1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius, the production of iHeartRadio Guess 2 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: What Will? 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 2: What's that Mango? 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: So I heard this fact yesterday that a lot of 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: buildings in New York lie about how tall they are. 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: The buildings are lying about how tall they are. 7 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: Well, maybe it's the builders, but they exaggerate about their buildings. 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: So you know how guys have this reputation for lying 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: about their height. Right of course, So in New York City, 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: builders will lie about how tall their buildings are to 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: attract a certain client tell which is weird to me, 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: and people just buy it. I guess they do because 13 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: the way they trick people is with the elevators. Unless 14 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: you're going to count each and every floor, the only 15 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: way you're going to interact with all the floors is 16 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: through the buttons on the elevators. Right, Yeah, some of 17 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: this tends to be innocent. Some builders skip the thirteenth 18 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: floor because they're superstitious, so you get someone talking about 19 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: like a fifteen story building when it's only fourteen stories. 20 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: But other builders love the grandeur. The first example that 21 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: comes up when you google this phenomena is Trump Tower, 22 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: though the owner and his family supposed to live on 23 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: the sixty six through sixty eighth floor. The building is 24 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: actually ten floors shorter than that. It's only fifty eight stories. 25 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 2: You know. I feel like I've seen this in other 26 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 2: places too, like when you walk past first class in 27 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 2: a plane and you're like, those are rows one through four, 28 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 2: and then you go back to where we're trying to 29 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 2: sit and it's immediately like the tenth throw. Yeah, exactly, 30 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 2: It's so weird. But I'm curious in terms of the buildings, 31 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 2: like how do they hide the ten floors? 32 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: It's very similar. So the building has a huge, beautiful 33 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: atrium with the tall ceiling, but the elevators start counting 34 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 1: from floors thirty instead of twenty, which is the actual height. 35 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: Trump Tower also does this where it's supposed to be 36 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: ninety floors, but if you stand at the top, it's 37 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: only seventy two stories high. It's a really common phenomena, 38 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: and the way the buildings trick you is through the elevators. 39 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: You know. 40 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: Elevators are an interesting topic, and I think there's a 41 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: lot to talk about here, from why it's so awkward 42 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,279 Speaker 2: to ride an elevator with strangers to whether the closed 43 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 2: door button actually does anything to most importantly, why are 44 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: all elevators named otis? This has always puzzled me. So 45 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: we've got a lot to cover. Let's dive in. Hey 46 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: their podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will 47 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 2: Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good friend 48 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: mangesh hot ticketter and on the other side of that 49 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 2: soundproof glass dressed like a lift operator from the nineteen fifties, 50 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 2: and he's adjusting his desk chair up and down. I mean, 51 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: it's really impressive. He's actually hinted that he was looking 52 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 2: forward to this and he has really lived up to 53 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: the challenge. 54 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: Here. 55 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: That's our good pal and producer. Loll lull. You are 56 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: looking good. So Mango, what is our first stop on 57 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: this elevator tour? 58 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: So, actually, before we kick off, I've got a little 59 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: bit house key thing to tie up. In our last 60 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: episode on Nine Comic Book Heroes, we talked about this 61 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: terrible character, the red Bee and his secret weapon, this 62 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: ridiculous train bee named Michael who you know, if you'll remember, 63 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: he'd keep him in his belt and unleash him on villains. 64 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: But one of our listeners on Twitter, Charles Porr, pointed 65 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: out that male bees don't sting. 66 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: That's a very good point. 67 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it only makes Michael seem more useless. 68 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 2: It's true. 69 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 1: That just makes it that much better though. So thank 70 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: you so much, Charles. If you DM me your address, 71 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: I'll send you a small package of honey as a 72 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: thank you. But back to elevators, and I want to 73 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: go back to a time when elevators were a little 74 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: more dangerous. 75 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, I know modern elevators started to take shape. 76 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 2: I guess it was, you know, as early as the 77 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: eighteen fifties. But were they around long before that? Like 78 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: when exactly was the first elevator made? So it kind 79 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: of depends on your definition. But if you take just 80 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: the basic concepts of an elevator, like a machine that 81 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 2: can lift things vertically, then you're probably talking about a 82 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 2: few thousand years ago. For instance, it's possible that the 83 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: Egyptians used vertical lifts to build their pyramids, but that's 84 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: still speculation. Like the first recorded use of a vertical 85 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 2: lift that comes from the third century BCE, and this 86 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,839 Speaker 2: is when the mathematician Archimedes built a platform that could 87 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 2: be hoisted up and down using ropes and pulleys. Now, 88 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 2: these early lifts obviously didn't run on electricity. Instead, they 89 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,679 Speaker 2: were powered by people, animals, in some cases even water. 90 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: They also weren't used as people movers. Instead, the hoists 91 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 2: were mostly used to lift building materials or water jugs, 92 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 2: and it wasn't until a few centuries later that primitive 93 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 2: elevators were finally used to transport living creatures. This was 94 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 2: in the first century CE, when Roman gladiators and wild 95 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 2: animals would ride the lifts from the lower levels up 96 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: to the floor of the coliseum. Right, So even then, 97 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: most people probably wouldn't have trusted their lives to an elevator, 98 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: I would assume at least at that point. And they 99 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 2: were considered safe enough though for enslaved combatants and lions 100 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: or whatever. But the average citizen would have probably chosen 101 00:04:58,240 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 2: the stairs. 102 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: Still, definitely, and there was just still too much room 103 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: for error when you had, you know, people or donkeys 104 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: pulling the ropes. People didn't really start using elevators by 105 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: choice until more reliable systems were developed. For instance, in 106 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: seventeen forty three, King Louis the fifteenth had one of 107 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: the earliest passenger elevators installed in the palace at Versailles. 108 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 1: He was a ladies man and the private elevator was 109 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: an easy way for his mistress to visit him in secret, 110 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: and he referred to it as a flying chair. Basically, 111 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:27,359 Speaker 1: all you had to do to operate it was to 112 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: pull a cord connected to a pulley system and from 113 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: their gravity and a series of counterweights would do the rest. 114 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 2: That's a pretty clever I guess. 115 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. And in the early eighteen hundred, steam actually gets incorporated, 116 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: and this ends up being super helpful because steam powered 117 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: lifts were able to move much heavier loads. You're thinking 118 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: about things like coal or lumber and steel, and suddenly 119 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: this could all be raised hundreds of feet in a 120 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: matter of seconds. This new capacity led to major booms 121 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: and construction and mining, and it's actually a big part 122 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: of what made the Industrial Revolution so transformative. Steam powered 123 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: elevator still had one major flaw. They were really dangerous, 124 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: like super dangerous, and if a rope snapped, the lift 125 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 1: would just plummet, and unfortunately, that happened pretty often all 126 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: through the first half of the nineteenth century. 127 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 2: Right And it's around that halfway point that an entrepreneur 128 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: and inventor named elisha Otis enters the picture. We mentioned 129 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 2: that name earlier, and he got into the elevator game 130 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: in eighteen fifty two while working on a project for 131 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,279 Speaker 2: a company that made bedframes. So the client needed a 132 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: way to move heavy manufacturing equipment to the second floor 133 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: of its factory. It was only one problem, though, and 134 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: that was that the equipment they were moving was so 135 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 2: heavy that the lifting cables couldn't bear the weight for 136 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 2: all that long. So there was this constant risk that 137 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: the cables were going to snap, and if that happened, 138 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 2: there would be nothing to stop the elevator from plunging 139 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: straight to the ground floor. So Otis's solution to the 140 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 2: problem was to develop the world's first safety device for elevators. 141 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 2: It was basically like a brake system that functioned as 142 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 2: a fail safe for the lift. So if the cable 143 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 2: should break, the loss of tension would trigger the release 144 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: of these levers on either side of the elevator car, 145 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 2: and then these levers would lock and do these series 146 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 2: of grooves that were along the vertical rails of the elevator, 147 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 2: and that would sort of arrest the fall and lock 148 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: the car in place. 149 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: So it's pretty innovative, that's pretty amazing. So I just 150 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: want to make sure I have this straight. Like, the 151 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: vertical rails were already part of the elevator design, right, Like, 152 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: they just didn't have that like locking system built into 153 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: them until Otis came along. 154 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. I mean all of the elevators of 155 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 2: the era were braced on either side by these vertical 156 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 2: rails that help keep the car steady as it was 157 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: going up or down. And so those rails were completely smooth, though, 158 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 2: so if a cable broke, the car would just slide 159 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 2: right down the rails in free fall, which would obviously 160 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 2: be dangerous and terrifying. And so Otis's breakthrough was to 161 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 2: carve grooves into the rails and create kind of a 162 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 2: saw toothed ratchet system that would act as these brakes. 163 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,679 Speaker 2: Industrial companies recognize the merits of the new braking system 164 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: right away, and Otis quickly set to work on filing 165 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 2: orders for freight elevators. But the public was still unconvinced, 166 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: understandably because it is such a different invention and everything, 167 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: but most people viewed elevators as these death traps, and 168 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 2: they were unlikely to be swayed from this opinion by 169 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 2: these confusing diagrams. They were singing and all these technical explanations. 170 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 2: So in order to really trust such a system, people 171 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 2: would need to see it for themselves. And so at 172 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 2: the World's Fair in eighteen fifty four, Elishah Otis allowed 173 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: them to do just that. 174 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: So you're saying that, like fairgoers were actually willing to 175 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: get into these elevators and test the brake systems. 176 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: No, still not at this point. But Otis thought about that, 177 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 2: I mean, he anticipated that, and so he arranged a 178 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: stunt that would instead put only one person's life on 179 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 2: the line, and that, of course, was his own. And 180 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 2: so here's what happened. You're at the Crystal Palace exposition Hall, 181 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 2: and Otis constructed this fifty foot wooden elevator. Then, with 182 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 2: some help from none other than Pace Barnum himself, Otis 183 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 2: gathered this crowd and promised them this death defying stunt 184 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 2: unlike any they had ever seen. So the crowd is, 185 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 2: you know, hyped up in everything, and Otis then dramatically 186 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,719 Speaker 2: rides the elevator to the very top, where he then 187 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 2: ordered an axe wielding assistant to cut the rope that 188 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: held up the elevator. The onlookers were stunned and sort 189 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 2: of braced themselves for this tragic scene, but thankfully it 190 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 2: never came. And that's because, you know, of course, to 191 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: their surprise and great relief, the platform dropped just a 192 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 2: few inches and then came to a complete stop. The 193 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 2: crowd was blown away by this, but they were also 194 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 2: skeptical of how reliable the system really was, and you know, 195 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 2: they thought, maybe Otis just got insanely lucky, and there 196 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 2: was no guarantee that the brakes would work a second time. 197 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 2: So Otis performed the stunt again and again and again. 198 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: Every hour of the day that the fair was open. 199 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 2: He performed this stunt, and in this way, little by little, 200 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: one crowd at a time, Otis won over the public 201 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 2: and convinced them that elevators were at long last safe 202 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 2: to ride. 203 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: That is such an amazing stunt, Like it's such an 204 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: amazing pr thing that all you're basically doing is riding 205 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: an elevator. 206 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:14,559 Speaker 2: Pretty amazing. 207 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: But you know, I'm guessing this was a turning point 208 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: for Otis. Like I read that the first passenger elevator 209 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: to use his brake system was installed in New York 210 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: in eighteen fifty seven, so it was still about three 211 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: years after the fair, But then the floodgates really open, 212 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 1: and within sixteen years, more than two thousand passenger elevators 213 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: were operating all across the country. 214 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, there was definitely a snowball effect to all of this. 215 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 2: And you know, sadly Otis actually didn't live long enough 216 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 2: to see just how widely embraced his invention became. He 217 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: passed away in eighteen sixty one, just a few years 218 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: after his first elevator was installed in New York. But 219 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: his sons did carry on the family business along with others, 220 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: and they worked to make improvements on that original design, 221 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 2: including the switch to hydraulic power and eventually, of course, 222 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,079 Speaker 2: to electricity. Now, all of this innovation helps secure the 223 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 2: elevator's place as one of the most highly traffic transport 224 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 2: systems in the world. And that's not an exaggeration. According 225 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: to the La Times, the world's elevators now move the 226 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 2: equivalent of the Earth's population every seventy two hours. Wow. 227 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,199 Speaker 2: If you think about that, every three days, over seven 228 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 2: and a half billion people take a ride on an elevator. 229 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: That is not something I'd even comprehended. That's pretty remarkable. 230 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really crazy and It's especially true of Otis elevators, 231 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 2: which are still going strong today. For example, the elevators 232 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 2: in the Eiffel Tower Otis elevators. So are the ones 233 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 2: in the Empire, State Building, the White House, the Vatican, 234 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 2: the Kremlin. I mean, the list goes on and on, 235 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 2: and the company is now one of the two largest 236 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 2: elevator manufacturers in the world. And that's why if you 237 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 2: step into an elevator today, the chances are you will 238 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,319 Speaker 2: find that Otis name inscribed on the walls. 239 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: There, which makes a lot more sense than all the 240 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: elevator in the world being nicknamed Otis. But I think 241 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:05,959 Speaker 1: we should talk some more about the rapid growth phase 242 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: that elevators went through near the turn of the twentieth century. 243 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: You actually mentioned that there were a couple thousands spread 244 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: across the country by the early eighteen seventies, but the 245 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: majority of those were still being used in industrial settings, 246 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: and you'd find the safety elevators in coal mines or 247 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: construction sites, but it was still pretty rare to see 248 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: one in an office building or apartment complex. 249 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, the average person didn't come into contact with elevators 250 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 2: all that often, and that finally starts to change in 251 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 2: the eighteen seventies though, as business owners begin adding elevators 252 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: to their office buildings, and that's really what launched the 253 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 2: invention into its next phase, where you start to see 254 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 2: all the architectural and cultural impacts that elevators have had. 255 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's wild to think about how different 256 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: the cities we know would look if it weren't for elevators, 257 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: Like no skyscrapers, high rise apartments, like all the buildings 258 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 1: would just be a few stories tall. 259 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's funny when you look back and realized that 260 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 2: higher floors would you know, they used to be the 261 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 2: least desirable spaces in a building. Like today we connect 262 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 2: higher floors with a sense of luxury. They're more private, 263 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 2: farther removed from the noise of the streets, you know, 264 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 2: not to mention those bird's eye view of the skyline. 265 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 2: But before elevators made them more accessible, those top floors 266 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 2: were seen as inconvenient, like In fact, they were typically 267 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 2: set aside for either low rent tenants or like the 268 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 2: in house janitor. So how many stairs you had to 269 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 2: climb to get to your apartment was really kind of 270 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 2: a status signifier, like the fewer obviously the. 271 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: Better, exactly, and so when elevators came along, not only 272 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: did those higher floors get much more appealing and much 273 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: more valuable, they also got much higher. So thanks to 274 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: the advent of steel frame construction, and of course thanks 275 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: to elevators, buildings could suddenly be built much taller than before. 276 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: This basically meant that anyone who owned a building no 277 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: longer needed to fight for new land to develop on, 278 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,959 Speaker 1: like that's something that's always in short supply in cities. Instead, 279 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: they could simply build upwards new offices, hotel rooms, retail 280 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: space like there's nothing but air above. So in a way, 281 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: elevators literally shape the cities we know today. I actually 282 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: found this great quote from this guy named Patrick Karajat, 283 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 1: and he's the founder of the Elevator Museum in New York. 284 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: And according to him, quote, if we didn't have elevators, 285 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: we would have a megalopolis, one continuous city stretching from 286 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: Philadelphia to Boston, because everything would be five or six 287 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: stories tall. 288 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting to think about it as this choice 289 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:35,239 Speaker 2: between a sprawling horizontal city or this more densely clustered, 290 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 2: vertical one, And it reminds me of this cool Boston 291 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 2: Globe article that talked about a kind of invisible war 292 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 2: between elevators and cars that's been going on for the 293 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 2: past century or so. So the idea is that you 294 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 2: have these two new technologies that were basically pushing us 295 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 2: in two different directions. On the one side, you had cars, 296 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: which allowed people to travel horizontally, and the other you 297 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 2: had elevators, which of course moved people vertically. And city 298 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 2: planners had to choose which of these new technologies they 299 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 2: were going to get behind, which you know, which one 300 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 2: they were going to focus on developing their cities around. 301 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 2: And if you looked up in an American city during 302 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 2: the last one hundred years, it's pretty obvious you know 303 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 2: which one they. 304 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: Picked, definitely. But it's not like cars were left by 305 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: the wayside or anything like. Elevators may have won the 306 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: battle to shape cities, but cars are still the you know, 307 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: transportation of choice in suburbs where the sprawl is much 308 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: less of an issue. 309 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess in the end, it's sort of been 310 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 2: a draw in that sense between those two. But all right, 311 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 2: so we've seen how elevators have evolved over the years, 312 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 2: and I feel like we should check out a few 313 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: things about them that have actually stayed the same. But 314 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 2: before we get to that, let's take a quick break. 315 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 2: You're listening to Part Time Genius, and we're talking about 316 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: the eccentricities of elevator etiquette. We talked about the elevator's 317 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 2: effect on our architecture and daily routines. Now let's talk 318 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 2: about how elevators affected the people who rode them, Because 319 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 2: when you think about it, passenger elevators really created a 320 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 2: new kind of social situation, like one that's strangely intimate 321 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: yet impersonal at the same time. It's always a little 322 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 2: bit weird to be in an elevator full of people, 323 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: or even more weird to be with one person. But 324 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 2: you know, this new dynamic raised all kinds of questions 325 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 2: about what was proper behavior when riding an elevator. The 326 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 2: one hot debate, for example, was whether a man should 327 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 2: remove his hat while riding in an elevator with a woman. 328 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 2: You know, I'm sure you think about this all the 329 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: time and really worry about like should he take his 330 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 2: hat off as he would in a restaurant or leave 331 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 2: it on as he would you know, on a train 332 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: or a bus. I mean, it's a lot to think. 333 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: About I don't think I even realized you're supposed to 334 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: leave your hat. 335 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 2: On a bus, but yeah, leave it on. 336 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: But it's interesting because restaurants and buses are both examples 337 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: of public spaces, right, So for elevators, it was really 338 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: more about whether they were a mode of transportation or 339 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: just another room in a building, albeit a moving room. 340 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,120 Speaker 1: So it's kind of a tough call because both descriptions 341 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 1: are technically a fit for that. 342 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's true, and I think that was really what 343 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 2: through people, Like the elevator was a mode of transportation 344 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,880 Speaker 2: inside a building, So which set of rules do you follow? Now? 345 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 2: Unlike riding a bus, riding an elevator brought unclear expectations 346 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 2: for social interaction, Like even if you don't know the 347 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 2: other passengers, you know that they live or work in 348 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 2: the same building as you, and so there's this sense 349 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: that you should at least acknowledge that in some way, 350 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 2: whether by nodding or smiling or making small talk or whatever. 351 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: Right, But we never want to be the person to 352 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: make that call, right, Like everyone wants to wait for 353 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 1: the other person to make the first move in those situation. 354 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: So it always creates this I don't know like anxiety 355 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: or tension or something. 356 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 2: No, I don't know. I usually just go ahead and 357 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 2: get in and get everybody a hug, and just I 358 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 2: get that out of the way exactly. And it feels like, now, 359 00:17:57,359 --> 00:17:59,919 Speaker 2: more than one hundred and fifty years after their invention, 360 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 2: we still haven't gotten over those feelings of discomfort. It's like, 361 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 2: despite all the advances in elevator design, the one thing 362 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 2: we can't seem to resolve is this inherent awkwardness of 363 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 2: taking this short ride with other strangers. 364 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: So I am curious if you know what causes that, 365 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: like what makes it feel so awkward? 366 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was definitely curious about this. This was actually 367 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 2: one of the first things we were looking into this week, 368 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 2: and it turns out there are a few reasons. So 369 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 2: one deals with something that international tourists here a lot, 370 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: which is that we Americans love our personal space. So 371 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 2: typically we like to keep at least an arm's length 372 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: of distance between us and other people, and the elevator 373 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 2: is one of the rare places where that's not always possible, 374 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: and so that's, you know, what brings on some of 375 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 2: that awkwardness. Now, the other thing that was is a 376 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 2: bit more universal and that's that most of us are 377 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 2: at least a little bit anxious of being trapped in 378 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 2: a steel box, which may sound obvious, and not only 379 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 2: that you're dangling from the roof by this cable. And 380 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 2: that's despite the fact that elevators are actually super safe. 381 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 2: In fact, they are one of the safest ways to 382 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,640 Speaker 2: travel period. So for example, about nineteen hundred people die 383 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 2: taking the stairs each year, which is just a really 384 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 2: bizarre fact, but according to Consumer Watch, they were only 385 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 2: about twenty seven elevator related deaths per year worldwide. Now, 386 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 2: I gonna be honest, I wouldn't even known it was 387 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 2: that much. And considering that elevators make roughly eighteen billion 388 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 2: trips each year according to the La Times, that works 389 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 2: out to an exceptionally low fatality rate. It's about a 390 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 2: point zero zero zero zero zero zero one five percent 391 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 2: per trip. So you know, the awkwardness you feel in 392 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 2: an elevator is very real, but the sense of danger 393 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 2: not so much. 394 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: Well, I mean that definitely tracks with what I learned 395 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: this week about the origin of elevator music. So I'd 396 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: always assume that the music was there to calm people's 397 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: nerves and make them less worried about going, you know, 398 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: something going wrong. But according to elevator historians, of which 399 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: there are actually a great many, I found out this week, 400 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: elevator music was really invented to help alleviate boredom and 401 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,919 Speaker 1: to fill that awkward silence that comes from riding a 402 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: lift with strangers. 403 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 2: I do kind of like the awkward silence was just assume, like, 404 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,639 Speaker 2: of course people will choose that over small talk with 405 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 2: a stranger, you know, I know what. 406 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: I guess building owners were like, we know you aren't 407 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: going to talk to each other. So here's some music 408 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: to fill that void where I guess the human interaction 409 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: is supposed to go. 410 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 2: It's too bad it doesn't really work. I mean, in reality, 411 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 2: there is no escaping the awkward, or at least not 412 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 2: until you hit the closed door button really quickly when 413 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 2: you see a stranger coming, just to avoid the whole 414 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 2: situation entirely. 415 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,719 Speaker 1: So here's the thing I learned about that. You know, 416 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: it turns out that closing the elevator door on a 417 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: stranger doesn't really work, and that's because the closed door 418 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 1: button and most American elevators is ineffective. 419 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 2: It actually, I guess sort of makes sense I always 420 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 2: suspected that was the case. But is this by design 421 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 2: or did the buttons just malfunction a lot, or like 422 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 2: what's happening. 423 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 1: It is by design, so the reason why is pretty interesting. Apparently, 424 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: when the Americans with Disabilities Act was first passed in 425 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety, it included a list of requirements for elevators, 426 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: and these are things like raised buttons, braille signs, and 427 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: another requirement was that elevator doors had to remain open 428 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: for at least three seconds, and that way someone with 429 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: the disability would have enough time to get inside before 430 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: the door's closed. Some manufacturers complied with the law by 431 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 1: ensuring that the closed door buttons don't cut that time short, 432 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: but others just want to step further and deactivate the 433 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: button entirely just to cover their bases. Still, there are 434 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 1: some exceptions to this. New York City has a law 435 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: that requires that all elevators have to have a working 436 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: closed door button, but the buttons are on a delay, 437 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: so it kind of defeats the purpose. And of course 438 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: other countries have their own laws about closed door buttons, 439 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 1: so like all the ones in England are fully functional. 440 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 2: For instance, I mean it makes me wonder why elevators 441 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 2: even have these if they're all deactivated, why bother with 442 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 2: having them? 443 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: Anyway, I think part of it is like a placebo effect, 444 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: like a button to mass just makes us feel a 445 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: little bit more in control of the situation, especially where 446 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 1: when we're in a rush or like, you know whatever. 447 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: But you know, elevators aren't the only place that we 448 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: see this kind of thing. So according to mental Floss, 449 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: and this is what they wrote, quote, buttons placed at 450 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 1: city crosswalks are often disabled, and the thermostats and many 451 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,159 Speaker 1: office buildings are rigged so that the temperatures can't be 452 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: altered even if the numbers appear to change. 453 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 2: I mean, it's a little annoying, but I can also, 454 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 2: you know, see the logic there, Like, people can be 455 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 2: pretty impatient and having this button to push does help 456 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 2: pass the time, I guess, even if it's not actually 457 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 2: doing anything. 458 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, who doesn't like pushing buttons? 459 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 2: Well, there's at least one other good thing about elevator 460 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 2: rides that I did want to mention it, And strangely enough, 461 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 2: it stems from that social awkwardness that we've been talking about. 462 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 2: But before we get to that, let's take one last 463 00:22:46,280 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 2: quick break. 464 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,199 Speaker 1: Welcome back to part time Genius. So okay, well, so 465 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: you've peaked my interest before the break, and you've got 466 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: to tell me what's the upside to an awkward encounter 467 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: in an elevator. 468 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 2: Well, in a word, the upside is serendipity. I mean 469 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: that the nature of the experience encourages these these sort 470 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 2: of chance developments, and sometimes they turn out to be 471 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 2: really good ones. And you never quite know what will 472 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 2: happen in an elevator. And so by being squeezed into 473 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 2: this small space with a stranger, even for a brief moment, 474 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 2: we're forced to think about and respond to somebody else's existence, 475 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 2: and that's something we don't have to do very often 476 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 2: outside of the elevator. 477 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: Is that true, because it feels like I interact with 478 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: strangers in public spaces all the time, Like if I 479 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: go to a restaurant or if I'm in a checkout line. 480 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 2: Well that's true, but in those cases, the interactions are 481 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 2: pretty predetermined if you think about it, like you know 482 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 2: that you'll be interacting with a waiter or a cashier 483 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 2: or whoever it may be, and you know what to 484 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 2: expect when you do, like you'll talk about food options 485 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 2: or how much something costs. But apart from small, intentional 486 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 2: encounters like that, most of us are actually pretty isolated 487 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 2: in public spaces. You know, we're either in our cars 488 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:11,719 Speaker 2: or at our desk, or maybe you're out and about 489 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 2: and you know, and you see people, but our eyes 490 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 2: are sort of glued to our phone screens and all 491 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,440 Speaker 2: of that acts as a barrier between us and these 492 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 2: unprescribed interactions. But in an elevator, all bets are off, 493 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 2: Like you never know who's going to step in that 494 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 2: box with you or what they might say or do 495 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,440 Speaker 2: when they're in there. And so that's a good thing, 496 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 2: I mean, at least in theory that that uncertainty is 497 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 2: probably where a good deal of the awkwardness stems from. 498 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 2: But it's also the catalyst for some lucky breaks. So 499 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,719 Speaker 2: think about how many romantic comedies you've seen where somebody 500 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 2: stumbles into their soul made in an elevator, or how 501 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 2: many success stories started with an elevator pitch to a 502 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 2: CEO who couldn't get away because they're right there in 503 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,199 Speaker 2: this box with you, and it's called exactly And you know, 504 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 2: if that still doesn't convince you that the potential awkwardness 505 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 2: is worth it. Take it from science. So researchers have 506 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 2: long look to elevators for insight into all kinds of 507 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 2: social behavior, like how smiling improves our willingness to stand 508 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 2: near strangers, or how standing in the back is a 509 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 2: power play because it lets you observe all the other passengers. 510 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:19,680 Speaker 2: So elevators or this fertile environment for experimentation, and that's 511 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 2: exactly because they force us out of our comfort zones. 512 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: That's really interesting. I have thought about like elevator experiments 513 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: and like you know, the one where you're facing the 514 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: opposite way or whatever, but I didn't realize that they're 515 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: such a smart place to, like, you know, investigate interactions. 516 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,679 Speaker 1: It does make me think, though, like you know, there 517 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: are these new fangled elevators that with these new inventions, 518 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: and it makes you wonder about how society will interact 519 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: after that. 520 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 2: And why do you say that, Well, I don't know if. 521 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: You well, I'm sure you've seen these. Actually, there's this 522 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: thing called destination dispatch, and it's basically a way to 523 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: group together passengers who have similar destinations. It's not like 524 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,399 Speaker 1: the current system where you step into an elevator and 525 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: then request the floor you want in from inside the elevator. Instead, 526 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: you select the floor outside from this touchscreen in the lobby, 527 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: and then you're directed to an elevator car that's headed 528 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: in your direction. 529 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. I feel like we've seen these, you know, and 530 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 2: a lot of the sort of new or fancier office 531 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 2: buildings in New York these days. 532 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:16,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, I got Kanye NaSTA is one example. But you know, 533 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: the system is obviously meant to cut down on wasted 534 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: time and energy, but from what you've been saying, like 535 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,640 Speaker 1: it sounds like it might cut down on that serendipity 536 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: as well. If everyone is bound for the same floor, 537 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,120 Speaker 1: it's a lot less likely that a mailroom clerk has 538 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: that opportunity to bump into the executive who who you know, 539 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: might implement or be influenced by their idea. 540 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:38,920 Speaker 2: I mean that is kind of a bummer, unless, of course, 541 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 2: you're someone who is just tired of being accosted by 542 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 2: mail clerks. I mean, it's a big problem these days, mego. 543 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,199 Speaker 2: But I don't want to give the impression that the 544 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 2: elevator's best days are behind it. In fact, there are 545 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 2: some new advancements that I'm actually looking forward to checking 546 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 2: out myself, which feels strange to say about elevators, but 547 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 2: it's true. So just to think about some examples here. 548 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 2: You know, a company in Germany has been working on 549 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 2: a new kind of elevator that moves up and down 550 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 2: the rails using this magnetic levitation system instead of cables. 551 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 2: And so not only would this improve efficiency by allowing 552 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,919 Speaker 2: multiple cars to operate in the same shaft since you know, 553 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: they no longer need their own cables, it would also 554 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 2: greatly reduce the amount of energy it takes to run them. 555 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 2: And if none of that is a hook enough for you, 556 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: consider this. A traditional elevator can only move up and 557 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 2: down along the axis of its cable, but a mag 558 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 2: lev elevator isn't restricted by cables, which means it can 559 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 2: also move horizontally as well as vertically. So you could 560 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 2: build this complete loop inside of building and even have 561 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 2: elevators move between shafts in order to find like the 562 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 2: fastest route to where they needed to be. 563 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: That's fascinating. So it's basically like real world wonkavators. 564 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, pretty much, and it might still be a while 565 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,880 Speaker 2: before we can travel like Willy Wonka. But scientists are 566 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 2: hard at work on it. I'm pretty sure of this. 567 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,679 Speaker 1: Well, I'm definitely looking forward to that one. But before 568 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 1: we head out, why don't we do the fact off? 569 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,640 Speaker 2: So, did you know it's illegal to pee in an 570 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,199 Speaker 2: elevator in Singapore? 571 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,919 Speaker 1: I mean, I assume it's illegal to pee in an 572 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: elevator in Singapore? 573 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, well you're pretty smart, I know, but everybody 574 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 2: might not know that. But there's more to it. So 575 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 2: elevators there come equipped with a urine detection device, so 576 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 2: they're taking this to another level. So no pun intended there. 577 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 2: So if you do pee, it sets off an alarm 578 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 2: and the doors slam shut, and then you just have 579 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 2: to wait there and shame until the police arrive to 580 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 2: ticket you. I've got to be honest, like, I know 581 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 2: they go overboard with a lot of things, but I 582 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 2: do actually kind of find this amazing. 583 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: I really hope they come up with a contraption to 584 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 1: do that at their pools too, Like all of a sudden, 585 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: it's like cover close you in. 586 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 2: All the water drains out and then you're just standing there. 587 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: Speaking of bathrooms, did you know that Japan is actually 588 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: considering putting toilets and running water in their elevators. While 589 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: that sounds like an unnecessary luxury, there's actually a reason 590 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: for it. The country has a ton of earthquakes and 591 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 1: when that happens, the elevators just get stuck. So it's 592 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: to offer a little bit of relief and dignity in 593 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: those hours that you might be stuck in an elevator. 594 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 2: That actually, when you first said it, it was confusing, But 595 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 2: you know what, that actually does make a lot of sense, 596 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 2: and that's thoughtful to do that, all right. So here's 597 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 2: one I love. So during the French Resistance, the French 598 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 2: severed the cables to the Eiffel Tower elevator so that 599 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 2: Hitler wouldn't take a photo op at the top of it. 600 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 2: Apparently the idea of climbing over fifteen hundred stairs was 601 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 2: just enough to keep him away. That's crazy. 602 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 1: Do you know. There's a subculture of elevator enthusiasts and 603 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 1: it is really really sweet. It's often people on the 604 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 1: autism spectrum, and they bond over their love of elevators. 605 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: So they filmed the buttons, They capture how the motors 606 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: sound and were They document their rides on pretty normal 607 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 1: elevators and sometimes it's and sometimes it isn't. But Slate 608 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: did an article on this, and the author wrote, quote, 609 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: while I have never found my journeys in real life 610 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: elevators to be particularly therapeutic, I find these videos very soothing. 611 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 2: I could see that that's pretty neat all Right, So 612 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 2: you've heard of the Burj Khalifa. You know that's one 613 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty stories, like eight hundred and thirty meters tall. 614 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 2: I think passive. Yeah, that's the first time I've ever 615 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 2: measured something in meters. But I've got to convert that. 616 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 2: So what We'll let Charles are one of the listeners, 617 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 2: weigh in and give us that fact. So all right, 618 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 2: So get this. Apparently it's so tall that you can 619 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 2: watch the same sunset or sun rise in the same day, 620 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 2: Like you watch it from the ground, and then you 621 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 2: take their super fast elevator to the top of the 622 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 2: building and you can actually catch it again. 623 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: Oh man, that is unbelievable. Do you remember when we 624 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 1: went to go see that eclipse in Nashville. Yeah, of course, 625 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: I remember thinking like, I wasn't that interested in the phenomena, 626 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: and then I saw it and it was so beautiful, 627 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 1: and I like immediately wanted to jet forward and see 628 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: it again. You know, like, I feel like that that 629 00:30:59,000 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: kind of has that same feel. 630 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 2: Oh totally. 631 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: That's a great fact. I'm going to give you today's trophy. 632 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 2: You know what, I'll take it. I feel like it's 633 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 2: been a little while, so this feels really good. All right. Well, 634 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 2: thanks to all of our listeners out there for tuning in. 635 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 2: We know how hard it is to be stuck in 636 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 2: your home, so thank you for inviting us in with you. 637 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 2: That's going to do it for today's Part Time Genius 638 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 2: for myself, Mango, Gabe and Lull. Take care. We'll be 639 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 2: back soon with another episode. Part Time Genius is a 640 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 2: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 641 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 642 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 2: favorite show.