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Episodes
Doktoro Esperanto
100 Objects #21: Window from the House of D
This episode explores how the Women’s House of Detention in Greenwich Village, with its unique open windows, inadvertently fostered queer community and activism.
Audio Guide of the Imperfections of a Perfect Masterpiece
Roman Mars guides listeners through the Guggenheim Museum, focusing on its architectural imperfections and evolution rather than just Frank Lloyd Wright’s original vision.
Tony Hawk's Real-Life Willy Wonka
In this episode, host Anna Sale interviews Indy Austin, an "experience designer" who creates bespoke, often transgressive rituals for clients like Tony Hawk.
The Problem With Football Helmets
This episode explores the history and cultural impact of the football helmet, tracing its evolution from leather to plastic and the controversial Guardian Cap.
(Not Just) Another Brick in the Wall
Host Roman Mars speaks with Chicago brick historian Will Quam about the city’s architectural history and the humble building block.
100 Objects #20: AA Sobriety Chip
Host Roman Mars explores the history of Alcoholics Anonymous, tracing its roots to the failed Prohibition era and the Washingtonian Society.
Tootle of a Devilish Song
Reported from Basel’s Jodlerfest, this episode traces the global journey of yodeling from Alpine cattle calls to a cornerstone of American country music.
100 Objects #19: Western Electric 500 Series
This episode explores the Western Electric 500 series telephone, a device that defined American domestic life for decades.
The Rocky Statue
This episode explores the 50-year battle over the placement of the Rocky statue in Philadelphia, tracing its journey from a movie prop to a contested public monument.
100 Objects #18: Hair Relaxer
This episode explores the history of chemical hair relaxers, tracing their evolution from survival tools for enslaved people to a major industry that built Black wealth.
Doves Type
This episode tells the story of the friendship and subsequent feud between bookbinders Thomas Cobden Sanderson and Emery Walker, who co-founded the Doves Press.
100 Objects #17: M43 Field Jacket
Host Roman Mars and guest Avery Trufelman explore the history of the M-43 field jacket, tracing its scientific development by George Dorr to its cultural evolution.
Kobuk the Destroyer
Journalist Alex Davies explores the hidden world of test engineering in his book "Kobuk the Destroyer," detailing how products are rigorously evaluated for safety.
1-800-PODCAST
This episode explores the history of 800 numbers, tracing their evolution from AT&T’s 1960s toll-free technology to the engine of 24/7 retail and Omaha’s call center boom.
100 Objects #15: Bundy Clock
This episode explores how Willard Bundy’s invention of the employee time clock and Frederick Taylor’s scientific management revolutionized workplace surveillance.
Spolia
This episode explores the concept of "spolia," the architectural reuse of old materials, through the story of Granby, a Liverpool neighborhood…
100 Objects #14: Basketball Sleeve
This episode traces the NBA compression sleeve’s origin to Allen Iverson, who wore it to treat elbow bursitis in 2001.
The Bone Wars
Reporter Gillian Jacobs explores the "Bone Wars," a fierce late-19th-century rivalry between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh.
100 Objects #13: The Sand Letters
Host Roman Mars and guest Elliot Kalin explore how 23 letters from unknown citizen Julia Sands inspired President Chester A.
Bamboo Is Innocent
Reporter Julie Blusset explores the aftermath of the deadly Tai Po fire in Hong Kong, which sparked a controversial government ban on the city’s iconic bamboo scaffolding.
100 Objects #12: "Negro Cloth"
Host Roman Mars interviews historian Seth Rockman about his book *Plantation Goods*, focusing on a rare scrap of "Negro cloth" found in archival letters.
The Borrowed Nature of Biomimicry
Host Roman Mars and guest Kurt Kolstad explore the complexities of biomimicry, moving beyond simple success stories like the kingfisher-inspired bullet train.
100 Objects #11: Brannock Device
Host Roman Mars and guest Paul Lucas explore the history of the Brannock device, the ubiquitous foot-measuring tool invented by Charles Brannock in 1925.