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Beyond the 99% Invisible City

<p>From rogue stop signs to rooftop mini golf, discover how chaos and creativity quietly shape the urban world.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible …

Dec 30, 2025 · 39m

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Constitution Breakdown #5: Dr. Tom Frieden

<p>This is the fifth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.</p><p>This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to the rest of <a href="https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#2" target="_blank">Article Two</a> with former CDC …

Dec 26, 2025 · 1h 19m

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Mini-Stories: Volume 21

<p>A glowing Vegas pyramid, a famously mistyped domain, and a long-delayed miracle investigation unfold in three unexpected tales.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible …

Dec 23, 2025 · 29m

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Sax Appeal

<p>From military parades to smoky clubs, one invention’s wild journey reveals how an instrument can become a symbol of rebellion and reinvention.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new …

Dec 16, 2025 · 43m

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The Checkerboard

<p>A single diagonal step on a map sparks a legal war with huge consequences.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole …

Dec 09, 2025 · 38m

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U Is for Urbanism

<p>How Jane Jacob's urbanism dreams came to life on the most beloved kids' TV block.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a …

Dec 02, 2025 · 38m

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