Roman Mars and BBC Studios Launch 100-Episode US History Podcast Tied to America's 250th Anniversary

A new podcast series titled *A History of the United States in 100 Objects* launched today, pairing 99% Invisible creator Roman Mars with BBC Studios for a 100-week run exploring American history through unexpected, often non-museum artefacts. The project is timed to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and is a direct spiritual successor to the landmark 2010 BBC Radio 4 series *A History of the World in 100 Objects*, hosted by British Museum curator Neil MacGregor.

The collaboration came together organically: as BBC Studios producers developed episode ideas, they repeatedly found that 99% Invisible had already covered the same ground, making a partnership feel inevitable. Mars, a self-described superfan of the original series, agreed to host and curate. The new series deliberately departs from its predecessor's museum-centric approach — objects don't need to sit behind glass to qualify. The mandate is to surface artefacts that are overlooked, mundane, discarded, or misunderstood, and listeners are being invited to submit their own objects and stories for the team to develop.

The episode lineup teased so far is deliberately eclectic and provocative. One episode traces a single gold coin from the California Gold Rush to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, examining how its journey nearly destabilized the entire American economy. Another digs into a specific American screw design that, according to Mars, quietly rewired the machinery of global engineering. Perhaps most audaciously, one full episode is dedicated to a ceramic dalmatian figurine from the set of *Wheel of Fortune* — Mars insists it earns its place.

The tone Mars promises is deliberately irreverent: rigorous history cut with what he calls 'a little bit of drunk history,' backed by an ensemble of journalists, historians, and audio storytellers. New episodes drop weekly for the next 100 weeks, making it a multi-year commitment stretching well past the 2026 anniversary milestone.