One of my favourite episodes of The Memory Palace.

Elevators are old. They would have to be. Because it is in our nature to rise.

History is full of things that lift other things. In ancient Greece, and China, and Hungary, there were systems of weights and pulleys and platforms designed to bring nobility--or their meals--to new heights.

And somewhere below were draft animals, or even people, tasked with turning a wheel to bring these early elevators up and down. One man even spent the year of 1743 in a chimney in order to turn a lever to raise King Louis XV on a platform so the king wouldn't have to walk up a single flight of stairs.

These elevators were dangerous. Ropes would snap, and then anything getting raised or lowered would plummet to the ground. Fall one story and you break your leg--fall two stories you break your neck. And this fear of falling kept building heights low. People only wanted to ascend as high as they could walk. The tallest buildings for most of the 19th century were churches, or lighthouses--buildings made up primarily of empty space.

And then came Elisha Otis.

Nate Dimeo from the memory palace provides our stories today. It's a fantastic monthly program everyone should subscribe to.

99% Invisible-98- Six Stories- The Memory Palace

Shot

Sleep Rules Everything Around Me

Get it on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/quinine / Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ay5m0W / Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2b7c8KQ

Dessa just released a brand new single called "Quinine"!!! The track was produced by Paper Tiger with co-production by Lazerbeak and additional production from Dessa herself (shout out to that sweet marimba). A true family affair and ultimate collabo heat knocker in every sense. This is the first new bit of recorded music that Dessa has released since 2013's Parts of Speech album and hints at way more to come.

Written and performed by Dessa
Produced by Paper Tiger
Co-produced by Lazerbeak
Additional production by Dessa

Mixed by Joe Mabbott at the Hideaway
Mastered by Bruce Templeton at Microphonic

Photo by Bill Phelps

Quinine

Quinine - Single

Buy on iTunes

Dessa "Quinine"

A collection of every #1 song on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks (now known as "Alternative Songs"), from Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Peek-a-Boo" to Of Monster's and Men's "Little Talks" -- which became the 300th #1 on the chart in July 2012.

5 Seconds of Every #1 on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks (1988-2012)

E-flat major: Master of the Universe

A tiny radio show about design, architecture &amp; the 99% invisible activity that shapes our world.

http://99percentinvisible.org/

New episodes every Wednesday.

On the radio on 91.7 KALW in San Francisco. Fridays at 7:35am and 4:30pm, Saturdays at 8:35am.  And public radio stations across the country.

Created by Roman Mars.


99% Invisible-98- Six Stories- The Memory Palace

Roman Mars

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