1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: How do refrigerators keep food cold? Who really invented the radio? 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: What was the worst video game of all time? On 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: tex Stuff, we answer these questions and more. You can 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: get brand new episodes of tech Stuff every Wednesday on Spotify, 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: Google Play, iTunes, and anywhere else you get podcasts. Welcome 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: to House Works Now. I'm your host, Lauren Vogelbaum, a 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: researcher and writer. Here it has to works. Every week, 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: I'm bringing you three stories from a team about the 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: weird and wondrous developments that we've seen in science, technology, 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: and culture. This week, a private company has for the 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 1: first time, gotten permission to land on the Moon. And 12 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: in unrelatedly futuristic news, a Canadian province is moving forward 13 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: with its planned test out an economic system wherein it 14 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: basically gives all of its citizens free money. But First 15 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: Senior writer Robert Lamb brings us the story of how 16 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: science is proving mythology correct. In one very specific instance, anyway, 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: geologic evidence is helping prove true the legends about China's 18 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: first dynasty. First of all, humans have a shared heritage 19 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 1: of flood myths that stretched well beyond tales of Noah 20 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: and his ark One such myth is that of China's 21 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: Great Flood, a catastrophic event that set the stage for 22 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: you the greats legendary water management prowess, his resulting rise 23 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: to power, and the founding of the Shah dynasty. Now 24 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: this is important because the Shaw is China's first dynasty, 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: predating the second millennium BC Shan dynasty in existing in 26 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: a time outside surviving written language. As such, study of 27 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: the period fell out of favor with early twentieth century 28 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: Chinese scholars who sought to expunge mere legend from the 29 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: historical record, But subsequent decades saw increasing archaeological evidence to 30 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: align the legendary Shaw dynasty with early Bronze Age culture. 31 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: This research eventually shifted the Shaw's traditional star point by 32 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: roughly a century and a half from b C E 33 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: to b C and opened the dynasty to further study. 34 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: And this is where we return to the Great Flood. 35 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,519 Speaker 1: Is such catastrophic flooding actually occurred that geological evidence would 36 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: attest to the fact, potentially etching the start of used 37 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: rule in the varied bones of the Earth. Now, while 38 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: no definitive scientific model outlines the historicity of China's Great Flood, 39 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: Nanjing Normal University geology professor Woo ching Long and his 40 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: team focused on one particular theory, a second millennium b 41 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: c E earthquake induced landslide dam and the ensuing outburst 42 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: flood on the Yellow River in China's northwest Chinghai Province. 43 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:50,239 Speaker 1: Having discovered sentiment evidence of just such an ancient occurrence, 44 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: Ching Long's team calculated the potential flood power to five 45 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: hundred times average discharge and the radio carbon dating human 46 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: remains from decimated at Late Neolithic habitats position downstream. Their 47 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: findings date the event to roughly n This is indeed 48 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: historical evidence of the Great Flood. It also advances the 49 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: start point of the Shah dynasty even further three hundred 50 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: years earlier than the traditional timeline. The finding would also 51 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: align the flood with Chinese archaeological records that identify as 52 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: the transition point for the Late Neolithic period to early 53 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: Bronze Age. Now, who knows how these findings will pan out, 54 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: but they present a tantalizing convergence of geological science, ancient history, 55 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: and mythology. Next up, my fellow writer and researcher Joe 56 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: McCormick explains the concept of universal basic income. It's an 57 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,839 Speaker 1: economic model that some futurists say may become necessary someday. 58 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: The government of Ontario announced their intent to launch a 59 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: basic income trial earlier this year, and now they're moving 60 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: forward with it. According to an official sixteen budget outline, 61 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: the provincial government of Ontario, Canada, home to almost fourteen 62 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: million people, wants to run a pilot project to test 63 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: what happens when you give people what's known as basic income. 64 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: Basic income is a stipend guaranteed all citizens by the government. 65 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: You work, you get it. You don't work, you get it. 66 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: Everybody gets money. The appeal to liberals is obvious, but 67 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,799 Speaker 1: there are reasons plenty of conservatives actually back it as well. 68 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: For example, it may be one way to decisively reduce 69 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: the size of government, replacing huge, labyrinthine welfare administrations with 70 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: a very simple principle. Everybody gets the basic income. But 71 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: where does all this cash come from? Fair question. Also, 72 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: some economists think citizens who receive free money might simply 73 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 1: quit their jobs. This could lead to some people actually 74 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: having less money. Plus, it could decrease the overall productivity 75 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: of a country's economy, which hurts everybody. But then again, 76 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: we won't know unless we try it. Plans to study 77 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: or implement a base sick income are also being discussed 78 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: in Quebec plus countries like Finland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. 79 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: Now lots of tech industry leaders and artificial intelligence experts 80 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: have also spoken up about the basic income, why because 81 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: their research might be exactly what makes it not just 82 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: possible but necessary. In a study, Oxford researchers Carl Benedict 83 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: Fry and Michael A. Osbourne looked at recent trends in 84 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: big data, machine learning, and mobile robotics in order to 85 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: rank human occupations according to how easy it would be 86 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: for a machine to steal them. For example, if you're 87 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: a professional choreographer, don't worry. Your job is pretty safe. 88 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 1: If you're a telemarketer, there is a robot standing behind 89 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: you right now. Fryan Osborne concluded that forty seven percent 90 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: forty seven percent of all US jobs were at high 91 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: risk for being replaced by machine labor within the next 92 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: couple of decades. If we extrapolate trends like these, it's 93 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: possible that within the foreseeable future, most humans won't be 94 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: able to do any job that a robot can't do 95 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: better and cheaper. Now, on the plus side, cheaper robot 96 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: labor will create a huge amount of extra wealth. But 97 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: if that wealth only accrues to the tiny minority of 98 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: humans who own the robots, Let's be real. This is 99 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: the prequel to Mad Max. We go in. But that's 100 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: where the basic income enters the plot. If machine productivity 101 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: means that humankind has access to ridiculous amounts of surplus wealth, 102 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: but of humans can't find a paying job, something like 103 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: a basic income seems like the only solution. Of course, 104 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: we don't have that superhuman robot workforce just yet, so 105 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: the big question is how will we know when it's 106 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: time to start giving everybody free money. Finally, this week, 107 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: senior writer Jonathan Strickland explores how private American company has 108 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: made history by getting government permission to land on the Moon. 109 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: Now they just have to go do it. A company 110 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: called Moon Express has overcome one of the toughest challenges 111 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: of getting a privately owned spacecraft to the Moon. They 112 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: received permission from the U. S. Government. This is a 113 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: big deal. In nineteen sixty seven, the United Nations ratified 114 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: a treaty that placed restrictions on how countries can make 115 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: use of outer space. For example, the treaty said no 116 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: nation has legal claim to any celestial body, so you 117 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: can't pop on over to Saturn and claim it for Spain. 118 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: But the Outer Space Treaty focused on governments, not private companies. 119 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: Back in the sixties, of private space industry wasn't really possible. 120 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: Today it's a different story. We have private companies delivering people, cargo, 121 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: and satellites to space. It was only a matter of 122 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: time before a company explored the possibility of going to 123 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: the Moon. In two thousand seven, Google really got things 124 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: moving by offering a twenty million dollar cash prize to 125 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: the first privately funded to land a rover on the Moon, 126 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: drive it at least five on the surface, and send 127 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: videos back to Earth. Moon Express is one of the 128 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: competitors in that race. But how can a government grant permission? 129 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: The Outer Space Treaty offers a little guidance. It says 130 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: the activities of non governmental entities in outer space, including 131 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and 132 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: continuing supervision by the appropriate state party to the Treaty. 133 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: The United States doesn't have a Department of Lunar Operations. 134 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: There appeared to be a regulatory void, which, as we 135 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: all know, can exert a pulls so powerful that black 136 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: holes are envious. Moon Express submitted its request to the 137 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: Federal Aviation Administration. Did you know the f a A 138 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: doesn't just oversee commercial air travel but also rocket launches. 139 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: It does, and in two thousand fifteen, the f a 140 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: A stepped up to the plate to act as the 141 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: regulatory agency in charge of making sure private companies in 142 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: the US play fair you know up there. The f 143 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: a a's response to Moon Express's request was basically, yeah, 144 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: we don't have a problem with that. Presumably moon Express 145 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: will have to work closely with NASA and maintain transparency 146 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: to satisfy the requirements of the Outer Space Treaty. But 147 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: this clears the way for private missions to the Moon 148 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: and also to that cool twenty million bucks from Google. 149 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: Will moon Express win in the end or will another 150 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: team claim first prize? I can't wait to find out. 151 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: That's our show for this week. Thank you so much 152 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: for tuning in. Subscribe now for more of the latest 153 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: and strangest science news, and send us links to anything 154 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 1: you'd like to hear. His cover plus a screenshot of 155 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: your pet with a Pokemon I'm obsessed. Shoot us an 156 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,479 Speaker 1: email at now podcast at how Stuff Works dot com. 157 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: Check out our other podcasts, Stuff to Blow your Mind 158 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: and forward thinking. To hear more from today's hosts me included, 159 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: and to access thousands of other stories like these, check 160 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: out our home Planet now dot House of Works dot 161 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: com