logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2019
45m 14s

The Known Unknown

ROMAN MARS
About this episode
The tradition of the Tomb of the Unknown goes back only about a century, but it has become one of the most solemn and reverential monuments. 
Up next
Jul 17
100 Objects #9: Missing Children Milk Carton
In 1982, a twelve-year-old paperboy, Johnny Gosch, vanished from a quiet Iowa street and sparked an unlikely campaign: the faces of missing children printed on milk cartons by the billions. Roman Mars and Annie Brown trace how a regional dairy campaign exploded into a national sy ... Show More
33m 53s
Jul 14
If Mosquito Hawks Can Fly
A Louisiana man born into slavery designs an airship with hopes to take flight. Those plans are interrupted, but maybe not forever. Listen to Family Lore wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole ... Show More
41m 56s
Jul 10
100 Objects #8: Billy Possum
In 1902, an American classic was born: the teddy bear. Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the toy became a huge hit, and sparked an idea…maybe every president from then on should have their own viral stuffed animal. Jon Mooallem tells the story of the ill-fated billy possu ... Show More
36m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
The Unknown Warrior
<p>In the western nave of Westminster Abbey, nestled between illustrious tombs and beneath a slab of black Belgian marble, lies the body of an unidentified soldier of the First World War. He is remembered as the Unknown Warrior, a symbol of the half a million Commonwealth service ... Show More
38m 42s
Nov 2025
The Moonshaft
Throughout history, humankind has turned its gaze towards the heavens in search of mystery. Yet time and again, it is beneath the ground where the most enduring enigmas are found. Across every continent lie tales of ancient tunnels, lost chambers, and sealed structures that preda ... Show More
32m 23s
Nov 2025
Ghosts of War Part 6
Sometimes the past doesn’t want to stay buried. and the echoes of war can reach across time to claim the living. These are stories of restless soldiers, haunted houses, and the people who unknowingly step into their shadows. On this Veterans Day, we remember the fallen who gave u ... Show More
30m 8s
Dec 2021
surveillance
The tomb would soon sit unnoticed, perhaps forever, in the wild grass of the lonely cemetery. But on its first night of occupancy, one man would keep a careful watch over it. Just in case. Wilhoit McCrail: Hugh Pierce Music: “Submarine” by Morphlexis, all rights reserved. Audio ... Show More
27m 36s