Rope is easy to take for granted. It seems obvious and straightforward. But of course, it had to be invented. Early humans discovered that by twisting fibers around each other, the resulting structure would be something durable and strong. Without rope, all kinds of things aren’t possible, from lifting objects into the air to whaling or modern bridges. So how was rope developed and what were the big breakthroughs in its history? On this episode, we speak with Tim Queeney, the author of ‘Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization.’ He walks us through the history of the technology, and its ongoing evolution, including how it might one day allow us to build elevators into outer space.
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Pre-Show Banter
00:00:28 – Joe’s Obsession with Moby Dick
00:03:43 – Rope Fundamentals
00:06:01 – The Physics of Rope Strength
00:10:19 – Ancient Origins and Archaeological Evidence
00:13:10 – Maritime Applications and Industrial Scale Production
00:20:09 – Supply Chains and Strategic Materials
00:23:00 – Whaling Technology and Rope Applications
00:24:11 – Knot Discussion Interlude
00:27:34 – Wire Rope Innovation
00:30:08 – Space Elevators and Future Applications
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