Mini-Stories: Volume 22 - 99% Invisible Recap

Podcast: 99% Invisible

Published: 2026-01-06

Duration: 33 minutes

Guests: Jacob Medina Gleason, Joe Rosenberg

Summary

The episode explores how innovations in technology, personal resilience, and creative reuse of existing structures shape unique narratives and solutions. It covers groundbreaking swimwear, a remarkable survivor of maritime disasters, and the transformation of cigarette vending machines into art dispensers.

What Happened

The Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit revolutionized competitive swimming in 2008 by significantly reducing drag, leading to 25 world records being broken at the Olympics that year. However, its overwhelming success led to a ban on full-body polyurethane swimsuits in 2009 after an incredible 147 records were shattered, showcasing the impact of technological advancement on sports regulations.

Violet Constance Jessup, known as 'Miss Unsinkable', survived the sinkings of the RMS Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic. Her incredible resilience is detailed in her memoir, 'Titanic Survivor', which was published posthumously. Jessup's story is complemented by that of Arthur Priest, who survived even more shipwrecks, illustrating human endurance against the odds.

Cigarette pack sizes were influenced by legislation requiring a minimum of 20 cigarettes per pack to deter underage smoking by increasing cost. This size standard also made packs fit perfectly in vending machines, which were a major distribution channel. This unintended design feature highlights the intersection of regulation, business, and consumer behavior.

Clark Whittington's ArtoMat project transformed outdated cigarette vending machines into dispensers of art, democratizing access to art and promoting adaptive reuse. Starting in the 1990s, this initiative now includes over 200 machines across the country and reflects a larger trend of creative repurposing.

LinkedIn's vast network includes over 1 billion professionals and offers significant advertising credits for new campaigns, demonstrating the platform's role in business growth and networking. Progressive, another sponsor, offers substantial savings for new customers, emphasizing the benefits of switching insurance providers.

The episode also highlights a new curling broom technology introduced in 2015, which allowed players to manipulate the stone's path more precisely. This led to international regulations banning the broom heads after a summit in 2016, illustrating how innovation can drive changes in sports rules.

Key Insights