From marine biologists and submarine pilots to ice skaters and professional mermaids, this August 2021 episode of the 99% Invisible podcast explores what water means to different people and why it's so important to us.

What does water mean to you?

Water covers about 71% of our planet's surface, and it makes up 60% of our bodies.

And yet, until we are faced with a shortage of water, we tend not to notice it.

The 99% Invisible podcast is all about exploring and revealing overlooked patterns in our surroundings.

This episode from August 2021 deals with water — how it affects us and what it means to different people.

Created in collaboration with Pop-Up Magazine, A Field Guide to Water features the stories of 85-year-old synchronized swimmer Barbara Eison-White, the author of Why We Swim Bonnie Tsui, submarine pilot Erika Bergman, and many others.