99% Invisible Best Episodes
One of the best storytelling podcasts ever made, 99% Invisible takes a journalistic approach to investigate how design influences everything in our lives. Created and hosted by Roman Mars, 99pi is able to use design to talk about issues as big as misogyny, social infrastructure, and AI, as well as lighter, fun stories like the origin of the song “Who Let the Dogs Out.” But with so much to explore, it can be hard to know where to start. Check out this list of 99% Invisible best episodes, recommended by Podyssey users who love the show.
Last Updated: Aug 3rd, 2021
1) 363- Invisible Women
This best 99% Invisible episode reveals the single most common design flaw in human history — the fact that most everyday things are designed for men. You probably don’t even notice it, but design discrimination against women has concrete consequences felt by half the people around the globe. From snow plowing to test car dummies, the 99pi team explores this age old design bias that has activists like author of “Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men”, Caroline Criado Perez calling for change.
2) 415- Goodnight Nobody
Children's reading rooms weren’t a staple in public libraries until the visionary librarian Anne Carroll Moore started one in the New York Public Library. Despite her game-changing contribution, this library pioneer had a huge grudge against the classic children book Goodnight Moon for eyebrow-raising reasons. We won’t spoil the story, but know that it includes a wild subplot about Moore’s imaginary friend.
3) 274- The Age of the Algorithm
Algorithms are everywhere, but few know what they really are and how they influence our lives everyday. This best of 99% Invisible episode explores the hidden depths of algorithms and how it influences the economy, social equity, and democracy. It features author and mathematician Cathy O’Neil who wrote the book “Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy”, and her critiques on how algorithms are wielded in our society whether it’s determining airplane seating to the fate of a criminal offender.
4) 340- The Secret Lives of Color
Colors don’t stop at primary, secondary, tint, and hues. They have secret lives filled with a rich history of their origins and applications. Rediscover the brilliance of colors in this beautiful ode to pigments with 99pi. Learn which colors historically meant “evil” or “royalty” and how they got their meanings. You’re bound to take away buckets of new knowledge about the rich paints of our world.
5) 389- Whomst Among Us Has Let The Dogs Out
“Who let the dogs out? Who? Who?” The 99pi team takes a diversion from their usual design-focused topics and goes down a tangential music rabbit hole to figure out who exactly created the legendary earworm. The answer isn’t as simple as it seems. From an unusual Wikipedia entry to a hairdresser in the UK, go on an unusual musical ride with artist and filmmaker, Ben Sisto, to track down the origins of our campy favorite.
6) 346- Palaces for the People
Public libraries are gems in every town and city. They house treasure troves of knowledge and stories for everyone who wants to escape. The top 99% Invisible episodes peel back the cover of this important social infrastructure to look at how libraries are more than just buildings of books. Hear stories of how libraries serve as places for communities to connect and rejuvenate allowing it to truly live up to their name as palaces for the people.
7) 288- Guerrilla Public Service Redux
A misleading freeway sign in LA sent an artist down the wrong direction and it has bugged him ever since. So what did he do? He decided to fix it. This heart-stopping and heart-warming episode will bring you on an adventure with artist Richard Ankrom while he attempts to install a much more user-friendly freeway sign…guerilla-style. Despite the high risk nature of this form of activism, Ankrom surprisingly isn’t the only daring guerilla public servant around. Learn about the movement of generous citizens intervening with public spaces all over the US to help make navigating everyday better for all of us.
8) 281- La Sagrada Familia
Take a trip to the heart of Barcelona with the 99 Percent Invisible team to explore the infamous Gothic megachurch, La Sagrada Familia. Designed by renowned Catalonian architect Antoni Gaudí, the Roman Catholic minor basilica has been in construction since 1882 to this day. This episode specifically focuses on Gaudí’s plans for the church that was destroyed in a fire during the Civil War, and how architects are painstakingly rebuilding his vision stone-by-stone today.
9) 381- The Infantorium
If preemies were to survive in the 1900’s, they had to become circus entertainment in order to get the healthcare they needed. New parents would bring their babies to Dr. Couney’s “Infantorium” where nurses would feed and soothe them under the watch of ogling amusement park onlookers. Hear about this bizarre arrangement that saved the lives of children for over four decades. The story doesn’t end in images of bundles of joy and cotton candy though, but we’ll let you listen to the episode to find out what happens.
10) 422- In The Unlikely Event
This is definitely a 99pi best episode that gets behind the scene on how airplane safety briefing cards are created. You’ll learn why all the illustrated characters on the card look eerily familiar, and the step-by-step process on how to plan out the design of a briefing card. Get on board for a fascinating journey into an underrated, but highly important artifact of modern travel.
