Roman Mars takes on American history with a new podcast about everyday objects

Roman Mars, the voice behind the popular design and architecture podcast '99% Invisible,' is turning his attention to American history with a new series that finds big stories in small things. His upcoming show, 'A History of the United States in 100 Objects,' will explore the nation's past by focusing on everyday items-like a gold coin, a piece of railroad track, or even a single screw-each tied to a deeper human moment.

Instead of retelling familiar political narratives, Mars will sit down with historians, journalists, and cultural experts to unpack how these objects shaped lives, movements, and turning points. The idea follows a tradition popularized by museum exhibits and books, like the British Museum's 'A History of the World in 100 Objects,' but with a distinctly American lens and Mars's signature calm curiosity.

The podcast aims to make history feel immediate and personal. A kitchen appliance might open a conversation about gender roles in the 1950s. A protest sign could lead into a story about grassroots organizing. By grounding broad themes in physical things, the show hopes to help listeners feel history rather than just memorize it.

Mars's move into history feels like a natural extension of his work on '99% Invisible,' where he's spent years revealing the hidden design choices behind everyday life. Whether it's the shape of a manhole cover or the sound of a transit announcement, he's known for finding meaning in what most people overlook. Now, he's applying that same attention to the artifacts that quietly carry the weight of the past.

While Mars's project looks ahead, other voices in the public conversation are reflecting on legal history. On April 20, 2026, legal blog Reason marked the anniversary of the 2010 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Stevens, a First Amendment case about animal cruelty videos. Though unrelated to the podcast, the timing highlights how different corners of culture engage with history-some through storytelling, others through precedent.

The podcast is expected to appeal to fans of narrative nonfiction, design, and anyone who's ever held an old object and wondered, 'Who used this? What did it mean to them?' With Mars at the helm, the focus won't be on dates or battles, but on connection-how the things we make, keep, and discard help us understand who we've become.

There's no release date yet, but anticipation is building among podcast listeners who value depth, warmth, and the quiet power of well-told stories. In a media landscape full of urgency and noise, Mars's new project feels like a pause-a chance to look closely, listen deeply, and remember that history isn't just made by leaders and laws, but by all of us, one object at a time.