A History of the United States in 100 Objects
8 May - 3 minsAmerica’s 250th birthday calls for a history as sprawling and contradictory as the country itself.
A History of the United States in 100 Objects — hosted by Roman Mars and produced by BBC Studios and 99% Invisible — tells that history one thing at a time. A gold coin from an 1857 shipwreck that triggered a financial panic. An antebellum schoolbook that became an instrument of Black liberation. A ceramic dalmatian from the set of Wheel of Fortune. Or a tiny screw that shows how the US created a hidden industrial empire.
Each week, an object opens the door into an extraordinary, often shocking story — about who we’ve been, what we’ve built, and what we’ve allowed ourselves to forget. Some o...
Series Episodes
Ask Your Doctor About
As wild and random as they might seem, a lot of work—and even poetry—goes into coming up with today's catchiest, most unforgettable drug names.
32 mins
12 May Finished
Enshittification
Why is it suddenly so hard to fix the stuff we depend on most?
35 mins
5 May Finished
Citizen of the World
One man rejected nationality and dared the world to recognize him anyway.
40 mins
28 April Finished
Constitution Breakdown #9: Alondra Nelson
Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article VI and VII, which includes the all-important Supremacy Clause. Alondra Nelson, a leading expert on AI, is our guest.
1 hour 5 mins
24 April Finished
Co-op City
The world’s largest housing co-op—built to save New York City’s middle class—became the unlikely site of a resident revolt
37 mins
21 April Finished
