"Mysteries at the Museum" Unbelievable Inventions

1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,330 An electric new sound rocks America. 2 00:00:04,330 --> 00:00:07,100 CAVATORTA: There was a forgotten device that gave birth 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,300 to an entirely new field of music. 4 00:00:09,370 --> 00:00:12,370 A revolution on the open road. 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,710 This invention changed road navigation 6 00:00:15,710 --> 00:00:18,150 in the U.S. forever. 7 00:00:18,210 --> 00:00:22,320 And a fashionable solution for a Space Age problem. 8 00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:24,950 They could stick them to the walls, 9 00:00:25,090 --> 00:00:26,720 they could stick them to the control panel. 10 00:00:26,820 --> 00:00:29,060 That way, they weren't floating all around. 11 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,060 These are the mysteries at the museum. 12 00:00:37,670 --> 00:00:40,130 The coastal city of Tacoma, Washington, 13 00:00:40,140 --> 00:00:43,340 is one of the busiest ports in the nation. 14 00:00:43,410 --> 00:00:45,370 This bustling hub processes 15 00:00:45,410 --> 00:00:48,810 over 13 million tons of cargo every year. 16 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,410 And celebrating the region's nautical history 17 00:00:52,450 --> 00:00:55,120 is the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum. 18 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,260 On display are early 20th-century canoes, 19 00:01:03,260 --> 00:01:07,290 a replica of a British naval ship from the 1780s, 20 00:01:07,330 --> 00:01:11,630 and a model of the Tacoma, a 1913 steamship that was once 21 00:01:11,630 --> 00:01:15,200 the fastest single-propeller passenger ship in the world. 22 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,440 But among these items depicting travel 23 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,510 on the ocean's surface is an object designed 24 00:01:23,580 --> 00:01:26,180 for exploring the world beneath it. 25 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:29,080 SPENCE: It's made from steel, brass, and rubber. 26 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:30,950 It has three air cylinders, 27 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:33,720 a pressure regulator, breathing hoses, 28 00:01:33,820 --> 00:01:36,220 and it's well-worn from use. 29 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,260 WILDMAN: This breathing apparatus was invented 30 00:01:41,330 --> 00:01:44,060 by the world's most famous deep-sea explorer -- 31 00:01:44,170 --> 00:01:46,400 Jacques Cousteau. 32 00:01:46,540 --> 00:01:50,340 But few know the amazing story behind its creation. 33 00:01:50,410 --> 00:01:54,780 A seemingly simple dive quickly became an underwater disaster. 34 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,290 WILDMAN: It's the 1940s in the ancient city 35 00:02:05,290 --> 00:02:07,420 of Avignon, France. 36 00:02:07,490 --> 00:02:10,490 Jacques Cousteau is an officer in the French Navy. 37 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,130 But his passion lies beneath the waves 38 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,630 as a deep-sea explorer. 39 00:02:15,730 --> 00:02:18,430 SPENCE: Cousteau was always looking for fun and adventure. 40 00:02:18,570 --> 00:02:20,300 He became obsessed with being able 41 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,540 to stay underwater longer, go deeper, 42 00:02:23,670 --> 00:02:26,170 and travel farther to explore. 43 00:02:29,510 --> 00:02:30,840 WILDMAN: But the technology available 44 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,910 to divers at the time is very basic. 45 00:02:33,950 --> 00:02:36,850 SPENCE: During the 1940s, diving equipment required 46 00:02:36,850 --> 00:02:38,950 an air supply from the surface. 47 00:02:39,020 --> 00:02:41,590 WILDMAN: In order to breathe, divers use an air hose 48 00:02:41,660 --> 00:02:44,390 that's tethered to a boat, which limits the distance 49 00:02:44,390 --> 00:02:47,230 and depths to which they can explore. 50 00:02:47,260 --> 00:02:50,700 The tube makes it difficult to swim naturally. 51 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,140 And it could get tangled or even snagged on underwater obstacles. 52 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,000 But Cousteau is undeterred. 53 00:02:57,110 --> 00:03:00,470 SPENCE: His quest to swim untethered 54 00:03:00,510 --> 00:03:02,140 inspired him to create a breathing device 55 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,080 that would allow him to stay underwater. 56 00:03:06,210 --> 00:03:08,250 WILDMAN: So Cousteau comes up with a simple, 57 00:03:08,350 --> 00:03:10,550 yet elegant, new design. 58 00:03:10,620 --> 00:03:13,890 It's a tank of oxygen that is worn on the diver's back. 59 00:03:13,890 --> 00:03:17,220 For years, he works to perfect his device. 60 00:03:17,290 --> 00:03:20,790 And in 1946, he thinks he's finally ready. 61 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,200 The apparatus is made up of three canisters 62 00:03:25,230 --> 00:03:26,500 of compressed air 63 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:30,170 and a hose which goes directly into the diver's mouth. 64 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,570 The key to making it work is a regulator 65 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:35,640 that allows the diver to inhale the compressed air 66 00:03:35,710 --> 00:03:37,810 and then exhale into the water. 67 00:03:40,450 --> 00:03:43,120 Cousteau calls his invention the aqualung, 68 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,090 one of which is on display 69 00:03:45,090 --> 00:03:48,360 at the Working Waterfront Museum in Tacoma. 70 00:03:48,420 --> 00:03:51,790 SPENCE: With the aqualung, the diver had more flexibility, 71 00:03:51,860 --> 00:03:53,360 they could travel more freely, 72 00:03:53,430 --> 00:03:55,060 and they could explore areas 73 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,470 that were inaccessible before. 74 00:03:58,570 --> 00:04:01,440 WILDMAN: Cousteau sets out to test the device. 75 00:04:01,570 --> 00:04:04,540 So in August, he and his colleague, Frédéric Dumas, 76 00:04:04,670 --> 00:04:06,070 along with a safety team, 77 00:04:06,210 --> 00:04:08,610 travel to a cave in the South of France 78 00:04:08,710 --> 00:04:11,210 called the Fountain of Vaucluse. 79 00:04:11,350 --> 00:04:14,950 Inside the cave is a deep lake. 80 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,790 There, they plan to dive to a depth of 300 feet. 81 00:04:18,890 --> 00:04:22,220 In case something goes wrong, they tether themselves to a rope 82 00:04:22,290 --> 00:04:25,230 that leads back to the team on the surface. 83 00:04:25,290 --> 00:04:27,690 Cousteau and Dumas don their aqualungs 84 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,530 and embark on their dive. 85 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,830 [ Water splashes ] 86 00:04:33,900 --> 00:04:36,970 At first, everything seems to be going well. 87 00:04:37,110 --> 00:04:38,810 SPENCE: The dive started out 88 00:04:38,940 --> 00:04:41,980 much like the dives Cousteau and Dumas had done before. 89 00:04:42,110 --> 00:04:44,310 Everything was running smoothly. 90 00:04:44,450 --> 00:04:47,780 WILDMAN: But when they reach a depth of 150 feet, 91 00:04:47,850 --> 00:04:49,980 something goes terribly wrong. 92 00:04:49,990 --> 00:04:53,050 SPENCE: He started to experience a dull headache and confusion 93 00:04:53,060 --> 00:04:54,390 that was far beyond 94 00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:55,990 what he normally would have experienced 95 00:04:55,990 --> 00:04:58,660 at a similar depth in the open ocean. 96 00:05:00,260 --> 00:05:02,060 WILDMAN: He looks over to his diving companion 97 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,730 and sees that Dumas is unconscious. 98 00:05:04,770 --> 00:05:06,770 He was practically motionless. 99 00:05:06,770 --> 00:05:09,000 Things were not looking good. 100 00:05:09,140 --> 00:05:11,140 WILDMAN: Cousteau frantically pulls on the rope 101 00:05:11,170 --> 00:05:15,170 to let the team on the surface know there's an emergency. 102 00:05:15,210 --> 00:05:18,610 But the team misinterprets the signal. 103 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,950 Rather than pulling the divers back up, 104 00:05:22,050 --> 00:05:24,180 they give them more slack. 105 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:25,720 This is exactly the opposite 106 00:05:25,850 --> 00:05:27,820 of what Cousteau and Dumas needed. 107 00:05:30,130 --> 00:05:32,560 WILDMAN: For Cousteau and his passed-out diving partner, 108 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,360 time is running out. 109 00:05:39,470 --> 00:05:41,430 As the seconds tick by, 110 00:05:41,470 --> 00:05:44,640 Cousteau starts slipping in and out of consciousness. 111 00:05:44,670 --> 00:05:48,310 If Cousteau stayed underwater much longer, they would die. 112 00:05:50,110 --> 00:05:53,710 WILDMAN: But then, he feels the safety rope tighten. 113 00:05:53,750 --> 00:05:55,520 The rescue team on the surface 114 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,590 has finally realized something is amiss. 115 00:05:58,590 --> 00:06:00,920 The divers are pulled up to the boat, 116 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,020 where Dumas is revived. 117 00:06:03,060 --> 00:06:04,390 SPENCE: Cousteau is relieved 118 00:06:04,490 --> 00:06:06,130 that both he and his friend, Dumas, 119 00:06:06,260 --> 00:06:08,130 have returned safely to the surface. 120 00:06:12,330 --> 00:06:14,530 WILDMAN: But what went wrong? 121 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,340 Cousteau carefully inspects his aqualung 122 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,670 and soon finds the source of the problem. 123 00:06:20,810 --> 00:06:22,210 A faulty air compressor 124 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,540 had caused their oxygen tanks to fill 125 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,620 with lethal levels of the deadly gas carbon monoxide. 126 00:06:28,620 --> 00:06:31,820 The two divers had been moments away from death. 127 00:06:31,890 --> 00:06:34,890 SPENCE: The near-fatal events would have a lasting impact on Cousteau 128 00:06:34,890 --> 00:06:36,490 and his diving adventures. 129 00:06:36,490 --> 00:06:38,890 The lesson learned is a diver is only as safe 130 00:06:38,890 --> 00:06:41,430 as the air on his back. 131 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,630 WILDMAN: To ensure the incident doesn't happen again, 132 00:06:46,700 --> 00:06:49,170 Cousteau drafts a strict set of guidelines 133 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,910 for how tanks should be handled and checked before a dive. 134 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,310 He finally puts the aqualung on sale in 1946. 135 00:06:58,380 --> 00:07:00,850 His invention eventually goes on to become known 136 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,780 by another name -- 137 00:07:02,890 --> 00:07:07,650 the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, or SCUBA. 138 00:07:07,690 --> 00:07:09,520 Aqualung was a revolutionary device 139 00:07:09,660 --> 00:07:12,160 that really brought diving to the masses. 140 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,270 WILDMAN: Today, the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum 141 00:07:18,270 --> 00:07:19,600 in Tacoma, Washington, 142 00:07:19,700 --> 00:07:23,270 displays an early version of Cousteau's aqualung. 143 00:07:23,410 --> 00:07:25,570 It recalls the man who risked his life 144 00:07:25,610 --> 00:07:28,980 to explore the uncharted depths of the ocean. 145 00:07:33,250 --> 00:07:36,120 Every year, at least nine million visitors 146 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:37,750 flock to Houston, Texas, 147 00:07:37,820 --> 00:07:40,290 to enjoy the city's creative scene. 148 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,360 This vibrant metropolis is home 149 00:07:42,490 --> 00:07:47,830 to more than 500 cultural and arts institutions. 150 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,960 Among them is a museum that transports its guests 151 00:07:51,030 --> 00:07:53,200 to the final frontier -- 152 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:55,570 Space Center Houston. 153 00:07:55,700 --> 00:07:58,440 Its collection includes a model 154 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:00,370 of the International Space Center, 155 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:05,180 a 1963 Mercury capsule, 156 00:08:05,310 --> 00:08:08,510 and the most powerful rocket ever built -- 157 00:08:08,550 --> 00:08:10,280 the Saturn V. 158 00:08:10,290 --> 00:08:13,190 Amid these massive machines is an object 159 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,790 that, although smaller, is just as iconic. 160 00:08:16,930 --> 00:08:20,190 SPANA: It's about 6 feet tall, it's mostly white, 161 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,060 it has red and blue valves, 162 00:08:22,060 --> 00:08:24,860 and there's an American flag on it. 163 00:08:24,930 --> 00:08:27,800 WILDMAN: This space suit is the ultimate symbol 164 00:08:27,870 --> 00:08:30,070 of progress and exploration. 165 00:08:30,070 --> 00:08:33,740 But few realize this cutting-edge outfit is actually equipped 166 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,380 with an item found in almost every home. 167 00:08:37,410 --> 00:08:40,280 SPANA: It was a material that changed the aerospace industry 168 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,450 and everyday fashion. 169 00:08:42,450 --> 00:08:44,680 WILDMAN: What ingenious invention 170 00:08:44,820 --> 00:08:47,290 does this space suit conceal? 171 00:08:50,890 --> 00:08:54,090 1941 -- Lausanne, Switzerland. 172 00:08:54,100 --> 00:08:57,560 33-year-old engineer George de Mestral 173 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,300 enjoys tinkering with gadgets in his spare time. 174 00:09:01,370 --> 00:09:03,240 SPANA: George de Mestral was passionate 175 00:09:03,270 --> 00:09:04,970 about inventing things. 176 00:09:05,110 --> 00:09:09,040 In his mind, he was always thinking about how things work. 177 00:09:09,180 --> 00:09:10,380 WILDMAN: To his dismay, 178 00:09:10,450 --> 00:09:13,910 de Mestral has never produced anything worthy of note. 179 00:09:13,950 --> 00:09:18,420 But the inventor's luck is about to change. 180 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:22,860 One day, while walking through the woods, 181 00:09:22,930 --> 00:09:27,290 de Mestral notices something clinging to his clothes. 182 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:31,330 The cuffs of his pants are covered with prickly burrs. 183 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,800 The burrs stick really well to fabric, 184 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,400 and they're real tenacious. 185 00:09:36,470 --> 00:09:38,840 WILDMAN: The inventor is intrigued. 186 00:09:38,870 --> 00:09:41,210 He wondered, what is it about these burrs 187 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,240 that makes these things so good at sticking to the fabric? 188 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,020 WILDMAN: De Mestral takes home 189 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,150 a handful of the spiny pods. 190 00:09:52,150 --> 00:09:54,690 He found that the casing of the burr 191 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:59,030 was covered with hundreds of tiny, little hooks. 192 00:09:59,090 --> 00:10:02,430 WILDMAN: These minute hooks latch onto an animal's fur, 193 00:10:02,430 --> 00:10:07,970 ensuring that the seeds are spread far and wide. 194 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,870 The inventor then comes up with a revolutionary idea. 195 00:10:12,010 --> 00:10:14,840 He could replicate this hook-and-loop structure 196 00:10:14,980 --> 00:10:18,180 and create a new kind of fastener for clothes, 197 00:10:18,180 --> 00:10:19,280 one that is faster 198 00:10:19,310 --> 00:10:22,320 and more convenient than zippers or buttons. 199 00:10:22,450 --> 00:10:26,990 George's new fastener would be more reliable and easy to use. 200 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,290 He knew he was onto something good. 201 00:10:33,500 --> 00:10:35,400 WILDMAN: De Mestral works with a weaver, 202 00:10:35,460 --> 00:10:38,330 and after nearly a decade of trial and error, 203 00:10:38,330 --> 00:10:41,000 perfects his creation. 204 00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:44,470 His fastener consists of two nylon strips, 205 00:10:44,470 --> 00:10:47,670 one of which is lined with thousands of tiny hooks, 206 00:10:47,740 --> 00:10:49,740 the other with tiny loops. 207 00:10:49,810 --> 00:10:51,780 And when you bring the two together, 208 00:10:51,850 --> 00:10:55,880 all of those hooks grab and attach to those threads. 209 00:10:55,980 --> 00:11:01,190 WILDMAN: In 1955, De Mestral patents his product. 210 00:11:02,990 --> 00:11:04,820 Combining the word "velvet" 211 00:11:04,860 --> 00:11:07,560 with "crochet," the French word for hook, 212 00:11:07,660 --> 00:11:10,900 he calls it a Velcro fastener. 213 00:11:10,900 --> 00:11:13,900 His hope was to revolutionize the fashion industry. 214 00:11:17,070 --> 00:11:19,810 WILDMAN: But when the inventor meets with fashion designers, 215 00:11:19,810 --> 00:11:22,440 he's stunned by their reaction. 216 00:11:22,580 --> 00:11:27,050 They declare the black nylon strips to be unsightly 217 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:31,850 and refused to use them in their designs. 218 00:11:31,890 --> 00:11:34,050 George's great plans for the fashion industry 219 00:11:34,190 --> 00:11:36,460 were a big flop. 220 00:11:36,490 --> 00:11:38,990 WILDMAN: But what the plucky inventor doesn't know 221 00:11:39,130 --> 00:11:43,200 is that the solution to his woes will be out of this world. 222 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,540 It's the 1960s. 223 00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:52,870 Inventor George de Mestral 224 00:11:53,010 --> 00:11:55,340 has created a substitute for zippers 225 00:11:55,340 --> 00:11:57,680 called Velcro fasteners. 226 00:11:57,750 --> 00:12:00,210 The problem is, fashion designers 227 00:12:00,250 --> 00:12:03,280 want nothing to do with this newfangled device. 228 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,020 So what will it take for Velcro to stick? 229 00:12:09,490 --> 00:12:12,230 The early 1960s -- Cape Canaveral. 230 00:12:12,230 --> 00:12:14,230 NASA is preparing for America's 231 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,900 first orbital mission into space. 232 00:12:17,030 --> 00:12:20,100 But the astronauts have a problem. 233 00:12:20,170 --> 00:12:21,630 In the weightless surroundings, 234 00:12:21,740 --> 00:12:24,300 they keep losing their equipment. 235 00:12:24,310 --> 00:12:25,640 The astronauts had a lot of equipment 236 00:12:25,770 --> 00:12:26,910 inside their capsule, 237 00:12:26,940 --> 00:12:28,510 like binoculars and cameras 238 00:12:28,540 --> 00:12:30,440 and camera accessories, 239 00:12:30,510 --> 00:12:32,580 and they needed those to be close at hand. 240 00:12:32,650 --> 00:12:34,050 But in a weightless environment, 241 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,450 all of that was floating around. 242 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,790 WILDMAN: NASA engineers need something 243 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:40,920 that can hold their gadgets in place 244 00:12:40,990 --> 00:12:43,790 but also release them quickly, 245 00:12:43,830 --> 00:12:45,460 and that's when it hits them. 246 00:12:45,530 --> 00:12:49,330 They could use de Mestral's little-known Velcro fasteners. 247 00:12:49,330 --> 00:12:50,730 They can stick them to the walls, 248 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,270 they can stick them to the control panel, 249 00:12:53,370 --> 00:12:55,800 that way, they weren't floating all around. 250 00:12:57,510 --> 00:12:59,070 WILDMAN: Since the hassle-free strips 251 00:12:59,210 --> 00:13:01,710 are more convenient than buttons or zippers, 252 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,080 de Mestral's product is also used 253 00:13:04,150 --> 00:13:06,210 in the construction of their space suits, 254 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:10,050 just like the Apollo 12 model at Space Center Houston. 255 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:14,950 When the public sees the astronauts 256 00:13:15,090 --> 00:13:16,960 using de Mestral's invention, 257 00:13:17,090 --> 00:13:20,830 demand for the sticky strips hits the stratosphere. 258 00:13:25,730 --> 00:13:29,340 NASA put him in front of the eyes of the whole world. 259 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,240 WILDMAN: Over the years, de Mestral rakes in millions 260 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,910 as Velcro fasteners are used in everything 261 00:13:34,980 --> 00:13:39,350 from strapping athletic shoes to wrapping cables and cords. 262 00:13:42,580 --> 00:13:46,090 And today, the suit on display at Space Center Houston 263 00:13:46,220 --> 00:13:48,590 endures as a testament to the inventor 264 00:13:48,620 --> 00:13:50,290 whose space-age creation 265 00:13:50,430 --> 00:13:55,090 proves inspiration can be found in the most unlikely of places. 266 00:13:57,870 --> 00:13:59,900 A 1920s horn machine, 267 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,140 a phonograph designed by Thomas Edison, 268 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,040 and a coin-operated miniature orchestra 269 00:14:07,170 --> 00:14:10,510 are just a few of the musical gadgets on display 270 00:14:10,580 --> 00:14:13,210 at the DeBence Antique Music World museum 271 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,550 in Franklin, Pennsylvania. 272 00:14:18,420 --> 00:14:20,690 And amidst these little-known oddities 273 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,820 is one instrument that every music fan will recognize. 274 00:14:23,930 --> 00:14:28,600 CAVATORTA: The artifact is 48 inches wide and 29 inches deep. 275 00:14:28,700 --> 00:14:31,560 It's made out of beautifully crafted wood. 276 00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:35,400 It has two keyboards and a row of buttons. 277 00:14:35,470 --> 00:14:37,700 It is almost 80 years old, 278 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:39,840 but it is in perfect working condition 279 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:41,170 and it sounds beautiful. 280 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:45,710 WILDMAN: This is a 1935 Hammond organ. 281 00:14:45,850 --> 00:14:49,050 Its unique sound can be heard on countless hit songs. 282 00:14:49,150 --> 00:14:52,190 [ Electric organ music plays ] 283 00:14:54,090 --> 00:14:55,790 But what few realize 284 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:58,090 is that this celebrated instrument 285 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,390 owes its existence to an outlandish scheme 286 00:15:01,430 --> 00:15:05,000 that almost got the whole world dancing to the same tune. 287 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:07,200 CAVATORTA: This is a story about one man 288 00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:09,700 who had an idea that changed the entire future of music. 289 00:15:13,780 --> 00:15:15,270 WILDMAN: The early 1900s -- 290 00:15:15,340 --> 00:15:17,910 It's an era of great innovation. 291 00:15:18,050 --> 00:15:20,950 Americans enjoy an array of new technologies 292 00:15:21,050 --> 00:15:25,150 like escalators, typewriters, and dishwashers. 293 00:15:25,190 --> 00:15:26,690 But in Washington, D.C., 294 00:15:26,820 --> 00:15:28,490 there's one man who thinks 295 00:15:28,490 --> 00:15:31,420 he has the most unique idea of all -- 296 00:15:31,430 --> 00:15:36,160 26-year-old inventor Thaddeus Cahill. 297 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:38,230 CAVATORTA: Cahill's idea was to create 298 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:40,830 the world's first electronic streaming music service. 299 00:15:40,900 --> 00:15:44,370 WILDMAN: Cahill's concept is to give people 300 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,710 the ability to listen to live music 301 00:15:46,710 --> 00:15:47,970 in their living rooms... [ Telephone rings ] 302 00:15:48,110 --> 00:15:50,780 ...just by making a telephone call. 303 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,050 This would be a subscription service. 304 00:15:53,050 --> 00:15:55,010 You'd go to your telephone and ask to be connected, 305 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:58,620 and the room would be filled with music. 306 00:15:58,690 --> 00:16:00,050 And the subscribers in their homes 307 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,490 could turn the music on and off just like water in a tap. 308 00:16:04,660 --> 00:16:05,660 WILDMAN: If it works, 309 00:16:05,690 --> 00:16:07,390 the service would be like nothing 310 00:16:07,460 --> 00:16:09,160 the world has ever heard before. 311 00:16:10,370 --> 00:16:11,600 In 1901, 312 00:16:11,670 --> 00:16:13,530 Cahill builds a prototype instrument 313 00:16:13,570 --> 00:16:15,670 that uses magnets and electric currents 314 00:16:15,740 --> 00:16:17,040 to create music 315 00:16:17,110 --> 00:16:20,210 that can then be broadcast through the telephone lines. 316 00:16:20,310 --> 00:16:24,340 The revolutionary device weighs 14,000 pounds. 317 00:16:24,410 --> 00:16:27,980 He calls his creation... 318 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:29,880 the Telharmonium. 319 00:16:30,020 --> 00:16:33,950 The Telharmonium was full-scale Frankenstein-style endeavor. 320 00:16:34,090 --> 00:16:37,320 He made it a gigantic hive of little electrical switches 321 00:16:37,460 --> 00:16:39,530 and big electric keyboards. 322 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:44,900 WILDMAN: To demonstrate his grand creation, 323 00:16:44,970 --> 00:16:48,400 Cahill organizes a party of moneyed businessmen and bankers. 324 00:16:50,110 --> 00:16:53,170 The guests gather around a table where a telephone is set up... 325 00:16:54,380 --> 00:16:58,510 ...and as they lean in, a strange sound fills the room. 326 00:16:58,580 --> 00:17:03,120 [ Electronic music plays ] 327 00:17:03,250 --> 00:17:05,680 CAVATORTA: Out poured this loud electronic music 328 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,420 like they'd never heard before. 329 00:17:07,490 --> 00:17:09,560 [ Electronic music plays ] 330 00:17:09,690 --> 00:17:12,930 Beeps and strange sine waves and odd harmonies. 331 00:17:16,830 --> 00:17:19,200 WILDMAN: The audience is stunned. 332 00:17:19,230 --> 00:17:21,470 Cahill explains that the song 333 00:17:21,540 --> 00:17:23,600 is being played on an electric keyboard 334 00:17:23,670 --> 00:17:25,640 located 30 miles away, 335 00:17:25,770 --> 00:17:28,740 and if they want to hear more of this unique sound, 336 00:17:28,740 --> 00:17:29,940 all they have to do 337 00:17:29,940 --> 00:17:32,010 is pay a nominal subscription fee. 338 00:17:32,050 --> 00:17:33,010 They were blown away, 339 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:34,610 and they lined up to hand him money. 340 00:17:34,750 --> 00:17:38,250 [ Applause ] 341 00:17:38,350 --> 00:17:43,520 WILDMAN: Word of Cahill's unparalleled music service spreads, 342 00:17:43,590 --> 00:17:47,830 and in 1906, the Telharmonium goes live. 343 00:17:47,930 --> 00:17:51,530 Thousands of people rush to subscribe to the service. 344 00:17:51,630 --> 00:17:54,170 It appeared to be a gigantic success. 345 00:17:54,300 --> 00:17:56,440 Everybody loved the Telharmonium. 346 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,310 But the growing popularity of his device 347 00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:03,380 is about to cause the young entrepreneur 348 00:18:03,410 --> 00:18:05,080 an unexpected problem -- 349 00:18:05,180 --> 00:18:09,450 One that threatens to silence the Telharmonium for good. 350 00:18:09,550 --> 00:18:10,620 CAVATORTA: Cahill did not anticipate 351 00:18:10,750 --> 00:18:13,320 how difficult this venture would really be. 352 00:18:13,450 --> 00:18:17,520 WILDMAN: So, what will become of Cahill's incredible invention? 353 00:18:17,590 --> 00:18:20,190 [ Indistinct conversations ] 354 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,070 It's 1906 in New York. 355 00:18:27,140 --> 00:18:31,170 Inventor Thaddeus Cahill has taken the country by storm 356 00:18:31,310 --> 00:18:34,470 with his invention, the Telharmonium. 357 00:18:34,540 --> 00:18:36,980 It is a brand new electric instrument 358 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,580 that streams live music into people's homes 359 00:18:39,650 --> 00:18:41,410 through the telephone lines. 360 00:18:41,550 --> 00:18:43,320 But little does Cahill realize 361 00:18:43,420 --> 00:18:46,320 his runaway hit is about to go off-key. 362 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,120 One day, Cahill gets an unwelcome call 363 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,460 from the phone company. 364 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:56,730 They say that Cahill's music service 365 00:18:56,830 --> 00:18:59,470 is wreaking havoc on the telephone system. 366 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:01,800 People having normal conversations 367 00:19:01,870 --> 00:19:04,500 are being interrupted by the Telharmonium. 368 00:19:04,540 --> 00:19:07,210 [ Indistinct conversations, Telharmonium plays ] 369 00:19:07,210 --> 00:19:10,740 CAVATORTA: An ongoing problem throughout the Telharmonium's run 370 00:19:10,810 --> 00:19:12,710 was cross talk on the lines. 371 00:19:12,810 --> 00:19:14,080 So, you'd be talking 372 00:19:14,210 --> 00:19:15,780 and trying to understand one another, 373 00:19:15,850 --> 00:19:17,580 and this loud music would come over the line 374 00:19:17,650 --> 00:19:18,580 and it would stay there. 375 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,850 [ Music plays ] Is that music? 376 00:19:23,020 --> 00:19:26,260 WILDMAN: The telephone company says it has no choice 377 00:19:26,390 --> 00:19:29,600 but to cut off Cahill's access to their phone lines. 378 00:19:29,660 --> 00:19:31,930 The entrepreneur is devastated. 379 00:19:31,970 --> 00:19:35,400 Thaddeus Cahill was at the mercy of the telephone company. 380 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,140 Without them, his Telharmonium was 381 00:19:38,210 --> 00:19:40,410 completely dead in the water. 382 00:19:40,510 --> 00:19:44,410 WILDMAN: In 1908, the Telharmonium plays its last tune. 383 00:19:44,410 --> 00:19:46,950 Cahill is forced to shut down his operation 384 00:19:46,950 --> 00:19:48,950 and declare bankruptcy. 385 00:19:49,050 --> 00:19:50,680 He put everything he had into this. 386 00:19:50,690 --> 00:19:52,620 This was a failure. 387 00:19:52,750 --> 00:19:55,220 WILDMAN: But this isn't the end of the Telharmonium. 388 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,490 The ideas and the vision in the instrument lived on. 389 00:20:00,530 --> 00:20:02,630 A surprisingly rich 390 00:20:02,660 --> 00:20:05,760 kind of amazing legacy of musical technology 391 00:20:05,830 --> 00:20:08,230 and musical ideas get started there. 392 00:20:08,370 --> 00:20:10,900 WILDMAN: In the 1930s, 393 00:20:11,010 --> 00:20:12,910 another inventor named Lawrence Hammond 394 00:20:13,010 --> 00:20:14,770 applies Cahill's design 395 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,180 to build a new type of instrument -- 396 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,180 the Hammond organ. 397 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,250 Similar to the Telharmonium, 398 00:20:21,380 --> 00:20:24,050 the Hammond generates sound by creating current 399 00:20:24,050 --> 00:20:27,520 from a rotating metal reel and an electromagnet. 400 00:20:27,590 --> 00:20:30,320 In its concepts and in its technology, 401 00:20:30,330 --> 00:20:32,860 it was really like a tiny Telharmonium, 402 00:20:32,860 --> 00:20:36,200 with the tiny spinning tone wheels, the additive synthesis, 403 00:20:36,260 --> 00:20:38,700 all of the harmonics, and a lot of the same 404 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,000 mathematics for how it calculated pitches. 405 00:20:41,070 --> 00:20:43,140 WILDMAN: Its unique sound 406 00:20:43,140 --> 00:20:46,670 is used in a slew of new American musical genres. 407 00:20:46,740 --> 00:20:48,470 It's used in all kinds of hits, 408 00:20:48,540 --> 00:20:50,740 including the Grateful Dead's "Bertha," 409 00:20:50,750 --> 00:20:53,010 Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," 410 00:20:53,110 --> 00:20:56,220 and Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry." 411 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,490 So much popular music today is possible and inspired by 412 00:21:00,490 --> 00:21:03,690 Thaddeus Cahill's invention and the Hammond organ. 413 00:21:06,830 --> 00:21:08,430 [ Electric organ music plays ] 414 00:21:08,460 --> 00:21:10,030 WILDMAN: This Hammond electric organ 415 00:21:10,060 --> 00:21:12,900 at the DeBence Antique Music World museum 416 00:21:13,030 --> 00:21:14,830 recalls the brilliant invention 417 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:17,900 that struck a major chord in music history. 418 00:21:22,980 --> 00:21:24,240 Chicago, Illinois -- 419 00:21:24,310 --> 00:21:26,550 the Windy City's Chicago River 420 00:21:26,580 --> 00:21:29,250 boasts a unique and unusual feature -- 421 00:21:29,350 --> 00:21:31,950 To prevent sewage from running into Lake Michigan, 422 00:21:32,090 --> 00:21:34,050 which supplies the city with water, 423 00:21:34,090 --> 00:21:37,190 it was engineered to flow backwards. 424 00:21:37,260 --> 00:21:40,190 And just a stone's throw away from the famous waterway 425 00:21:40,230 --> 00:21:44,100 is an institution showcasing other feats of innovation -- 426 00:21:44,130 --> 00:21:47,570 The Museum of Science and Industry. 427 00:21:47,670 --> 00:21:52,040 Its exhibits include a Boeing 727 airplane, 428 00:21:52,170 --> 00:21:54,070 a German submarine that was captured off 429 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,540 the cost of Africa during World War II, 430 00:21:57,580 --> 00:22:01,350 and a steam locomotive that broke the land speed record. 431 00:22:03,620 --> 00:22:05,680 But among these oversized exhibits 432 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,890 is a small and seemingly simple gadget. 433 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:10,220 McCARTHY: It's a circular device, 434 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:13,090 about 9 1/2 inches in diameter. 435 00:22:13,090 --> 00:22:14,430 It has paper inserts 436 00:22:14,430 --> 00:22:16,960 that are filled with written information. 437 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:18,430 It's over a century old, 438 00:22:18,430 --> 00:22:20,770 and it was a really invaluable device 439 00:22:20,900 --> 00:22:22,670 for those who used it. 440 00:22:24,910 --> 00:22:28,710 WILDMAN: This tiny tool paved the way for a trail-blazing technology 441 00:22:28,740 --> 00:22:31,510 that drivers today would be lost without. 442 00:22:31,580 --> 00:22:33,010 This is the story 443 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:36,380 of one of the most ubiquitous inventions of the 20th century. 444 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:38,320 G.P.S.: Turn left at the fork. 445 00:22:40,460 --> 00:22:42,390 WILDMAN: It's the early 1900s. 446 00:22:42,490 --> 00:22:44,990 In just a few short years, cars have become 447 00:22:45,090 --> 00:22:48,030 the country's fastest-growing mode of transportation. 448 00:22:48,130 --> 00:22:50,900 People could go to places they had never been to before. 449 00:22:50,970 --> 00:22:52,100 It was quite an adventure 450 00:22:52,170 --> 00:22:54,800 to venture out in your automobile. 451 00:22:54,940 --> 00:22:57,140 WILDMAN: But there's a problem that has motorists 452 00:22:57,270 --> 00:22:58,570 spinning their wheels... 453 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,870 [ Tires screeching ] 454 00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:05,540 ...barely any roads are marked with street signs. 455 00:23:05,550 --> 00:23:06,680 As a result, drivers 456 00:23:06,810 --> 00:23:09,350 often find themselves hopelessly lost. 457 00:23:09,450 --> 00:23:10,950 McCARTHY: In the early 1900s, 458 00:23:11,020 --> 00:23:12,180 the roads were dangerous 459 00:23:12,290 --> 00:23:14,890 and there was no reliable navigation. 460 00:23:18,090 --> 00:23:19,460 WILDMAN: But in New York City, 461 00:23:19,590 --> 00:23:21,890 one man is determined to point drivers 462 00:23:22,030 --> 00:23:23,630 in the right direction -- 463 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,170 engineer and inventor J.W. Jones. 464 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,770 J.W. Jones was creative, industrious, 465 00:23:29,900 --> 00:23:33,310 and entrepreneurial. 466 00:23:33,310 --> 00:23:34,970 WILDMAN: Jones has invented a device 467 00:23:35,010 --> 00:23:37,680 that he thinks can change motoring forever -- 468 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,110 a turn-by-turn navigation system. 469 00:23:41,180 --> 00:23:43,880 He calls it the Jones Live Map. 470 00:23:46,490 --> 00:23:48,520 The small, circular contraption 471 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:50,460 sits on the car's dashboard 472 00:23:50,590 --> 00:23:53,190 and is connected to the car's odometer. 473 00:23:53,260 --> 00:23:55,860 The driver places a paper disc 474 00:23:55,860 --> 00:23:57,660 with step-by-step directions 475 00:23:57,700 --> 00:24:00,270 from one pre-determined point to another 476 00:24:00,270 --> 00:24:02,000 on to the device. 477 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:04,400 At the start of the journey, the driver reads 478 00:24:04,410 --> 00:24:07,410 the first set of directions from the disc. 479 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,510 As the car motors along, the disc slowly rotates. 480 00:24:11,580 --> 00:24:14,280 At a certain point, after a specific number of miles 481 00:24:14,350 --> 00:24:15,550 have been completed, 482 00:24:15,580 --> 00:24:17,350 an arrow on the device lines 483 00:24:17,350 --> 00:24:19,150 up with a new set of instructions 484 00:24:19,190 --> 00:24:21,290 that are printed on the disc. 485 00:24:21,290 --> 00:24:23,490 The driver then follows those directions, 486 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:27,030 and so on, until he reaches his destination. 487 00:24:27,030 --> 00:24:29,160 Each disc is able to provide directions 488 00:24:29,260 --> 00:24:31,560 for a trip up to 100 miles. 489 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,970 For longer journeys, the driver simply pops 490 00:24:34,100 --> 00:24:36,770 in another paper disc. 491 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:38,970 Jones thinks it's foolproof. 492 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:40,770 Jones must have some inkling 493 00:24:40,810 --> 00:24:44,240 that he's really about to transform navigation. 494 00:24:47,750 --> 00:24:50,780 WILDMAN: In 1912, Jones puts his device on the market 495 00:24:50,820 --> 00:24:53,850 for a whopping $75. 496 00:24:53,990 --> 00:24:58,390 Despite the high cost, drivers love it. 497 00:24:58,460 --> 00:25:02,260 For the first time, drivers had reliable navigation. 498 00:25:02,330 --> 00:25:04,800 WILDMAN: With no other device like it on the market, 499 00:25:04,870 --> 00:25:07,400 it seems that Jones will dominate navigation 500 00:25:07,470 --> 00:25:09,800 on America's roads for years to come. 501 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:11,940 Jones was ecstatic that his map 502 00:25:12,070 --> 00:25:13,710 was such a huge success. 503 00:25:16,110 --> 00:25:18,010 WILDMAN: But little does the inventor know, 504 00:25:18,050 --> 00:25:21,110 his device is about to lose its way. 505 00:25:26,750 --> 00:25:29,120 It's 1912 in New York. 506 00:25:29,190 --> 00:25:30,990 Inventor J.W. Jones 507 00:25:31,060 --> 00:25:34,930 has created something that will change automobiles forever -- 508 00:25:35,030 --> 00:25:37,600 a turn-by-turn navigation device 509 00:25:37,670 --> 00:25:41,400 that he calls the Jones Live Map. 510 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:43,500 But Jones is about to hit a bump in the road 511 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,500 that he never saw coming. 512 00:25:47,580 --> 00:25:50,610 In the 1920s, city governments across the nation 513 00:25:50,610 --> 00:25:54,610 start to install road signs at intersections. 514 00:25:54,750 --> 00:25:58,750 In 1926, the federal government organizes America's roadways 515 00:25:58,750 --> 00:26:01,750 even further with a system of numbers. 516 00:26:01,820 --> 00:26:05,290 For drivers, these developments are a godsend, 517 00:26:05,330 --> 00:26:09,430 but for Jones and his live map, they're a disaster. 518 00:26:09,500 --> 00:26:12,130 Companies across the nation produce printed maps 519 00:26:12,270 --> 00:26:15,100 of the nation's highways and byways, 520 00:26:15,100 --> 00:26:16,770 and instead of paying top dollar 521 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,270 for a complicated navigation device, 522 00:26:19,340 --> 00:26:23,910 motorists prefer the convenience and cheap price of paper maps. 523 00:26:23,950 --> 00:26:27,150 The Jones Live Map eventually became obsolete. 524 00:26:29,950 --> 00:26:33,490 WILDMAN: Jones has no choice but to shut down his business. 525 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,250 But this is not the end of the road 526 00:26:35,390 --> 00:26:38,990 for the Jones Live Map. 527 00:26:39,090 --> 00:26:40,460 In the early 2000s, 528 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:44,800 turn-by-turn navigation systems make an epic comeback. 529 00:26:44,870 --> 00:26:47,600 Using an array of 24 satellites known 530 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:49,470 as the global positioning system, 531 00:26:49,540 --> 00:26:51,070 or G.P.S., 532 00:26:51,140 --> 00:26:54,340 a slew of digital devices hits the market, 533 00:26:54,410 --> 00:26:58,010 making paper maps virtually obsolete. 534 00:26:58,050 --> 00:27:01,410 The Jones Live Map was the precursor to the G.P.S. 535 00:27:01,550 --> 00:27:03,820 that we couldn't live without today. 536 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,690 G.P.S.: Stay on route 76. 537 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:09,320 WILDMAN: And this Jones Live Map 538 00:27:09,390 --> 00:27:12,220 on display at The Museum of Science and Industry 539 00:27:12,330 --> 00:27:13,560 allows a glimpse 540 00:27:13,690 --> 00:27:15,230 into the ingenious invention 541 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:18,660 that was almost 100 years ahead of its time. 542 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,040 Nashville, Tennessee. 543 00:27:26,170 --> 00:27:27,710 This Southern metropolis 544 00:27:27,780 --> 00:27:31,610 is home to a full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon, 545 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:33,850 so it's only fitting that the city 546 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,220 is nicknamed "the Athens of the South." 547 00:27:37,350 --> 00:27:39,850 And near the outskirts of town is an institution 548 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:44,520 that celebrates a more modern slice of history -- 549 00:27:44,660 --> 00:27:46,430 the Lane Motor Museum. 550 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,260 Dedicated to the history of European sports vehicles, 551 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,670 the museum's collection includes 552 00:27:53,730 --> 00:27:58,500 a coal-powered French Citroen from 1938... 553 00:27:58,570 --> 00:28:01,410 a 1932 propeller-driven automobile 554 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:03,810 called the Helicron... 555 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:05,280 and the Autocanoe, 556 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,610 a pedal-powered amphibious vehicle from 2005. 557 00:28:11,820 --> 00:28:15,820 And parked among these unusual vehicles, 558 00:28:15,820 --> 00:28:18,290 one machine stands out. 559 00:28:18,330 --> 00:28:21,960 GRUNDHAUSER: It's about 70 inches long, stands about 30 inches high, 560 00:28:22,060 --> 00:28:24,230 and is only 30 inches wide. 561 00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:27,200 It's a sleek, clean white, and it has three wheels. 562 00:28:30,170 --> 00:28:32,910 WILDMAN: This trike recalls the tumultuous tale 563 00:28:32,910 --> 00:28:34,570 of a little-known inventor 564 00:28:34,710 --> 00:28:37,310 whose vision was way ahead of its time. 565 00:28:37,410 --> 00:28:40,580 GRUNDHAUSER: This vehicle tells the story of a man who was willing 566 00:28:40,650 --> 00:28:42,510 to put his reputation on the line 567 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:44,780 to improve the lives of thousands. 568 00:28:50,990 --> 00:28:53,590 WILDMAN: It's the 1970s. 569 00:28:53,660 --> 00:28:56,230 The world is in the grip of a gas crisis. 570 00:28:56,330 --> 00:28:58,300 Political turmoil in the Middle East 571 00:28:58,370 --> 00:29:01,200 combined with increasing demand 572 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,600 have caused prices at the pump to skyrocket. 573 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,110 As a result, the heavy, gas-guzzling vehicles 574 00:29:07,170 --> 00:29:08,910 produced by the motor industry 575 00:29:09,010 --> 00:29:11,140 are becoming too expensive to operate, 576 00:29:11,250 --> 00:29:14,450 and the public is looking for an automotive answer. 577 00:29:14,580 --> 00:29:17,480 Something had to be done. 578 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,950 WILDMAN: One man steps forward who thinks he can help -- 579 00:29:21,020 --> 00:29:23,960 a 40-year-old British inventor and entrepreneur 580 00:29:23,990 --> 00:29:26,430 named Sir Clive Sinclair. 581 00:29:26,430 --> 00:29:29,900 Sinclair was a pioneer, a genius. 582 00:29:29,900 --> 00:29:33,200 He'd been inventing from a very young age. 583 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:34,670 WILDMAN: After making a name for himself 584 00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:36,570 in the consumer-electronics industry, 585 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,610 Sinclair believes he can use his expertise 586 00:29:39,710 --> 00:29:42,440 to wean the country off oil for good. 587 00:29:45,410 --> 00:29:49,110 One of Sinclair's passions was to make things smaller. 588 00:29:49,250 --> 00:29:51,150 He'd created a smaller calculator. 589 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,250 He'd created a smaller television. 590 00:29:53,250 --> 00:29:56,360 The next logical step was a smaller vehicle. 591 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,260 What Sinclair wanted was no less 592 00:29:58,390 --> 00:30:01,230 than a transportation revolution. 593 00:30:01,230 --> 00:30:05,130 WILDMAN: For years, Sinclair pours himself into the project. 594 00:30:05,130 --> 00:30:08,970 Then, in 1985, he makes a big announcement. 595 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:12,200 He has created a three-wheeled vehicle that runs 596 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,810 on a combination of pedal power and electricity. 597 00:30:15,910 --> 00:30:19,380 Its name -- the Sinclair C5, 598 00:30:19,450 --> 00:30:21,980 the same vehicle that is now on display 599 00:30:21,980 --> 00:30:23,620 at the Lane Motor Museum. 600 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,020 GRUNDHAUSER: Sinclair's final design ended up being a mash-up 601 00:30:26,050 --> 00:30:27,950 of all sorts of different influences. 602 00:30:28,020 --> 00:30:31,420 Over here, it's part bicycle. Over here, it's part car. 603 00:30:31,490 --> 00:30:35,530 All around, it's sort of a new, futuristic transportation pod. 604 00:30:38,300 --> 00:30:41,170 WILDMAN: It seems that the C5 will solve the problems 605 00:30:41,300 --> 00:30:45,300 posed by high gas prices in one fell swoop. 606 00:30:45,410 --> 00:30:48,570 Sinclair explains the key is the vehicle's battery, 607 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:50,840 which can be charged at home. 608 00:30:50,910 --> 00:30:53,810 At the time, this was a hugely novel idea. 609 00:30:53,810 --> 00:30:57,180 You could just bring the C5 home and plug in the battery. 610 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:58,820 You're ready to go. 611 00:31:01,260 --> 00:31:03,190 WILDMAN: In January 1985, 612 00:31:03,260 --> 00:31:05,720 Sinclair arranges for a public demonstration 613 00:31:05,830 --> 00:31:08,130 of the C5 in London. 614 00:31:08,130 --> 00:31:09,690 GRUNDHAUSER: Sinclair very much believed 615 00:31:09,730 --> 00:31:12,260 that the public would just be immediately on board 616 00:31:12,330 --> 00:31:13,700 the minute it was unveiled. 617 00:31:13,730 --> 00:31:16,270 WILDMAN: But the ingenious inventor has forgotten 618 00:31:16,270 --> 00:31:17,940 one important detail 619 00:31:18,010 --> 00:31:20,810 that will doom his novel vehicle. 620 00:31:20,810 --> 00:31:23,910 What fatal flaw will hit the brakes on the C5? 621 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:26,880 [ Crowd gasps ] 622 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,790 It's January 1985 in England. 623 00:31:34,820 --> 00:31:37,490 An eccentric inventor named Clive Sinclair 624 00:31:37,590 --> 00:31:40,560 has come up with a groundbreaking electric vehicle 625 00:31:40,660 --> 00:31:44,000 that he claims will transform the way people travel. 626 00:31:44,030 --> 00:31:46,930 But this British entrepreneur has forgotten 627 00:31:46,930 --> 00:31:48,530 one important thing. 628 00:31:51,170 --> 00:31:53,210 On a frigid January morning, 629 00:31:53,310 --> 00:31:57,880 Sinclair brings several C5s to London's Alexandra Park 630 00:31:57,980 --> 00:32:01,210 and lets members of the press take them for a drive. 631 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,650 He's sure he has a hit on his hands. 632 00:32:04,750 --> 00:32:07,220 But as soon as the demonstration begins, 633 00:32:07,290 --> 00:32:10,820 it's clear Sinclair has miscalculated. 634 00:32:10,860 --> 00:32:14,290 He's forgotten to factor in the notorious British weather. 635 00:32:17,030 --> 00:32:19,230 Not only does the car's open design 636 00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:23,240 expose its passengers to freezing temperatures, 637 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,310 the batteries run down quickly in the cold. 638 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,370 GRUNDHAUSER: The experience for the assembled press 639 00:32:28,510 --> 00:32:31,110 was almost uniformly negative. 640 00:32:31,180 --> 00:32:35,250 They looked at Sinclair's invention as a titanic folly. 641 00:32:38,250 --> 00:32:40,590 WILDMAN: Despite the tumultuous debut, 642 00:32:40,590 --> 00:32:44,220 Sinclair puts the C5s on the open market. 643 00:32:44,290 --> 00:32:46,120 He racks up a few sales, 644 00:32:46,190 --> 00:32:50,230 but the negative reviews continue to pour in. 645 00:32:50,300 --> 00:32:53,660 People complain that it leaves them exposed to the weather, 646 00:32:53,700 --> 00:32:56,130 and it also feels unsafe. 647 00:32:56,270 --> 00:32:59,140 The C5 was a lot of fun to drive, 648 00:32:59,140 --> 00:33:04,140 but the thought of taking it into traffic was pretty scary. 649 00:33:04,140 --> 00:33:06,340 WILDMAN: Others report that the open canopy 650 00:33:06,410 --> 00:33:09,480 lets in foul-smelling exhaust fumes. 651 00:33:09,550 --> 00:33:11,550 It put their faces directly level 652 00:33:11,620 --> 00:33:15,620 with the exhaust pipes of any standard-size vehicle. 653 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:20,030 WILDMAN: Sinclair's venture is a total failure. 654 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:22,960 Tragically, Sinclair had turned from a visionary 655 00:33:23,030 --> 00:33:24,660 into a laughingstock. 656 00:33:24,730 --> 00:33:26,630 Among the reviews, some described it 657 00:33:26,700 --> 00:33:29,130 as an aerodynamic bathtub 658 00:33:29,140 --> 00:33:32,570 and an oversized electric skateboard. 659 00:33:32,610 --> 00:33:35,040 It must have been devastating. 660 00:33:35,110 --> 00:33:39,440 WILDMAN: Sinclair's company is forced to file for bankruptcy. 661 00:33:39,450 --> 00:33:42,510 But while the C5 was a flop, his vision 662 00:33:42,650 --> 00:33:45,680 for clean, electric-powered automobiles lives on, 663 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,990 from the Tesla Model S to the Chevy Volt. 664 00:33:50,060 --> 00:33:52,460 There are now more than 1 million electric cars 665 00:33:52,530 --> 00:33:53,730 on the road. 666 00:33:53,730 --> 00:33:56,130 Transportation is naturally growing towards 667 00:33:56,130 --> 00:33:57,860 Sinclair's vision. 668 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,470 WILDMAN: As for Sinclair, he continues to develop 669 00:34:00,570 --> 00:34:02,470 other energy-saving vehicles. 670 00:34:04,810 --> 00:34:08,010 Today, this Sinclair C5 is on display 671 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:11,680 at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. 672 00:34:11,710 --> 00:34:13,780 It recalls the forward-thinking inventor 673 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,080 who charged ahead of his time. 674 00:34:20,250 --> 00:34:22,820 Alamogordo, New Mexico. 675 00:34:22,890 --> 00:34:26,960 This remote desert community is home to the other-worldly dunes 676 00:34:27,060 --> 00:34:29,490 of White Sands National Monument. 677 00:34:29,500 --> 00:34:32,560 But on the edge of town stands an institution 678 00:34:32,670 --> 00:34:36,770 documenting man's quest to reach another alien landscape -- 679 00:34:36,870 --> 00:34:39,400 the New Mexico Museum of Space History. 680 00:34:41,240 --> 00:34:45,040 Here visitors can see an AJ10 Delta rocket engine, 681 00:34:45,180 --> 00:34:48,850 an astronaut's portable life-support system, 682 00:34:48,980 --> 00:34:52,680 and a meteor-detecting satellite. 683 00:34:52,820 --> 00:34:54,750 But one device 684 00:34:54,790 --> 00:34:57,460 was intended to never leave the ground. 685 00:34:57,490 --> 00:35:00,630 The artifact is about 30 feet long, 686 00:35:00,690 --> 00:35:03,860 about 10 feet wide, and about 7 feet tall. 687 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,560 It's red, it's white, it's black. 688 00:35:05,670 --> 00:35:08,470 WILDMAN: The person who piloted this apparatus 689 00:35:08,540 --> 00:35:10,870 led some of the most groundbreaking 690 00:35:10,870 --> 00:35:14,010 and life-threatening experiments of the 20th Century. 691 00:35:14,140 --> 00:35:16,810 This is a man who repeatedly put his life on the line 692 00:35:16,940 --> 00:35:18,740 to help save the lives of others. 693 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:22,480 WILDMAN: So, who drove this dangerous contraption, 694 00:35:22,620 --> 00:35:26,550 and how did it revolutionize the way Americans travel? 695 00:35:28,690 --> 00:35:34,090 December 1947 -- Muroc Army Airfield, California. 696 00:35:34,190 --> 00:35:38,530 Medical officer and biophysicist John Paul Stapp 697 00:35:38,670 --> 00:35:41,570 is staring down a high-octane challenge -- 698 00:35:41,570 --> 00:35:44,270 saving the lives of American jet pilots. 699 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,810 New cutting-edge military aircraft 700 00:35:47,910 --> 00:35:52,180 are capable of traveling at upwards of 650 miles per hour, 701 00:35:52,210 --> 00:35:56,250 but if a pilot is forced to eject midair at that speed, 702 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:59,990 the rapid force of deceleration ravages their body. 703 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,890 ORWOLL: The common belief at the time 704 00:36:02,020 --> 00:36:05,320 was that the human body could not endure more than 18 Gs of force 705 00:36:05,330 --> 00:36:07,990 and that ejections at speeds above 600 miles an hour 706 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:09,330 would be fatal. 707 00:36:09,460 --> 00:36:12,930 WILDMAN: Stapp suspects that with the proper equipment, 708 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,430 pilots actually can withstand this force, 709 00:36:16,570 --> 00:36:18,740 so he and his team set about developing 710 00:36:18,770 --> 00:36:20,470 cutting-edge harnesses 711 00:36:20,540 --> 00:36:23,740 that will better brace pilots during ejection. 712 00:36:23,810 --> 00:36:28,610 To put their design to the test, they build a rocket-powered sled 713 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:32,350 equipped with hydraulic brakes designed to run along a track. 714 00:36:32,420 --> 00:36:34,620 The rocket sled is a large metal structure that is 715 00:36:34,750 --> 00:36:38,090 attached via rails to a set of railroad ties, 716 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,730 and then you're gonna attach rockets to the back of it, 717 00:36:40,730 --> 00:36:42,830 and you're gonna shoot it down those standard 718 00:36:42,900 --> 00:36:45,160 railway rails, so it can accelerate 719 00:36:45,270 --> 00:36:47,770 and then decelerate at very high speed. 720 00:36:47,870 --> 00:36:50,170 WILDMAN: After months of preparation, 721 00:36:50,170 --> 00:36:54,310 the team employs a dummy in initial trials. 722 00:36:54,310 --> 00:36:56,510 While results seem promising, 723 00:36:56,510 --> 00:36:58,780 the test conditions are less than ideal. 724 00:36:58,850 --> 00:37:01,450 ORWOLL: They needed to show what the results were 725 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,250 of testing on the human body. 726 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:06,120 WILDMAN: So, later that year, 727 00:37:06,150 --> 00:37:09,450 Stapp makes a stunning announcement. 728 00:37:09,460 --> 00:37:11,020 He was gonna be putting himself on the sled 729 00:37:11,060 --> 00:37:12,390 to be the test dummy. 730 00:37:12,390 --> 00:37:15,060 WILDMAN: While colleagues try to convince their leader 731 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,930 to let someone else play human guinea pig, 732 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:19,800 Stapp is steadfast. 733 00:37:19,870 --> 00:37:22,470 ORWOLL: Dr. Stapp knew that he needed a human 734 00:37:22,470 --> 00:37:25,440 test subject -- he also was the kind of individual 735 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,740 who knew that he wanted to ride it first 736 00:37:27,770 --> 00:37:30,040 before he asked somebody else to do it. 737 00:37:30,180 --> 00:37:34,450 If anything went wrong, the results could be fatal. 738 00:37:34,550 --> 00:37:37,020 WILDMAN: Stapp dons the protective harness, 739 00:37:37,150 --> 00:37:39,720 and his team watches anxiously. 740 00:37:41,190 --> 00:37:42,520 They ignite the rocket engines, 741 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,260 sending their leader zooming down the track. 742 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,430 The dead silence of the desert 743 00:37:47,490 --> 00:37:49,690 was broken by a pretty loud roar 744 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:52,560 as that rocket engine lit off on the back of the sled 745 00:37:52,700 --> 00:37:54,770 with Colonel Stapp sitting on it. 746 00:37:54,900 --> 00:37:58,370 WILDMAN: Then, they abruptly engage the brakes. 747 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:00,970 To the team's great relief, 748 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:03,510 Stapp has survived the sudden impact. 749 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,910 ORWOLL: And he climbed off the sled unscathed 750 00:38:07,010 --> 00:38:08,110 and ready to do it again. 751 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:09,710 WILDMAN: Tests reveal 752 00:38:09,780 --> 00:38:13,720 that Stapp endured a stunning 18 Gs of force, 753 00:38:13,720 --> 00:38:16,390 once thought to be the lethal limit. 754 00:38:16,390 --> 00:38:18,990 But the daredevil is not satisfied. 755 00:38:19,030 --> 00:38:21,060 To truly replicate the conditions 756 00:38:21,090 --> 00:38:22,860 of ejecting from a jet, 757 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:27,200 he must subject himself to even greater speeds and risks, 758 00:38:27,270 --> 00:38:30,840 and he'll need a more powerful vehicle to do it. 759 00:38:30,900 --> 00:38:34,410 For Dr. Stapp to be able to develop harnesses 760 00:38:34,410 --> 00:38:37,340 and cockpits that would be able to withstand the high G forces 761 00:38:37,340 --> 00:38:39,480 that might be experienced by a pilot traveling 762 00:38:39,550 --> 00:38:41,480 at 600 miles an hour, he was gonna need 763 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:44,420 a whole new sled that could go a lot faster. 764 00:38:44,550 --> 00:38:47,690 WILDMAN: So, engineers at New Mexico's Holloman Air Force Base 765 00:38:47,790 --> 00:38:51,090 set about constructing a more powerful sled. 766 00:38:51,190 --> 00:38:52,420 The new model, 767 00:38:52,460 --> 00:38:55,890 on display at the New Mexico Museum of Space History, 768 00:38:55,900 --> 00:38:58,700 is dubbed Sonic Wind Number 1. 769 00:38:58,770 --> 00:39:03,640 It can reach the unprecedented speed of 650 miles an hour 770 00:39:03,740 --> 00:39:08,310 and decelerate to a dead stop in just over a second. 771 00:39:08,340 --> 00:39:10,310 Even if the harnesses hold up, 772 00:39:10,380 --> 00:39:13,980 no one knows whether the human body can withstand 773 00:39:14,110 --> 00:39:17,320 this potentially organ-crushing force. 774 00:39:17,420 --> 00:39:19,250 They thought that they might have a casualty, 775 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,520 a potential death on the test track. 776 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:25,420 WILDMAN: Can John Paul Stapp survive this terrifying run? 777 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:33,130 It's 1954 in Alamogordo, New Mexico. 778 00:39:33,270 --> 00:39:36,870 In an attempt to understand the impact of high-speed forces 779 00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:39,000 on the human body, 780 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:42,110 John Stapp is about to attempt the unthinkable -- 781 00:39:42,210 --> 00:39:44,640 he'll take off in a rocket-powered sled 782 00:39:44,750 --> 00:39:46,510 at unprecedented speeds, 783 00:39:46,580 --> 00:39:49,110 and then come to a screeching halt. 784 00:39:49,180 --> 00:39:52,250 So, will this human crash-test dummy survive 785 00:39:52,290 --> 00:39:54,350 this dangerous experiment? 786 00:39:56,560 --> 00:39:59,220 On the afternoon of December 10th, 787 00:39:59,260 --> 00:40:01,660 the countdown begins. 788 00:40:01,700 --> 00:40:06,400 When it reaches zero, the sled's nine rockets ignite. 789 00:40:06,470 --> 00:40:09,070 Stapp zooms down the track 790 00:40:09,100 --> 00:40:12,570 at a record-breaking 632 miles an hour. 791 00:40:12,570 --> 00:40:14,570 He was accelerated to a speed 792 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:17,540 that exceeds that of a bullet coming out of a gun. 793 00:40:17,610 --> 00:40:21,450 WILDMAN: Just a moment later, the hydraulic brakes engage, 794 00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:25,580 and the sled instantly screams to a halt. 795 00:40:27,190 --> 00:40:29,120 When the smoke finally clears, 796 00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:32,260 colleagues race to the human crash-test dummy. 797 00:40:32,260 --> 00:40:35,190 The medics expected that there might be some grave injuries 798 00:40:35,260 --> 00:40:36,660 coming out of this sled run. 799 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:40,530 WILDMAN: Yet it seems Stapp and the restraint system 800 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:42,600 were indeed up to the test. 801 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:45,070 Scientists later determine 802 00:40:45,140 --> 00:40:49,410 that he endured a staggering 40 Gs of force. 803 00:40:49,510 --> 00:40:51,280 The forces were so tremendous 804 00:40:51,410 --> 00:40:54,150 that he had to keep his eyes closed very tightly 805 00:40:54,150 --> 00:40:56,310 to keep his eyeballs essentially in his head. 806 00:40:56,350 --> 00:40:58,780 WILDMAN: Stapp's remarkable test 807 00:40:58,820 --> 00:41:03,750 proves supersonic jet pilots can eject safely. 808 00:41:03,790 --> 00:41:06,460 And soon, his team's restraint designs 809 00:41:06,590 --> 00:41:10,030 are implemented in military and civilian aircraft. 810 00:41:10,060 --> 00:41:11,830 It's not long 811 00:41:11,900 --> 00:41:15,400 before his research crosses over to the auto industry. 812 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:17,500 In the 1960s, 813 00:41:17,540 --> 00:41:20,470 he helps perfect the three-point passenger safety belt 814 00:41:20,510 --> 00:41:22,640 and successfully leads the charge 815 00:41:22,780 --> 00:41:26,610 to make them mandatory in all U.S. cars. 816 00:41:26,650 --> 00:41:31,320 For anyone who gets around on planes, trains, and automobiles, 817 00:41:31,350 --> 00:41:34,350 the work of John Paul Stapp continues to resonate, 818 00:41:34,390 --> 00:41:36,650 and this rocket-powered sled 819 00:41:36,660 --> 00:41:39,920 at the New Mexico Museum of Space History 820 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:41,990 reflects the courage of a researcher 821 00:41:42,030 --> 00:41:45,130 always willing to take the driver's seat. 822 00:41:46,700 --> 00:41:48,470 From a musical revolution 823 00:41:48,540 --> 00:41:51,000 to an electric tricycle. 824 00:41:51,070 --> 00:41:53,200 A human crash test dummy 825 00:41:53,310 --> 00:41:55,470 to Space Age fashions. 826 00:41:55,610 --> 00:41:58,010 I'm Don Wildman, and these are 827 00:41:58,140 --> 00:41:59,440 the mysteries at the museum.