A River Runs Through Los Angeles
16 July 2024 - 43 minsWhen you hear the word "river," you probably picture a majestic body of water flowing through a natural habitat. Well, the LA River looks nothing like that. Most people who see it probably mistake it for a giant storm drain. It's a deep trapezoidal channel with steep concrete walls, and a flat concrete bottom. Los Angeles was founded around this river. But decades ago it was confined in concrete so that, for better or worse, the city could become the sprawling metropolis that it is today. All these years later the county is still grappling with the consequences of those actions.
Reported by Gillian Jacobs, guest hosted by 99PI producer, Vivian Le.
A River Runs Through Los Angeles
Subscrib...
Series Episodes
Replaceable You
Mary Roach dives into the strange, funny, and unsettling world of designing new body parts, from pig hearts to prosthetic feet, revealing just how messy replacing ourselves can be.
34 mins
16 September Finished
Revisiting The 99% Invisible City
Roman and Kurt describe Oakland as it is.
41 mins
9 September Finished
The 99PI Anniversary Special: 15 for 15
For 99PI’s 15th anniversary, Roman sits in the hot seat to answer 15 eclectic questions, touching on everything from his dream merch to the one object he's always wanted to cover on the show.
50 mins
2 September Finished
Ambassador Bridge
A billionaire family’s private bridge empire shaped Detroit for decades, sparking battles over power, neighborhoods, and the future of an international crossing.
40 mins
26 August Finished
All About That Bass
Vintage music barely had any bass. Today’s hits are all about the low end. What changed?
25 mins
19 August Finished
Sister Aimee and the Birth of the Megachurch
Aimee Semple McPherson built America’s first megachurch, blended showbiz with salvation, and vanished in a scandal that captivated the nation.
36 mins
12 August Finished
