Episode notes
How was a household tool reimagined as a deadly weapon…that never actually existed?
Podcast
99% Invisible
Roman Mars · Arts & Books · English
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.
More from 99% Invisible All episodes →
-
E674 · 14 Jul 2026 · 42 min
If Mosquito Hawks Can Fly
A Louisiana man born into slavery designs an airship with hopes to take flight. Those plans are interrupted, but maybe not forever.
-
10 Jul 2026 · 36 min
100 Objects #8: Billy Possum
The teddy bear was a huge hit, and sparked an idea…maybe every president from then on should have their own viral stuffed animal.
-
E673 · 7 Jul 2026 · 26 min
The Score
We keep score of everything these days. But what happens when the numbers start changing what we actually care about?
-
3 Jul 2026 · 37 min
100 Objects #7: The Otis Pamphlet
Journalist Jack Hitt returns to tell the wild, tragic story of America’s forgotten proto-founding father and his inflammatory 1764 pamphlet.
-
E672 · 30 Jun 2026 · 32 min
Transatlantic Fiber-Optic Expialidocious
Before the internet went global, one undersea gamble made it possible.
-
E671 · 23 Jun 2026 · 43 min
The Most Exciting Change America Has Ever Seen
Billions of state quarters disappeared from circulation...and that was exactly the plan.
-
19 Jun 2026 · 46 min
100 Objects #5: Blue Back Speller
Why did an ordinary schoolbook become so treasured that enslaved people risked their lives to possess it?
-
E511 · 16 Jun 2026 · 34 min
The Horn That Divided the World Cup
Love it or hate it, one buzzing horn changed the sound of the World Cup forever.
-
12 Jun 2026 · 39 min
100 Objects #4: Lowe's Gas Bag
In 1861, one man and a “gas bag” filled with hydrogen sparked America's obsession with going higher, farther, into the unknown.
-
E670 · 9 Jun 2026 · 35 min
Karaoke Videos
Behind every cheesy karaoke track was a surprisingly ambitious filmmaking experiment.
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
