You are listening to Curiosity Curated Shorts. I am Zong.

Here in Shanghai, we've been experiencing a record-long heat wave this summer. The temperatures, which have been climbing relentlessly, are a stark reminder of our changing climate. Across the globe, from London to Washington to Tokyo, similar extreme heat waves are putting urban populations to the test, making us question how we adapt to this warmer world.

For many of us, or at least some part of the world, the answer is simple and so commonplace that we barely notice it: air conditioning. This technology, which once seemed like a fantastical luxury, has become an essential, almost invisible part of our daily lives. In today's warming world, air conditioning provides critical relief during extreme heat events, potentially saving countless lives.

So today, we're going to explore the fascinating history of air conditioning. Drawing from Salvatore Basile’s illuminating book, "Cool: How Air Conditioning Changed Everything", we will trace its evolution from an unusual novelty to a necessity that has fundamentally transformed how we live, work, and build our environments.

00:30 Episode Intro

02:00 Life Before Air Conditioning

05:00 The First Attempts at Mechanical Cooling

07:25 Willis Carrier and the Birth of Modern A/C

09:28 From a "Toy" to a Necessity: The Long and Winding Road

10:39 Early Public Buildings and Theaters

12:25 Hotels and Department Stores

14:23 Architecture & Workplaces

17:10 Transportation & Homes

21:12 The Paradox of A/C

23:35 Closing

Sources:

Cool: How Air Conditioning Changed Everything by Salvatore Basile

Music:

“Heatstroke” by Khalid

“Who Am I” by Dario Lupo

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