"Mysteries at the Museum" Unbelievable Inventions

1 00:00:01,935 --> 00:00:04,170 An electric new sound rocks America. 2 00:00:04,270 --> 00:00:07,040 CAVATORTA: There was a forgotten device that gave birth 3 00:00:07,140 --> 00:00:09,209 to an entirely new field of music. 4 00:00:09,309 --> 00:00:12,312 A revolution on the open road. 5 00:00:12,412 --> 00:00:15,548 This invention changed road navigation 6 00:00:15,648 --> 00:00:18,051 in the U.S. forever. 7 00:00:18,151 --> 00:00:22,255 And a fashionable solution for a Space Age problem. 8 00:00:22,355 --> 00:00:24,891 They could stick them to the walls, 9 00:00:24,991 --> 00:00:26,659 they could stick them to the control panel. 10 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:28,995 That way, they weren't floating all around. 11 00:00:29,095 --> 00:00:31,998 These are the mysteries at the museum. 12 00:00:37,604 --> 00:00:39,939 The coastal city of Tacoma, Washington, 13 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,243 is one of the busiest ports in the nation. 14 00:00:43,343 --> 00:00:45,245 This bustling hub processes 15 00:00:45,345 --> 00:00:48,748 over 13 million tons of cargo every year. 16 00:00:50,016 --> 00:00:52,285 And celebrating the region's nautical history 17 00:00:52,385 --> 00:00:55,055 is the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum. 18 00:00:59,292 --> 00:01:03,096 On display are early 20th-century canoes, 19 00:01:03,196 --> 00:01:07,167 a replica of a British naval ship from the 1780s, 20 00:01:07,267 --> 00:01:11,471 and a model of the Tacoma, a 1913 steamship that was once 21 00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:15,141 the fastest single-propeller passenger ship in the world. 22 00:01:18,144 --> 00:01:20,280 But among these items depicting travel 23 00:01:20,380 --> 00:01:23,416 on the ocean's surface is an object designed 24 00:01:23,516 --> 00:01:26,119 for exploring the world beneath it. 25 00:01:26,219 --> 00:01:28,955 SPENCE: It's made from steel, brass, and rubber. 26 00:01:29,055 --> 00:01:30,824 It has three air cylinders, 27 00:01:30,924 --> 00:01:33,660 a pressure regulator, breathing hoses, 28 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,162 and it's well-worn from use. 29 00:01:39,099 --> 00:01:41,167 WILDMAN: This breathing apparatus was invented 30 00:01:41,267 --> 00:01:44,003 by the world's most famous deep-sea explorer -- 31 00:01:44,104 --> 00:01:46,339 Jacques Cousteau. 32 00:01:46,439 --> 00:01:50,243 But few know the amazing story behind its creation. 33 00:01:50,343 --> 00:01:54,714 A seemingly simple dive quickly became an underwater disaster. 34 00:02:02,856 --> 00:02:05,125 WILDMAN: It's the 1940s in the ancient city 35 00:02:05,225 --> 00:02:07,327 of Avignon, France. 36 00:02:07,427 --> 00:02:10,396 Jacques Cousteau is an officer in the French Navy. 37 00:02:10,497 --> 00:02:13,032 But his passion lies beneath the waves 38 00:02:13,133 --> 00:02:15,568 as a deep-sea explorer. 39 00:02:15,668 --> 00:02:18,371 SPENCE: Cousteau was always looking for fun and adventure. 40 00:02:18,471 --> 00:02:20,240 He became obsessed with being able 41 00:02:20,340 --> 00:02:23,476 to stay underwater longer, go deeper, 42 00:02:23,576 --> 00:02:26,112 and travel farther to explore. 43 00:02:29,449 --> 00:02:30,717 WILDMAN: But the technology available 44 00:02:30,817 --> 00:02:33,786 to divers at the time is very basic. 45 00:02:33,887 --> 00:02:36,689 SPENCE: During the 1940s, diving equipment required 46 00:02:36,789 --> 00:02:38,858 an air supply from the surface. 47 00:02:38,958 --> 00:02:41,494 WILDMAN: In order to breathe, divers use an air hose 48 00:02:41,594 --> 00:02:44,230 that's tethered to a boat, which limits the distance 49 00:02:44,330 --> 00:02:47,100 and depths to which they can explore. 50 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,637 The tube makes it difficult to swim naturally. 51 00:02:50,737 --> 00:02:55,074 And it could get tangled or even snagged on underwater obstacles. 52 00:02:55,175 --> 00:02:56,943 But Cousteau is undeterred. 53 00:02:57,043 --> 00:03:00,346 SPENCE: His quest to swim untethered 54 00:03:00,446 --> 00:03:02,081 inspired him to create a breathing device 55 00:03:02,182 --> 00:03:06,019 that would allow him to stay underwater. 56 00:03:06,119 --> 00:03:08,188 WILDMAN: So Cousteau comes up with a simple, 57 00:03:08,288 --> 00:03:10,456 yet elegant, new design. 58 00:03:10,557 --> 00:03:13,726 It's a tank of oxygen that is worn on the diver's back. 59 00:03:13,826 --> 00:03:17,130 For years, he works to perfect his device. 60 00:03:17,230 --> 00:03:20,733 And in 1946, he thinks he's finally ready. 61 00:03:22,502 --> 00:03:25,071 The apparatus is made up of three canisters 62 00:03:25,171 --> 00:03:26,439 of compressed air 63 00:03:26,539 --> 00:03:30,076 and a hose which goes directly into the diver's mouth. 64 00:03:30,176 --> 00:03:32,478 The key to making it work is a regulator 65 00:03:32,579 --> 00:03:35,548 that allows the diver to inhale the compressed air 66 00:03:35,648 --> 00:03:37,750 and then exhale into the water. 67 00:03:40,386 --> 00:03:42,956 Cousteau calls his invention the aqualung, 68 00:03:43,056 --> 00:03:44,924 one of which is on display 69 00:03:45,024 --> 00:03:48,261 at the Working Waterfront Museum in Tacoma. 70 00:03:48,361 --> 00:03:51,698 SPENCE: With the aqualung, the diver had more flexibility, 71 00:03:51,798 --> 00:03:53,266 they could travel more freely, 72 00:03:53,366 --> 00:03:55,001 and they could explore areas 73 00:03:55,101 --> 00:03:58,404 that were inaccessible before. 74 00:03:58,504 --> 00:04:01,374 WILDMAN: Cousteau sets out to test the device. 75 00:04:01,474 --> 00:04:04,477 So in August, he and his colleague, Frédéric Dumas, 76 00:04:04,577 --> 00:04:06,012 along with a safety team, 77 00:04:06,112 --> 00:04:08,548 travel to a cave in the South of France 78 00:04:08,648 --> 00:04:11,150 called the Fountain of Vaucluse. 79 00:04:11,251 --> 00:04:14,887 Inside the cave is a deep lake. 80 00:04:14,988 --> 00:04:18,725 There, they plan to dive to a depth of 300 feet. 81 00:04:18,825 --> 00:04:22,128 In case something goes wrong, they tether themselves to a rope 82 00:04:22,228 --> 00:04:25,131 that leads back to the team on the surface. 83 00:04:25,231 --> 00:04:27,634 Cousteau and Dumas don their aqualungs 84 00:04:27,734 --> 00:04:30,436 and embark on their dive. 85 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:36,909 At first, everything seems to be going well. 86 00:04:37,010 --> 00:04:38,745 SPENCE: The dive started out 87 00:04:38,845 --> 00:04:41,914 much like the dives Cousteau and Dumas had done before. 88 00:04:42,015 --> 00:04:44,250 Everything was running smoothly. 89 00:04:44,350 --> 00:04:47,687 WILDMAN: But when they reach a depth of 150 feet, 90 00:04:47,787 --> 00:04:49,822 something goes terribly wrong. 91 00:04:49,922 --> 00:04:52,892 SPENCE: He started to experience a dull headache and confusion 92 00:04:52,992 --> 00:04:54,294 that was far beyond 93 00:04:54,394 --> 00:04:55,828 what he normally would have experienced 94 00:04:55,928 --> 00:04:58,598 at a similar depth in the open ocean. 95 00:05:00,199 --> 00:05:02,001 WILDMAN: He looks over to his diving companion 96 00:05:02,101 --> 00:05:04,604 and sees that Dumas is unconscious. 97 00:05:04,704 --> 00:05:06,606 He was practically motionless. 98 00:05:06,706 --> 00:05:08,941 Things were not looking good. 99 00:05:09,042 --> 00:05:11,010 WILDMAN: Cousteau frantically pulls on the rope 100 00:05:11,110 --> 00:05:15,048 to let the team on the surface know there's an emergency. 101 00:05:15,148 --> 00:05:18,551 But the team misinterprets the signal. 102 00:05:19,619 --> 00:05:21,888 Rather than pulling the divers back up, 103 00:05:21,988 --> 00:05:24,123 they give them more slack. 104 00:05:24,223 --> 00:05:25,658 This is exactly the opposite 105 00:05:25,758 --> 00:05:27,760 of what Cousteau and Dumas needed. 106 00:05:30,063 --> 00:05:32,398 WILDMAN: For Cousteau and his passed-out diving partner, 107 00:05:32,498 --> 00:05:35,301 time is running out. 108 00:05:39,405 --> 00:05:41,307 As the seconds tick by, 109 00:05:41,407 --> 00:05:44,510 Cousteau starts slipping in and out of consciousness. 110 00:05:44,610 --> 00:05:48,247 If Cousteau stayed underwater much longer, they would die. 111 00:05:50,049 --> 00:05:53,586 WILDMAN: But then, he feels the safety rope tighten. 112 00:05:53,686 --> 00:05:55,355 The rescue team on the surface 113 00:05:55,455 --> 00:05:58,424 has finally realized something is amiss. 114 00:05:58,524 --> 00:06:00,760 The divers are pulled up to the boat, 115 00:06:00,860 --> 00:06:02,895 where Dumas is revived. 116 00:06:02,995 --> 00:06:04,330 SPENCE: Cousteau is relieved 117 00:06:04,430 --> 00:06:06,032 that both he and his friend, Dumas, 118 00:06:06,132 --> 00:06:08,067 have returned safely to the surface. 119 00:06:12,271 --> 00:06:14,440 WILDMAN: But what went wrong? 120 00:06:14,540 --> 00:06:17,276 Cousteau carefully inspects his aqualung 121 00:06:17,377 --> 00:06:20,613 and soon finds the source of the problem. 122 00:06:20,713 --> 00:06:22,115 A faulty air compressor 123 00:06:22,215 --> 00:06:24,484 had caused their oxygen tanks to fill 124 00:06:24,584 --> 00:06:28,454 with lethal levels of the deadly gas carbon monoxide. 125 00:06:28,554 --> 00:06:31,724 The two divers had been moments away from death. 126 00:06:31,824 --> 00:06:34,727 SPENCE: The near-fatal events would have a lasting impact on Cousteau 127 00:06:34,827 --> 00:06:36,329 and his diving adventures. 128 00:06:36,429 --> 00:06:38,731 The lesson learned is a diver is only as safe 129 00:06:38,831 --> 00:06:41,367 as the air on his back. 130 00:06:43,936 --> 00:06:46,539 WILDMAN: To ensure the incident doesn't happen again, 131 00:06:46,639 --> 00:06:49,075 Cousteau drafts a strict set of guidelines 132 00:06:49,175 --> 00:06:53,846 for how tanks should be handled and checked before a dive. 133 00:06:53,946 --> 00:06:58,217 He finally puts the aqualung on sale in 1946. 134 00:06:58,317 --> 00:07:00,753 His invention eventually goes on to become known 135 00:07:00,853 --> 00:07:02,722 by another name -- 136 00:07:02,822 --> 00:07:07,527 the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, or SCUBA. 137 00:07:07,627 --> 00:07:09,462 Aqualung was a revolutionary device 138 00:07:09,562 --> 00:07:12,098 that really brought diving to the masses. 139 00:07:15,301 --> 00:07:18,104 WILDMAN: Today, the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum 140 00:07:18,204 --> 00:07:19,539 in Tacoma, Washington, 141 00:07:19,639 --> 00:07:23,209 displays an early version of Cousteau's aqualung. 142 00:07:23,309 --> 00:07:25,445 It recalls the man who risked his life 143 00:07:25,545 --> 00:07:28,915 to explore the uncharted depths of the ocean. 144 00:07:33,186 --> 00:07:35,955 Every year, at least nine million visitors 145 00:07:36,055 --> 00:07:37,657 flock to Houston, Texas, 146 00:07:37,757 --> 00:07:40,193 to enjoy the city's creative scene. 147 00:07:40,293 --> 00:07:42,295 This vibrant metropolis is home 148 00:07:42,395 --> 00:07:47,767 to more than 500 cultural and arts institutions. 149 00:07:47,867 --> 00:07:50,870 Among them is a museum that transports its guests 150 00:07:50,970 --> 00:07:53,072 to the final frontier -- 151 00:07:53,172 --> 00:07:55,508 Space Center Houston. 152 00:07:55,608 --> 00:07:58,277 Its collection includes a model 153 00:07:58,377 --> 00:08:00,313 of the International Space Center, 154 00:08:00,413 --> 00:08:05,117 a 1963 Mercury capsule, 155 00:08:05,218 --> 00:08:08,387 and the most powerful rocket ever built -- 156 00:08:08,488 --> 00:08:10,122 the Saturn V. 157 00:08:10,223 --> 00:08:13,125 Amid these massive machines is an object 158 00:08:13,226 --> 00:08:16,729 that, although smaller, is just as iconic. 159 00:08:16,829 --> 00:08:20,032 SPANA: It's about 6 feet tall, it's mostly white, 160 00:08:20,132 --> 00:08:21,901 it has red and blue valves, 161 00:08:22,001 --> 00:08:24,770 and there's an American flag on it. 162 00:08:24,871 --> 00:08:27,707 WILDMAN: This space suit is the ultimate symbol 163 00:08:27,807 --> 00:08:29,909 of progress and exploration. 164 00:08:30,009 --> 00:08:33,679 But few realize this cutting-edge outfit is actually equipped 165 00:08:33,779 --> 00:08:37,250 with an item found in almost every home. 166 00:08:37,350 --> 00:08:40,152 SPANA: It was a material that changed the aerospace industry 167 00:08:40,253 --> 00:08:42,288 and everyday fashion. 168 00:08:42,388 --> 00:08:44,624 WILDMAN: What ingenious invention 169 00:08:44,724 --> 00:08:47,226 does this space suit conceal? 170 00:08:50,830 --> 00:08:53,933 1941 -- Lausanne, Switzerland. 171 00:08:54,033 --> 00:08:57,436 33-year-old engineer George de Mestral 172 00:08:57,537 --> 00:09:01,207 enjoys tinkering with gadgets in his spare time. 173 00:09:01,307 --> 00:09:03,109 SPANA: George de Mestral was passionate 174 00:09:03,209 --> 00:09:04,911 about inventing things. 175 00:09:05,011 --> 00:09:08,981 In his mind, he was always thinking about how things work. 176 00:09:09,081 --> 00:09:10,283 WILDMAN: To his dismay, 177 00:09:10,383 --> 00:09:13,786 de Mestral has never produced anything worthy of note. 178 00:09:13,886 --> 00:09:18,357 But the inventor's luck is about to change. 179 00:09:20,660 --> 00:09:22,762 One day, while walking through the woods, 180 00:09:22,862 --> 00:09:27,133 de Mestral notices something clinging to his clothes. 181 00:09:27,233 --> 00:09:31,237 The cuffs of his pants are covered with prickly burrs. 182 00:09:31,337 --> 00:09:33,673 The burrs stick really well to fabric, 183 00:09:33,773 --> 00:09:36,309 and they're real tenacious. 184 00:09:36,409 --> 00:09:38,711 WILDMAN: The inventor is intrigued. 185 00:09:38,811 --> 00:09:41,080 He wondered, what is it about these burrs 186 00:09:41,180 --> 00:09:44,183 that makes these things so good at sticking to the fabric? 187 00:09:47,820 --> 00:09:48,955 WILDMAN: De Mestral takes home 188 00:09:49,055 --> 00:09:51,991 a handful of the spiny pods. 189 00:09:52,091 --> 00:09:54,594 He found that the casing of the burr 190 00:09:54,694 --> 00:09:58,931 was covered with hundreds of tiny, little hooks. 191 00:09:59,031 --> 00:10:02,268 WILDMAN: These minute hooks latch onto an animal's fur, 192 00:10:02,368 --> 00:10:07,840 ensuring that the seeds are spread far and wide. 193 00:10:07,940 --> 00:10:11,777 The inventor then comes up with a revolutionary idea. 194 00:10:11,877 --> 00:10:14,780 He could replicate this hook-and-loop structure 195 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,017 and create a new kind of fastener for clothes, 196 00:10:18,117 --> 00:10:19,151 one that is faster 197 00:10:19,251 --> 00:10:22,254 and more convenient than zippers or buttons. 198 00:10:22,355 --> 00:10:26,926 George's new fastener would be more reliable and easy to use. 199 00:10:27,026 --> 00:10:29,228 He knew he was onto something good. 200 00:10:33,432 --> 00:10:35,301 WILDMAN: De Mestral works with a weaver, 201 00:10:35,401 --> 00:10:38,170 and after nearly a decade of trial and error, 202 00:10:38,270 --> 00:10:40,940 perfects his creation. 203 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,310 His fastener consists of two nylon strips, 204 00:10:44,410 --> 00:10:47,580 one of which is lined with thousands of tiny hooks, 205 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:49,649 the other with tiny loops. 206 00:10:49,749 --> 00:10:51,684 And when you bring the two together, 207 00:10:51,784 --> 00:10:55,821 all of those hooks grab and attach to those threads. 208 00:10:55,921 --> 00:11:01,127 WILDMAN: In 1955, De Mestral patents his product. 209 00:11:02,928 --> 00:11:04,697 Combining the word "velvet" 210 00:11:04,797 --> 00:11:07,500 with "crochet," the French word for hook, 211 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,736 he calls it a Velcro fastener. 212 00:11:10,836 --> 00:11:13,839 His hope was to revolutionize the fashion industry. 213 00:11:17,009 --> 00:11:19,645 WILDMAN: But when the inventor meets with fashion designers, 214 00:11:19,745 --> 00:11:22,381 he's stunned by their reaction. 215 00:11:22,481 --> 00:11:26,952 They declare the black nylon strips to be unsightly 216 00:11:27,053 --> 00:11:31,724 and refused to use them in their designs. 217 00:11:31,824 --> 00:11:33,993 George's great plans for the fashion industry 218 00:11:34,093 --> 00:11:36,328 were a big flop. 219 00:11:36,429 --> 00:11:38,931 WILDMAN: But what the plucky inventor doesn't know 220 00:11:39,031 --> 00:11:43,135 is that the solution to his woes will be out of this world. 221 00:11:48,774 --> 00:11:50,843 It's the 1960s. 222 00:11:50,943 --> 00:11:53,212 Inventor George de Mestral 223 00:11:53,312 --> 00:11:55,581 has created a substitute for zippers 224 00:11:55,681 --> 00:11:57,983 called Velcro fasteners. 225 00:11:58,084 --> 00:12:00,486 The problem is, fashion designers 226 00:12:00,586 --> 00:12:03,556 want nothing to do with this newfangled device. 227 00:12:03,656 --> 00:12:07,359 So what will it take for Velcro to stick? 228 00:12:09,829 --> 00:12:12,465 The early 1960s -- Cape Canaveral. 229 00:12:12,565 --> 00:12:14,567 NASA is preparing for America's 230 00:12:14,667 --> 00:12:17,236 first orbital mission into space. 231 00:12:17,336 --> 00:12:20,406 But the astronauts have a problem. 232 00:12:20,506 --> 00:12:21,974 In the weightless surroundings, 233 00:12:22,074 --> 00:12:24,543 they keep losing their equipment. 234 00:12:24,643 --> 00:12:25,945 The astronauts had a lot of equipment 235 00:12:26,045 --> 00:12:27,179 inside their capsule, 236 00:12:27,279 --> 00:12:28,781 like binoculars and cameras 237 00:12:28,881 --> 00:12:30,750 and camera accessories, 238 00:12:30,850 --> 00:12:32,885 and they needed those to be close at hand. 239 00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:34,353 But in a weightless environment, 240 00:12:34,453 --> 00:12:36,756 all of that was floating around. 241 00:12:36,856 --> 00:12:39,125 WILDMAN: NASA engineers need something 242 00:12:39,225 --> 00:12:41,227 that can hold their gadgets in place 243 00:12:41,327 --> 00:12:44,063 but also release them quickly, 244 00:12:44,163 --> 00:12:45,765 and that's when it hits them. 245 00:12:45,865 --> 00:12:49,568 They could use de Mestral's little-known Velcro fasteners. 246 00:12:49,668 --> 00:12:51,036 They can stick them to the walls, 247 00:12:51,137 --> 00:12:53,606 they can stick them to the control panel, 248 00:12:53,706 --> 00:12:56,142 that way, they weren't floating all around. 249 00:12:57,843 --> 00:12:59,411 WILDMAN: Since the hassle-free strips 250 00:12:59,512 --> 00:13:02,047 are more convenient than buttons or zippers, 251 00:13:02,148 --> 00:13:04,383 de Mestral's product is also used 252 00:13:04,483 --> 00:13:06,519 in the construction of their space suits, 253 00:13:06,619 --> 00:13:10,389 just like the Apollo 12 model at Space Center Houston. 254 00:13:13,459 --> 00:13:15,294 When the public sees the astronauts 255 00:13:15,394 --> 00:13:17,296 using de Mestral's invention, 256 00:13:17,396 --> 00:13:21,167 demand for the sticky strips hits the stratosphere. 257 00:13:26,071 --> 00:13:29,642 NASA put him in front of the eyes of the whole world. 258 00:13:29,742 --> 00:13:32,478 WILDMAN: Over the years, de Mestral rakes in millions 259 00:13:32,578 --> 00:13:35,214 as Velcro fasteners are used in everything 260 00:13:35,314 --> 00:13:39,685 from strapping athletic shoes to wrapping cables and cords. 261 00:13:42,922 --> 00:13:46,392 And today, the suit on display at Space Center Houston 262 00:13:46,492 --> 00:13:48,861 endures as a testament to the inventor 263 00:13:48,961 --> 00:13:50,629 whose space-age creation 264 00:13:50,729 --> 00:13:55,434 proves inspiration can be found in the most unlikely of places. 265 00:13:58,204 --> 00:14:00,239 A 1920s horn machine, 266 00:14:00,339 --> 00:14:04,476 a phonograph designed by Thomas Edison, 267 00:14:04,577 --> 00:14:07,346 and a coin-operated miniature orchestra 268 00:14:07,446 --> 00:14:10,816 are just a few of the musical gadgets on display 269 00:14:10,916 --> 00:14:13,519 at the DeBence Antique Music World museum 270 00:14:13,619 --> 00:14:15,888 in Franklin, Pennsylvania. 271 00:14:18,757 --> 00:14:20,993 And amidst these little-known oddities 272 00:14:21,093 --> 00:14:24,163 is one instrument that every music fan will recognize. 273 00:14:24,263 --> 00:14:28,934 CAVATORTA: The artifact is 48 inches wide and 29 inches deep. 274 00:14:29,034 --> 00:14:31,871 It's made out of beautifully crafted wood. 275 00:14:31,971 --> 00:14:35,708 It has two keyboards and a row of buttons. 276 00:14:35,808 --> 00:14:38,010 It is almost 80 years old, 277 00:14:38,110 --> 00:14:40,112 but it is in perfect working condition 278 00:14:40,212 --> 00:14:41,480 and it sounds beautiful. 279 00:14:41,580 --> 00:14:46,018 WILDMAN: This is a 1935 Hammond organ. 280 00:14:46,118 --> 00:14:49,388 Its unique sound can be heard on countless hit songs. 281 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,095 But what few realize 282 00:14:56,195 --> 00:14:58,397 is that this celebrated instrument 283 00:14:58,497 --> 00:15:01,667 owes its existence to an outlandish scheme 284 00:15:01,767 --> 00:15:05,337 that almost got the whole world dancing to the same tune. 285 00:15:05,437 --> 00:15:07,473 CAVATORTA: This is a story about one man 286 00:15:07,573 --> 00:15:10,042 who had an idea that changed the entire future of music. 287 00:15:14,113 --> 00:15:15,581 WILDMAN: The early 1900s -- 288 00:15:15,681 --> 00:15:18,217 It's an era of great innovation. 289 00:15:18,317 --> 00:15:21,287 Americans enjoy an array of new technologies 290 00:15:21,387 --> 00:15:25,424 like escalators, typewriters, and dishwashers. 291 00:15:25,524 --> 00:15:27,026 But in Washington, D.C., 292 00:15:27,126 --> 00:15:28,727 there's one man who thinks 293 00:15:28,827 --> 00:15:31,664 he has the most unique idea of all -- 294 00:15:31,764 --> 00:15:36,502 26-year-old inventor Thaddeus Cahill. 295 00:15:36,602 --> 00:15:38,537 CAVATORTA: Cahill's idea was to create 296 00:15:38,637 --> 00:15:41,140 the world's first electronic streaming music service. 297 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,677 WILDMAN: Cahill's concept is to give people 298 00:15:44,777 --> 00:15:46,946 the ability to listen to live music 299 00:15:47,046 --> 00:15:48,247 in their living rooms... 300 00:15:48,347 --> 00:15:51,116 ...just by making a telephone call. 301 00:15:51,216 --> 00:15:53,285 This would be a subscription service. 302 00:15:53,385 --> 00:15:55,321 You'd go to your telephone and ask to be connected, 303 00:15:55,421 --> 00:15:58,924 and the room would be filled with music. 304 00:15:59,024 --> 00:16:00,392 And the subscribers in their homes 305 00:16:00,492 --> 00:16:03,829 could turn the music on and off just like water in a tap. 306 00:16:04,997 --> 00:16:05,931 WILDMAN: If it works, 307 00:16:06,031 --> 00:16:07,700 the service would be like nothing 308 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:09,501 the world has ever heard before. 309 00:16:10,703 --> 00:16:11,904 In 1901, 310 00:16:12,004 --> 00:16:13,806 Cahill builds a prototype instrument 311 00:16:13,906 --> 00:16:15,975 that uses magnets and electric currents 312 00:16:16,075 --> 00:16:17,343 to create music 313 00:16:17,443 --> 00:16:20,546 that can then be broadcast through the telephone lines. 314 00:16:20,646 --> 00:16:24,650 The revolutionary device weighs 14,000 pounds. 315 00:16:24,750 --> 00:16:28,320 He calls his creation... 316 00:16:28,420 --> 00:16:30,189 the Telharmonium. 317 00:16:30,289 --> 00:16:34,226 The Telharmonium was full-scale Frankenstein-style endeavor. 318 00:16:34,326 --> 00:16:37,629 He made it a gigantic hive of little electrical switches 319 00:16:37,730 --> 00:16:39,865 and big electric keyboards. 320 00:16:42,668 --> 00:16:45,204 WILDMAN: To demonstrate his grand creation, 321 00:16:45,304 --> 00:16:48,707 Cahill organizes a party of moneyed businessmen and bankers. 322 00:16:50,442 --> 00:16:53,512 The guests gather around a table where a telephone is set up... 323 00:16:54,713 --> 00:16:58,817 ...and as they lean in, a strange sound fills the room. 324 00:17:03,555 --> 00:17:05,958 CAVATORTA: Out poured this loud electronic music 325 00:17:06,058 --> 00:17:07,726 like they'd never heard before. 326 00:17:09,962 --> 00:17:13,198 Beeps and strange sine waves and odd harmonies. 327 00:17:17,102 --> 00:17:19,471 WILDMAN: The audience is stunned. 328 00:17:19,571 --> 00:17:21,774 Cahill explains that the song 329 00:17:21,874 --> 00:17:23,909 is being played on an electric keyboard 330 00:17:24,009 --> 00:17:25,944 located 30 miles away, 331 00:17:26,045 --> 00:17:28,981 and if they want to hear more of this unique sound, 332 00:17:29,081 --> 00:17:30,182 all they have to do 333 00:17:30,282 --> 00:17:32,284 is pay a nominal subscription fee. 334 00:17:32,384 --> 00:17:33,318 They were blown away, 335 00:17:33,419 --> 00:17:34,920 and they lined up to hand him money. 336 00:17:38,690 --> 00:17:43,829 WILDMAN: Word of Cahill's unparalleled music service spreads, 337 00:17:43,929 --> 00:17:48,167 and in 1906, the Telharmonium goes live. 338 00:17:48,267 --> 00:17:51,870 Thousands of people rush to subscribe to the service. 339 00:17:51,970 --> 00:17:54,473 It appeared to be a gigantic success. 340 00:17:54,573 --> 00:17:56,775 Everybody loved the Telharmonium. 341 00:17:59,578 --> 00:18:01,613 But the growing popularity of his device 342 00:18:01,713 --> 00:18:03,649 is about to cause the young entrepreneur 343 00:18:03,749 --> 00:18:05,417 an unexpected problem -- 344 00:18:05,517 --> 00:18:09,788 One that threatens to silence the Telharmonium for good. 345 00:18:09,888 --> 00:18:10,923 CAVATORTA: Cahill did not anticipate 346 00:18:11,023 --> 00:18:13,625 how difficult this venture would really be. 347 00:18:13,725 --> 00:18:17,830 WILDMAN: So, what will become of Cahill's incredible invention? 348 00:18:25,771 --> 00:18:27,806 It's 1906 in New York. 349 00:18:27,906 --> 00:18:31,944 Inventor Thaddeus Cahill has taken the country by storm 350 00:18:32,044 --> 00:18:35,214 with his invention, the Telharmonium. 351 00:18:35,314 --> 00:18:37,749 It is a brand new electric instrument 352 00:18:37,850 --> 00:18:40,319 that streams live music into people's homes 353 00:18:40,419 --> 00:18:42,154 through the telephone lines. 354 00:18:42,254 --> 00:18:44,089 But little does Cahill realize 355 00:18:44,189 --> 00:18:47,092 his runaway hit is about to go off-key. 356 00:18:49,695 --> 00:18:52,831 One day, Cahill gets an unwelcome call 357 00:18:52,931 --> 00:18:55,234 from the phone company. 358 00:18:55,334 --> 00:18:57,503 They say that Cahill's music service 359 00:18:57,603 --> 00:19:00,239 is wreaking havoc on the telephone system. 360 00:19:00,339 --> 00:19:02,541 People having normal conversations 361 00:19:02,641 --> 00:19:05,210 are being interrupted by the Telharmonium. 362 00:19:07,980 --> 00:19:11,483 CAVATORTA: An ongoing problem throughout the Telharmonium's run 363 00:19:11,583 --> 00:19:13,485 was cross talk on the lines. 364 00:19:13,585 --> 00:19:14,820 So, you'd be talking 365 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:16,522 and trying to understand one another, 366 00:19:16,622 --> 00:19:18,323 and this loud music would come over the line 367 00:19:18,423 --> 00:19:19,291 and it would stay there. 368 00:19:19,391 --> 00:19:21,627 Is that music? 369 00:19:23,795 --> 00:19:26,999 WILDMAN: The telephone company says it has no choice 370 00:19:27,099 --> 00:19:30,335 but to cut off Cahill's access to their phone lines. 371 00:19:30,435 --> 00:19:32,638 The entrepreneur is devastated. 372 00:19:32,738 --> 00:19:36,108 Thaddeus Cahill was at the mercy of the telephone company. 373 00:19:36,208 --> 00:19:38,877 Without them, his Telharmonium was 374 00:19:38,977 --> 00:19:41,180 completely dead in the water. 375 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:45,083 WILDMAN: In 1908, the Telharmonium plays its last tune. 376 00:19:45,184 --> 00:19:47,619 Cahill is forced to shut down his operation 377 00:19:47,719 --> 00:19:49,721 and declare bankruptcy. 378 00:19:49,821 --> 00:19:51,356 He put everything he had into this. 379 00:19:51,456 --> 00:19:53,392 This was a failure. 380 00:19:53,492 --> 00:19:55,994 WILDMAN: But this isn't the end of the Telharmonium. 381 00:19:58,530 --> 00:20:01,200 The ideas and the vision in the instrument lived on. 382 00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:03,335 A surprisingly rich 383 00:20:03,435 --> 00:20:06,505 kind of amazing legacy of musical technology 384 00:20:06,605 --> 00:20:08,974 and musical ideas get started there. 385 00:20:09,074 --> 00:20:11,677 WILDMAN: In the 1930s, 386 00:20:11,777 --> 00:20:13,679 another inventor named Lawrence Hammond 387 00:20:13,779 --> 00:20:15,514 applies Cahill's design 388 00:20:15,614 --> 00:20:17,950 to build a new type of instrument -- 389 00:20:18,050 --> 00:20:19,952 the Hammond organ. 390 00:20:20,052 --> 00:20:22,020 Similar to the Telharmonium, 391 00:20:22,120 --> 00:20:24,723 the Hammond generates sound by creating current 392 00:20:24,823 --> 00:20:28,260 from a rotating metal reel and an electromagnet. 393 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:30,996 In its concepts and in its technology, 394 00:20:31,096 --> 00:20:33,532 it was really like a tiny Telharmonium, 395 00:20:33,632 --> 00:20:36,935 with the tiny spinning tone wheels, the additive synthesis, 396 00:20:37,035 --> 00:20:39,471 all of the harmonics, and a lot of the same 397 00:20:39,571 --> 00:20:41,740 mathematics for how it calculated pitches. 398 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:43,809 WILDMAN: Its unique sound 399 00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:47,412 is used in a slew of new American musical genres. 400 00:20:47,512 --> 00:20:49,214 It's used in all kinds of hits, 401 00:20:49,314 --> 00:20:51,416 including the Grateful Dead's "Bertha," 402 00:20:51,516 --> 00:20:53,785 Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," 403 00:20:53,885 --> 00:20:56,955 and Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry." 404 00:20:57,055 --> 00:21:01,159 So much popular music today is possible and inspired by 405 00:21:01,260 --> 00:21:04,463 Thaddeus Cahill's invention and the Hammond organ. 406 00:21:09,234 --> 00:21:10,736 WILDMAN: This Hammond electric organ 407 00:21:10,836 --> 00:21:13,672 at the DeBence Antique Music World museum 408 00:21:13,772 --> 00:21:15,574 recalls the brilliant invention 409 00:21:15,674 --> 00:21:18,577 that struck a major chord in music history. 410 00:21:23,749 --> 00:21:24,983 Chicago, Illinois -- 411 00:21:25,083 --> 00:21:27,252 the Windy City's Chicago River 412 00:21:27,352 --> 00:21:30,022 boasts a unique and unusual feature -- 413 00:21:30,122 --> 00:21:32,691 To prevent sewage from running into Lake Michigan, 414 00:21:32,791 --> 00:21:34,760 which supplies the city with water, 415 00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:37,929 it was engineered to flow backwards. 416 00:21:38,030 --> 00:21:40,899 And just a stone's throw away from the famous waterway 417 00:21:40,999 --> 00:21:44,803 is an institution showcasing other feats of innovation -- 418 00:21:44,903 --> 00:21:48,340 The Museum of Science and Industry. 419 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:52,811 Its exhibits include a Boeing 727 airplane, 420 00:21:52,911 --> 00:21:54,746 a German submarine that was captured off 421 00:21:54,846 --> 00:21:58,250 the cost of Africa during World War II, 422 00:21:58,350 --> 00:22:02,087 and a steam locomotive that broke the land speed record. 423 00:22:04,356 --> 00:22:06,391 But among these oversized exhibits 424 00:22:06,491 --> 00:22:09,628 is a small and seemingly simple gadget. 425 00:22:09,728 --> 00:22:10,996 McCARTHY: It's a circular device, 426 00:22:11,096 --> 00:22:13,765 about 9 1/2 inches in diameter. 427 00:22:13,865 --> 00:22:15,100 It has paper inserts 428 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,636 that are filled with written information. 429 00:22:17,736 --> 00:22:19,104 It's over a century old, 430 00:22:19,204 --> 00:22:21,540 and it was a really invaluable device 431 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:23,442 for those who used it. 432 00:22:25,677 --> 00:22:29,414 WILDMAN: This tiny tool paved the way for a trail-blazing technology 433 00:22:29,514 --> 00:22:32,250 that drivers today would be lost without. 434 00:22:32,351 --> 00:22:33,752 This is the story 435 00:22:33,852 --> 00:22:37,155 of one of the most ubiquitous inventions of the 20th century. 436 00:22:37,255 --> 00:22:39,091 G.P.S.: Turn left at the fork. 437 00:22:41,226 --> 00:22:43,161 WILDMAN: It's the early 1900s. 438 00:22:43,261 --> 00:22:45,764 In just a few short years, cars have become 439 00:22:45,864 --> 00:22:48,800 the country's fastest-growing mode of transportation. 440 00:22:48,900 --> 00:22:51,636 People could go to places they had never been to before. 441 00:22:51,737 --> 00:22:52,838 It was quite an adventure 442 00:22:52,938 --> 00:22:55,574 to venture out in your automobile. 443 00:22:55,674 --> 00:22:57,909 WILDMAN: But there's a problem that has motorists 444 00:22:58,009 --> 00:22:59,311 spinning their wheels... 445 00:23:02,748 --> 00:23:06,218 ...barely any roads are marked with street signs. 446 00:23:06,318 --> 00:23:07,452 As a result, drivers 447 00:23:07,552 --> 00:23:10,122 often find themselves hopelessly lost. 448 00:23:10,222 --> 00:23:11,690 McCARTHY: In the early 1900s, 449 00:23:11,790 --> 00:23:12,958 the roads were dangerous 450 00:23:13,058 --> 00:23:15,627 and there was no reliable navigation. 451 00:23:18,830 --> 00:23:20,198 WILDMAN: But in New York City, 452 00:23:20,298 --> 00:23:22,667 one man is determined to point drivers 453 00:23:22,768 --> 00:23:24,403 in the right direction -- 454 00:23:24,503 --> 00:23:27,906 engineer and inventor J.W. Jones. 455 00:23:28,006 --> 00:23:30,542 J.W. Jones was creative, industrious, 456 00:23:30,642 --> 00:23:33,979 and entrepreneurial. 457 00:23:34,079 --> 00:23:35,680 WILDMAN: Jones has invented a device 458 00:23:35,781 --> 00:23:38,350 that he thinks can change motoring forever -- 459 00:23:38,450 --> 00:23:41,853 a turn-by-turn navigation system. 460 00:23:41,953 --> 00:23:44,656 He calls it the Jones Live Map. 461 00:23:47,192 --> 00:23:49,194 The small, circular contraption 462 00:23:49,294 --> 00:23:51,229 sits on the car's dashboard 463 00:23:51,329 --> 00:23:53,932 and is connected to the car's odometer. 464 00:23:54,032 --> 00:23:56,535 The driver places a paper disc 465 00:23:56,635 --> 00:23:58,370 with step-by-step directions 466 00:23:58,470 --> 00:24:00,939 from one pre-determined point to another 467 00:24:01,039 --> 00:24:02,774 on to the device. 468 00:24:02,874 --> 00:24:05,076 At the start of the journey, the driver reads 469 00:24:05,177 --> 00:24:08,113 the first set of directions from the disc. 470 00:24:08,213 --> 00:24:12,250 As the car motors along, the disc slowly rotates. 471 00:24:12,350 --> 00:24:15,020 At a certain point, after a specific number of miles 472 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:16,254 have been completed, 473 00:24:16,354 --> 00:24:18,023 an arrow on the device lines 474 00:24:18,123 --> 00:24:19,858 up with a new set of instructions 475 00:24:19,958 --> 00:24:21,960 that are printed on the disc. 476 00:24:22,060 --> 00:24:24,229 The driver then follows those directions, 477 00:24:24,329 --> 00:24:27,699 and so on, until he reaches his destination. 478 00:24:27,799 --> 00:24:29,935 Each disc is able to provide directions 479 00:24:30,035 --> 00:24:32,270 for a trip up to 100 miles. 480 00:24:32,370 --> 00:24:34,739 For longer journeys, the driver simply pops 481 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,542 in another paper disc. 482 00:24:37,642 --> 00:24:39,711 Jones thinks it's foolproof. 483 00:24:39,811 --> 00:24:41,480 Jones must have some inkling 484 00:24:41,580 --> 00:24:45,016 that he's really about to transform navigation. 485 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,490 WILDMAN: In 1912, Jones puts his device on the market 486 00:24:51,590 --> 00:24:54,626 for a whopping $75. 487 00:24:54,726 --> 00:24:59,130 Despite the high cost, drivers love it. 488 00:24:59,231 --> 00:25:03,001 For the first time, drivers had reliable navigation. 489 00:25:03,101 --> 00:25:05,537 WILDMAN: With no other device like it on the market, 490 00:25:05,637 --> 00:25:08,139 it seems that Jones will dominate navigation 491 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,575 on America's roads for years to come. 492 00:25:10,675 --> 00:25:12,711 Jones was ecstatic that his map 493 00:25:12,811 --> 00:25:14,479 was such a huge success. 494 00:25:16,848 --> 00:25:18,717 WILDMAN: But little does the inventor know, 495 00:25:18,817 --> 00:25:21,853 his device is about to lose its way. 496 00:25:27,893 --> 00:25:30,228 It's 1912 in New York. 497 00:25:30,328 --> 00:25:32,097 Inventor J.W. Jones 498 00:25:32,197 --> 00:25:36,067 has created something that will change automobiles forever -- 499 00:25:36,167 --> 00:25:38,703 a turn-by-turn navigation device 500 00:25:38,803 --> 00:25:42,474 that he calls the Jones Live Map. 501 00:25:42,574 --> 00:25:44,609 But Jones is about to hit a bump in the road 502 00:25:44,709 --> 00:25:46,645 that he never saw coming. 503 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,650 In the 1920s, city governments across the nation 504 00:25:51,750 --> 00:25:55,754 start to install road signs at intersections. 505 00:25:55,854 --> 00:25:59,791 In 1926, the federal government organizes America's roadways 506 00:25:59,891 --> 00:26:02,861 even further with a system of numbers. 507 00:26:02,961 --> 00:26:06,364 For drivers, these developments are a godsend, 508 00:26:06,464 --> 00:26:10,535 but for Jones and his live map, they're a disaster. 509 00:26:10,635 --> 00:26:13,271 Companies across the nation produce printed maps 510 00:26:13,371 --> 00:26:16,141 of the nation's highways and byways, 511 00:26:16,241 --> 00:26:17,876 and instead of paying top dollar 512 00:26:17,976 --> 00:26:20,378 for a complicated navigation device, 513 00:26:20,478 --> 00:26:24,983 motorists prefer the convenience and cheap price of paper maps. 514 00:26:25,083 --> 00:26:28,286 The Jones Live Map eventually became obsolete. 515 00:26:31,089 --> 00:26:34,559 WILDMAN: Jones has no choice but to shut down his business. 516 00:26:34,659 --> 00:26:36,394 But this is not the end of the road 517 00:26:36,494 --> 00:26:40,131 for the Jones Live Map. 518 00:26:40,231 --> 00:26:41,600 In the early 2000s, 519 00:26:41,700 --> 00:26:45,904 turn-by-turn navigation systems make an epic comeback. 520 00:26:46,004 --> 00:26:48,640 Using an array of 24 satellites known 521 00:26:48,740 --> 00:26:50,575 as the global positioning system, 522 00:26:50,675 --> 00:26:52,177 or G.P.S., 523 00:26:52,277 --> 00:26:55,447 a slew of digital devices hits the market, 524 00:26:55,547 --> 00:26:59,084 making paper maps virtually obsolete. 525 00:26:59,184 --> 00:27:02,554 The Jones Live Map was the precursor to the G.P.S. 526 00:27:02,654 --> 00:27:04,956 that we couldn't live without today. 527 00:27:05,056 --> 00:27:08,760 G.P.S.: Stay on route 76. 528 00:27:08,860 --> 00:27:10,428 WILDMAN: And this Jones Live Map 529 00:27:10,528 --> 00:27:13,365 on display at The Museum of Science and Industry 530 00:27:13,465 --> 00:27:14,699 allows a glimpse 531 00:27:14,799 --> 00:27:16,334 into the ingenious invention 532 00:27:16,434 --> 00:27:19,804 that was almost 100 years ahead of its time. 533 00:27:24,976 --> 00:27:27,178 Nashville, Tennessee. 534 00:27:27,278 --> 00:27:28,813 This Southern metropolis 535 00:27:28,913 --> 00:27:32,717 is home to a full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon, 536 00:27:32,817 --> 00:27:34,919 so it's only fitting that the city 537 00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:38,356 is nicknamed "the Athens of the South." 538 00:27:38,456 --> 00:27:40,959 And near the outskirts of town is an institution 539 00:27:41,059 --> 00:27:45,664 that celebrates a more modern slice of history -- 540 00:27:45,764 --> 00:27:47,565 the Lane Motor Museum. 541 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:52,404 Dedicated to the history of European sports vehicles, 542 00:27:52,504 --> 00:27:54,773 the museum's collection includes 543 00:27:54,873 --> 00:27:59,611 a coal-powered French Citroen from 1938... 544 00:27:59,711 --> 00:28:02,514 a 1932 propeller-driven automobile 545 00:28:02,614 --> 00:28:04,916 called the Helicron... 546 00:28:05,016 --> 00:28:06,317 and the Autocanoe, 547 00:28:06,418 --> 00:28:09,721 a pedal-powered amphibious vehicle from 2005. 548 00:28:12,957 --> 00:28:16,861 And parked among these unusual vehicles, 549 00:28:16,961 --> 00:28:19,364 one machine stands out. 550 00:28:19,464 --> 00:28:23,101 GRUNDHAUSER: It's about 70 inches long, stands about 30 inches high, 551 00:28:23,201 --> 00:28:25,336 and is only 30 inches wide. 552 00:28:25,437 --> 00:28:28,339 It's a sleek, clean white, and it has three wheels. 553 00:28:31,309 --> 00:28:33,945 WILDMAN: This trike recalls the tumultuous tale 554 00:28:34,045 --> 00:28:35,714 of a little-known inventor 555 00:28:35,814 --> 00:28:38,450 whose vision was way ahead of its time. 556 00:28:38,550 --> 00:28:41,686 GRUNDHAUSER: This vehicle tells the story of a man who was willing 557 00:28:41,786 --> 00:28:43,555 to put his reputation on the line 558 00:28:43,655 --> 00:28:45,890 to improve the lives of thousands. 559 00:28:52,130 --> 00:28:54,699 WILDMAN: It's the 1970s. 560 00:28:54,799 --> 00:28:57,368 The world is in the grip of a gas crisis. 561 00:28:57,469 --> 00:28:59,404 Political turmoil in the Middle East 562 00:28:59,504 --> 00:29:02,240 combined with increasing demand 563 00:29:02,340 --> 00:29:05,677 have caused prices at the pump to skyrocket. 564 00:29:05,777 --> 00:29:08,213 As a result, the heavy, gas-guzzling vehicles 565 00:29:08,313 --> 00:29:10,048 produced by the motor industry 566 00:29:10,148 --> 00:29:12,283 are becoming too expensive to operate, 567 00:29:12,383 --> 00:29:15,587 and the public is looking for an automotive answer. 568 00:29:15,687 --> 00:29:18,556 Something had to be done. 569 00:29:18,656 --> 00:29:22,060 WILDMAN: One man steps forward who thinks he can help -- 570 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,029 a 40-year-old British inventor and entrepreneur 571 00:29:25,130 --> 00:29:27,465 named Sir Clive Sinclair. 572 00:29:27,565 --> 00:29:30,935 Sinclair was a pioneer, a genius. 573 00:29:31,035 --> 00:29:34,239 He'd been inventing from a very young age. 574 00:29:34,339 --> 00:29:35,774 WILDMAN: After making a name for himself 575 00:29:35,874 --> 00:29:37,675 in the consumer-electronics industry, 576 00:29:37,776 --> 00:29:40,745 Sinclair believes he can use his expertise 577 00:29:40,845 --> 00:29:43,548 to wean the country off oil for good. 578 00:29:46,551 --> 00:29:50,255 One of Sinclair's passions was to make things smaller. 579 00:29:50,355 --> 00:29:52,257 He'd created a smaller calculator. 580 00:29:52,357 --> 00:29:54,292 He'd created a smaller television. 581 00:29:54,392 --> 00:29:57,395 The next logical step was a smaller vehicle. 582 00:29:57,495 --> 00:29:59,397 What Sinclair wanted was no less 583 00:29:59,497 --> 00:30:02,267 than a transportation revolution. 584 00:30:02,367 --> 00:30:06,171 WILDMAN: For years, Sinclair pours himself into the project. 585 00:30:06,271 --> 00:30:10,108 Then, in 1985, he makes a big announcement. 586 00:30:10,208 --> 00:30:13,278 He has created a three-wheeled vehicle that runs 587 00:30:13,378 --> 00:30:16,948 on a combination of pedal power and electricity. 588 00:30:17,048 --> 00:30:20,485 Its name -- the Sinclair C5, 589 00:30:20,585 --> 00:30:22,987 the same vehicle that is now on display 590 00:30:23,087 --> 00:30:24,722 at the Lane Motor Museum. 591 00:30:24,823 --> 00:30:27,091 GRUNDHAUSER: Sinclair's final design ended up being a mash-up 592 00:30:27,192 --> 00:30:29,060 of all sorts of different influences. 593 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,530 Over here, it's part bicycle. Over here, it's part car. 594 00:30:32,630 --> 00:30:36,634 All around, it's sort of a new, futuristic transportation pod. 595 00:30:39,404 --> 00:30:42,307 WILDMAN: It seems that the C5 will solve the problems 596 00:30:42,407 --> 00:30:46,444 posed by high gas prices in one fell swoop. 597 00:30:46,544 --> 00:30:49,681 Sinclair explains the key is the vehicle's battery, 598 00:30:49,781 --> 00:30:51,950 which can be charged at home. 599 00:30:52,050 --> 00:30:54,853 At the time, this was a hugely novel idea. 600 00:30:54,953 --> 00:30:58,323 You could just bring the C5 home and plug in the battery. 601 00:30:58,423 --> 00:30:59,958 You're ready to go. 602 00:31:02,393 --> 00:31:04,295 WILDMAN: In January 1985, 603 00:31:04,395 --> 00:31:06,865 Sinclair arranges for a public demonstration 604 00:31:06,965 --> 00:31:09,167 of the C5 in London. 605 00:31:09,267 --> 00:31:10,768 GRUNDHAUSER: Sinclair very much believed 606 00:31:10,869 --> 00:31:13,371 that the public would just be immediately on board 607 00:31:13,471 --> 00:31:14,772 the minute it was unveiled. 608 00:31:14,873 --> 00:31:17,308 WILDMAN: But the ingenious inventor has forgotten 609 00:31:17,408 --> 00:31:19,043 one important detail 610 00:31:19,143 --> 00:31:21,846 that will doom his novel vehicle. 611 00:31:21,946 --> 00:31:24,983 What fatal flaw will hit the brakes on the C5? 612 00:31:32,423 --> 00:31:36,227 It's January 1985 in England. 613 00:31:36,327 --> 00:31:38,997 An eccentric inventor named Clive Sinclair 614 00:31:39,097 --> 00:31:42,066 has come up with a groundbreaking electric vehicle 615 00:31:42,166 --> 00:31:45,436 that he claims will transform the way people travel. 616 00:31:45,536 --> 00:31:48,339 But this British entrepreneur has forgotten 617 00:31:48,439 --> 00:31:50,008 one important thing. 618 00:31:52,677 --> 00:31:54,712 On a frigid January morning, 619 00:31:54,812 --> 00:31:59,384 Sinclair brings several C5s to London's Alexandra Park 620 00:31:59,484 --> 00:32:02,687 and lets members of the press take them for a drive. 621 00:32:02,787 --> 00:32:06,157 He's sure he has a hit on his hands. 622 00:32:06,257 --> 00:32:08,693 But as soon as the demonstration begins, 623 00:32:08,793 --> 00:32:12,263 it's clear Sinclair has miscalculated. 624 00:32:12,363 --> 00:32:15,800 He's forgotten to factor in the notorious British weather. 625 00:32:18,536 --> 00:32:20,672 Not only does the car's open design 626 00:32:20,772 --> 00:32:24,642 expose its passengers to freezing temperatures, 627 00:32:24,742 --> 00:32:27,812 the batteries run down quickly in the cold. 628 00:32:27,912 --> 00:32:29,881 GRUNDHAUSER: The experience for the assembled press 629 00:32:29,981 --> 00:32:32,583 was almost uniformly negative. 630 00:32:32,684 --> 00:32:36,688 They looked at Sinclair's invention as a titanic folly. 631 00:32:39,757 --> 00:32:41,993 WILDMAN: Despite the tumultuous debut, 632 00:32:42,093 --> 00:32:45,697 Sinclair puts the C5s on the open market. 633 00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:47,598 He racks up a few sales, 634 00:32:47,699 --> 00:32:51,703 but the negative reviews continue to pour in. 635 00:32:51,803 --> 00:32:55,106 People complain that it leaves them exposed to the weather, 636 00:32:55,206 --> 00:32:57,642 and it also feels unsafe. 637 00:32:57,742 --> 00:33:00,545 The C5 was a lot of fun to drive, 638 00:33:00,645 --> 00:33:05,550 but the thought of taking it into traffic was pretty scary. 639 00:33:05,650 --> 00:33:07,819 WILDMAN: Others report that the open canopy 640 00:33:07,919 --> 00:33:10,955 lets in foul-smelling exhaust fumes. 641 00:33:11,055 --> 00:33:13,024 It put their faces directly level 642 00:33:13,124 --> 00:33:17,128 with the exhaust pipes of any standard-size vehicle. 643 00:33:17,228 --> 00:33:21,532 WILDMAN: Sinclair's venture is a total failure. 644 00:33:21,632 --> 00:33:24,435 Tragically, Sinclair had turned from a visionary 645 00:33:24,535 --> 00:33:26,137 into a laughingstock. 646 00:33:26,237 --> 00:33:28,106 Among the reviews, some described it 647 00:33:28,206 --> 00:33:30,541 as an aerodynamic bathtub 648 00:33:30,641 --> 00:33:34,012 and an oversized electric skateboard. 649 00:33:34,112 --> 00:33:36,514 It must have been devastating. 650 00:33:36,614 --> 00:33:40,852 WILDMAN: Sinclair's company is forced to file for bankruptcy. 651 00:33:40,952 --> 00:33:43,955 But while the C5 was a flop, his vision 652 00:33:44,055 --> 00:33:47,125 for clean, electric-powered automobiles lives on, 653 00:33:47,225 --> 00:33:51,462 from the Tesla Model S to the Chevy Volt. 654 00:33:51,562 --> 00:33:53,931 There are now more than 1 million electric cars 655 00:33:54,032 --> 00:33:55,133 on the road. 656 00:33:55,233 --> 00:33:57,535 Transportation is naturally growing towards 657 00:33:57,635 --> 00:33:59,370 Sinclair's vision. 658 00:33:59,470 --> 00:34:01,973 WILDMAN: As for Sinclair, he continues to develop 659 00:34:02,073 --> 00:34:03,941 other energy-saving vehicles. 660 00:34:06,310 --> 00:34:09,447 Today, this Sinclair C5 is on display 661 00:34:09,547 --> 00:34:13,117 at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. 662 00:34:13,217 --> 00:34:15,286 It recalls the forward-thinking inventor 663 00:34:15,386 --> 00:34:17,588 who charged ahead of his time. 664 00:34:21,759 --> 00:34:24,295 Alamogordo, New Mexico. 665 00:34:24,395 --> 00:34:28,466 This remote desert community is home to the other-worldly dunes 666 00:34:28,566 --> 00:34:30,902 of White Sands National Monument. 667 00:34:31,002 --> 00:34:34,072 But on the edge of town stands an institution 668 00:34:34,172 --> 00:34:38,276 documenting man's quest to reach another alien landscape -- 669 00:34:38,376 --> 00:34:40,912 the New Mexico Museum of Space History. 670 00:34:42,747 --> 00:34:46,551 Here visitors can see an AJ10 Delta rocket engine, 671 00:34:46,651 --> 00:34:50,354 an astronaut's portable life-support system, 672 00:34:50,455 --> 00:34:54,192 and a meteor-detecting satellite. 673 00:34:54,292 --> 00:34:56,194 But one device 674 00:34:56,294 --> 00:34:58,896 was intended to never leave the ground. 675 00:34:58,996 --> 00:35:02,100 The artifact is about 30 feet long, 676 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:05,369 about 10 feet wide, and about 7 feet tall. 677 00:35:05,470 --> 00:35:07,071 It's red, it's white, it's black. 678 00:35:07,171 --> 00:35:09,941 WILDMAN: The person who piloted this apparatus 679 00:35:10,041 --> 00:35:12,276 led some of the most groundbreaking 680 00:35:12,376 --> 00:35:15,513 and life-threatening experiments of the 20th Century. 681 00:35:15,613 --> 00:35:18,316 This is a man who repeatedly put his life on the line 682 00:35:18,416 --> 00:35:20,218 to help save the lives of others. 683 00:35:20,318 --> 00:35:23,988 WILDMAN: So, who drove this dangerous contraption, 684 00:35:24,088 --> 00:35:28,059 and how did it revolutionize the way Americans travel? 685 00:35:30,194 --> 00:35:35,600 December 1947 -- Muroc Army Airfield, California. 686 00:35:35,700 --> 00:35:40,037 Medical officer and biophysicist John Paul Stapp 687 00:35:40,138 --> 00:35:42,974 is staring down a high-octane challenge -- 688 00:35:43,074 --> 00:35:45,776 saving the lives of American jet pilots. 689 00:35:45,877 --> 00:35:49,313 New cutting-edge military aircraft 690 00:35:49,413 --> 00:35:53,618 are capable of traveling at upwards of 650 miles per hour, 691 00:35:53,718 --> 00:35:57,688 but if a pilot is forced to eject midair at that speed, 692 00:35:57,788 --> 00:36:01,492 the rapid force of deceleration ravages their body. 693 00:36:01,592 --> 00:36:03,394 ORWOLL: The common belief at the time 694 00:36:03,494 --> 00:36:06,731 was that the human body could not endure more than 18 Gs of force 695 00:36:06,831 --> 00:36:09,400 and that ejections at speeds above 600 miles an hour 696 00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:10,801 would be fatal. 697 00:36:10,902 --> 00:36:14,405 WILDMAN: Stapp suspects that with the proper equipment, 698 00:36:14,505 --> 00:36:17,942 pilots actually can withstand this force, 699 00:36:18,042 --> 00:36:20,178 so he and his team set about developing 700 00:36:20,278 --> 00:36:21,946 cutting-edge harnesses 701 00:36:22,046 --> 00:36:25,216 that will better brace pilots during ejection. 702 00:36:25,316 --> 00:36:30,121 To put their design to the test, they build a rocket-powered sled 703 00:36:30,221 --> 00:36:33,824 equipped with hydraulic brakes designed to run along a track. 704 00:36:33,925 --> 00:36:36,127 The rocket sled is a large metal structure that is 705 00:36:36,227 --> 00:36:39,564 attached via rails to a set of railroad ties, 706 00:36:39,664 --> 00:36:42,133 and then you're gonna attach rockets to the back of it, 707 00:36:42,233 --> 00:36:44,302 and you're gonna shoot it down those standard 708 00:36:44,402 --> 00:36:46,671 railway rails, so it can accelerate 709 00:36:46,771 --> 00:36:49,273 and then decelerate at very high speed. 710 00:36:49,373 --> 00:36:51,576 WILDMAN: After months of preparation, 711 00:36:51,676 --> 00:36:55,713 the team employs a dummy in initial trials. 712 00:36:55,813 --> 00:36:57,882 While results seem promising, 713 00:36:57,982 --> 00:37:00,251 the test conditions are less than ideal. 714 00:37:00,351 --> 00:37:02,887 ORWOLL: They needed to show what the results were 715 00:37:02,987 --> 00:37:04,722 of testing on the human body. 716 00:37:04,822 --> 00:37:07,558 WILDMAN: So, later that year, 717 00:37:07,658 --> 00:37:10,861 Stapp makes a stunning announcement. 718 00:37:10,962 --> 00:37:12,463 He was gonna be putting himself on the sled 719 00:37:12,563 --> 00:37:13,764 to be the test dummy. 720 00:37:13,864 --> 00:37:16,567 WILDMAN: While colleagues try to convince their leader 721 00:37:16,667 --> 00:37:19,403 to let someone else play human guinea pig, 722 00:37:19,503 --> 00:37:21,272 Stapp is steadfast. 723 00:37:21,372 --> 00:37:23,874 ORWOLL: Dr. Stapp knew that he needed a human 724 00:37:23,975 --> 00:37:26,811 test subject -- he also was the kind of individual 725 00:37:26,911 --> 00:37:29,180 who knew that he wanted to ride it first 726 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:31,549 before he asked somebody else to do it. 727 00:37:31,649 --> 00:37:35,953 If anything went wrong, the results could be fatal. 728 00:37:36,053 --> 00:37:38,522 WILDMAN: Stapp dons the protective harness, 729 00:37:38,623 --> 00:37:41,225 and his team watches anxiously. 730 00:37:42,660 --> 00:37:43,961 They ignite the rocket engines, 731 00:37:44,061 --> 00:37:46,764 sending their leader zooming down the track. 732 00:37:46,864 --> 00:37:48,899 The dead silence of the desert 733 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,168 was broken by a pretty loud roar 734 00:37:51,269 --> 00:37:54,071 as that rocket engine lit off on the back of the sled 735 00:37:54,171 --> 00:37:56,274 with Colonel Stapp sitting on it. 736 00:37:56,374 --> 00:37:59,844 WILDMAN: Then, they abruptly engage the brakes. 737 00:37:59,944 --> 00:38:02,446 To the team's great relief, 738 00:38:02,546 --> 00:38:05,016 Stapp has survived the sudden impact. 739 00:38:05,116 --> 00:38:08,419 ORWOLL: And he climbed off the sled unscathed 740 00:38:08,519 --> 00:38:09,520 and ready to do it again. 741 00:38:09,620 --> 00:38:11,188 WILDMAN: Tests reveal 742 00:38:11,289 --> 00:38:15,126 that Stapp endured a stunning 18 Gs of force, 743 00:38:15,226 --> 00:38:17,795 once thought to be the lethal limit. 744 00:38:17,895 --> 00:38:20,431 But the daredevil is not satisfied. 745 00:38:20,531 --> 00:38:22,500 To truly replicate the conditions 746 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:24,368 of ejecting from a jet, 747 00:38:24,468 --> 00:38:28,673 he must subject himself to even greater speeds and risks, 748 00:38:28,773 --> 00:38:32,310 and he'll need a more powerful vehicle to do it. 749 00:38:32,410 --> 00:38:35,813 For Dr. Stapp to be able to develop harnesses 750 00:38:35,913 --> 00:38:38,749 and cockpits that would be able to withstand the high G forces 751 00:38:38,849 --> 00:38:40,951 that might be experienced by a pilot traveling 752 00:38:41,052 --> 00:38:42,887 at 600 miles an hour, he was gonna need 753 00:38:42,987 --> 00:38:45,923 a whole new sled that could go a lot faster. 754 00:38:46,023 --> 00:38:49,193 WILDMAN: So, engineers at New Mexico's Holloman Air Force Base 755 00:38:49,293 --> 00:38:52,596 set about constructing a more powerful sled. 756 00:38:52,697 --> 00:38:53,864 The new model, 757 00:38:53,964 --> 00:38:57,301 on display at the New Mexico Museum of Space History, 758 00:38:57,401 --> 00:39:00,171 is dubbed Sonic Wind Number 1. 759 00:39:00,271 --> 00:39:05,142 It can reach the unprecedented speed of 650 miles an hour 760 00:39:05,242 --> 00:39:09,747 and decelerate to a dead stop in just over a second. 761 00:39:09,847 --> 00:39:11,782 Even if the harnesses hold up, 762 00:39:11,882 --> 00:39:15,486 no one knows whether the human body can withstand 763 00:39:15,586 --> 00:39:18,823 this potentially organ-crushing force. 764 00:39:18,923 --> 00:39:20,725 They thought that they might have a casualty, 765 00:39:20,825 --> 00:39:22,927 a potential death on the test track. 766 00:39:23,027 --> 00:39:26,931 WILDMAN: Can John Paul Stapp survive this terrifying run? 767 00:39:31,669 --> 00:39:35,005 It's 1954 in Alamogordo, New Mexico. 768 00:39:35,106 --> 00:39:38,676 In an attempt to understand the impact of high-speed forces 769 00:39:38,776 --> 00:39:40,811 on the human body, 770 00:39:40,911 --> 00:39:43,981 John Stapp is about to attempt the unthinkable -- 771 00:39:44,081 --> 00:39:46,517 he'll take off in a rocket-powered sled 772 00:39:46,617 --> 00:39:48,352 at unprecedented speeds, 773 00:39:48,452 --> 00:39:50,955 and then come to a screeching halt. 774 00:39:51,055 --> 00:39:54,058 So, will this human crash-test dummy survive 775 00:39:54,158 --> 00:39:56,227 this dangerous experiment? 776 00:39:58,429 --> 00:40:01,031 On the afternoon of December 10th, 777 00:40:01,132 --> 00:40:03,467 the countdown begins. 778 00:40:03,567 --> 00:40:08,239 When it reaches zero, the sled's nine rockets ignite. 779 00:40:08,339 --> 00:40:10,875 Stapp zooms down the track 780 00:40:10,975 --> 00:40:14,345 at a record-breaking 632 miles an hour. 781 00:40:14,445 --> 00:40:16,414 He was accelerated to a speed 782 00:40:16,514 --> 00:40:19,383 that exceeds that of a bullet coming out of a gun. 783 00:40:19,483 --> 00:40:23,287 WILDMAN: Just a moment later, the hydraulic brakes engage, 784 00:40:23,387 --> 00:40:27,458 and the sled instantly screams to a halt. 785 00:40:29,059 --> 00:40:30,928 When the smoke finally clears, 786 00:40:31,028 --> 00:40:34,031 colleagues race to the human crash-test dummy. 787 00:40:34,131 --> 00:40:37,034 The medics expected that there might be some grave injuries 788 00:40:37,134 --> 00:40:38,469 coming out of this sled run. 789 00:40:38,569 --> 00:40:42,373 WILDMAN: Yet it seems Stapp and the restraint system 790 00:40:42,473 --> 00:40:44,408 were indeed up to the test. 791 00:40:44,508 --> 00:40:46,911 Scientists later determine 792 00:40:47,011 --> 00:40:51,282 that he endured a staggering 40 Gs of force. 793 00:40:51,382 --> 00:40:53,150 The forces were so tremendous 794 00:40:53,250 --> 00:40:55,920 that he had to keep his eyes closed very tightly 795 00:40:56,020 --> 00:40:58,122 to keep his eyeballs essentially in his head. 796 00:40:58,222 --> 00:41:00,591 WILDMAN: Stapp's remarkable test 797 00:41:00,691 --> 00:41:05,563 proves supersonic jet pilots can eject safely. 798 00:41:05,663 --> 00:41:08,332 And soon, his team's restraint designs 799 00:41:08,432 --> 00:41:11,836 are implemented in military and civilian aircraft. 800 00:41:11,936 --> 00:41:13,671 It's not long 801 00:41:13,771 --> 00:41:17,208 before his research crosses over to the auto industry. 802 00:41:17,308 --> 00:41:19,310 In the 1960s, 803 00:41:19,410 --> 00:41:22,279 he helps perfect the three-point passenger safety belt 804 00:41:22,379 --> 00:41:24,515 and successfully leads the charge 805 00:41:24,615 --> 00:41:28,419 to make them mandatory in all U.S. cars. 806 00:41:28,519 --> 00:41:33,123 For anyone who gets around on planes, trains, and automobiles, 807 00:41:33,224 --> 00:41:36,160 the work of John Paul Stapp continues to resonate, 808 00:41:36,260 --> 00:41:38,429 and this rocket-powered sled 809 00:41:38,529 --> 00:41:41,732 at the New Mexico Museum of Space History 810 00:41:41,832 --> 00:41:43,801 reflects the courage of a researcher 811 00:41:43,901 --> 00:41:47,004 always willing to take the driver's seat. 812 00:41:48,572 --> 00:41:50,307 From a musical revolution 813 00:41:50,407 --> 00:41:52,843 to an electric tricycle. 814 00:41:52,943 --> 00:41:55,079 A human crash test dummy 815 00:41:55,179 --> 00:41:57,348 to Space Age fashions. 816 00:41:57,448 --> 00:41:59,884 I'm Don Wildman, and these are 817 00:41:59,984 --> 00:42:01,318 the mysteries at the museum.