A Man, a Plan, a Canal—Mars!

3/10/202633 min

How one wealthy, amateur astronomer convinced the world Martians were real.

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.

Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Clips

First 90 seconds

Roman Mars· Host0:00
[upbeat music] This podcast is brought to you by Hotels.com. Make your next trip work for you. Hotels.com's new Save Your Way feature lets you choose between instant savings now or banking rewards later. It's a flexible rewards program that puts you in control with no confusing math or blackout dates. Book now at hotels.com. Save Your Way is available to loyalty members in the US and UK on hotels with member prices. Other terms apply. See site for details. [gentle music] When you introduce extraordinary design into your life, something powerful happens. The world suddenly feels more alive, more vibrant, and you notice beauty where you didn't before. The same happens when you step into a Buick. Feel the confidence of premium materials, revel in unexpected design details, and enjoy thoughtful technologies. Visit buick.com to discover a luxury that can be yours right now. Buick, exceptional by design. This is Ninety-Nine Percent Invisible. I'm Roman Mars. [gentle music] For centuries, humans have looked up into the night sky and wondered, are we alone in the universe? The possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the cosmos remains one of the great mysteries, and one that I don't expect to see resolved in my lifetime. But for a brief period heading into the twentieth century, much of the Western world