Avery Trufelman's Articles of Interest is back!
Jody Rosen joins us to talk about the evolution of the bicycle, how it became a cultural phenomenon in the late 1800s, then a symbol of protest, and a lightning rod for political controversy. And we’ll find out what’s next for the bike, in a world built for cars.
Reporter/producer Gillian Jacobs (Community, Winning Time) takes us on a stroll on the Walk of Fame, a 1.3 mile monument which chronicles Hollywood history and the vicissitudes of fame itself
The history and significance and of the much maligned vuvuzela
Jamaica is famous around the world for its music, including genres like ska, dub, and reggae. It’s tempting to think that the powerful amplifiers and giant speakers at the dance parties were designed to perfectly capture Jamaica’s indigenous sounds. But it’s actually the other way around. Those speakers and amps …
The jackalope is a mythical mascot of the American West – inspiring an absolute river of trinkets and songs and whiskies and postcards and tall tales.
On this special feature episode, President Bill Clinton interviews 99% Invisible host and creator Roman Mars.
How did we get to a point where "search" is failing us?
North Korea's state-run design studio has long been a prolific maker of statues around the world, particularly in Africa
The infrastructure, zoning, and cultural factors that make the hit Japanese TV program Old Enough, where toddlers go on errands by themselves, possible
There's a particular one-kilohertz tone that is universally understood to be covering up inappropriate words on radio and TV. But there are other options, too, like silence -- so why did this particular *bleep* sound become ubiquitous?
We're sharing the latest episode of Roman's other show What Roman Mars Can Learn About Con Law, your guide to the US Constitution and the Supreme Court.
For the love of peat
In the final episode of our vernacular spectacular anniversary series, 99pi producers and friends of the show will be sharing more stories of regional architecture–some close to home, some on remote islands– that capture our imagination and inspire us to look deeper.
The utilitarian and "ugly" architecture that is beautiful to us
We often tell stories about how people shape the built world, but on this milestone 500th episode, we're telling stories about how the built world has shaped us (with good history and facts thrown in, because we're us).
The history of taking plants that grow naturally in one place, and moving them halfway around the world to an entirely different place with a different, often inhospitable, climate-- and then keeping them alive by growing them in potting soil that we bought at Home Depot.
The Octagonal House fad and self-improvement in the 1800s
The story of a long, skinny island east of Russia's mainland and the ethnic Koreans who have had no choice but to call it home for decades.
Wild Rice has long played an important role in Ojibwe cultures, but last year, it took on a new role: plaintiff in a court case.