PodParley PodParley
PodParley
Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 8, 2025 · 36 MIN

Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System?

from Ridiculous History · host iHeartPodcasts

Why is the United States so culturally opposed to the metric system? According to a popular legend, this conundrum dates back to the late 1700s, when a French polymath named Joseph Dombey sailed to Thomas Jefferson with two crucial artifacts: a rod measuring exactly one meter, and a copper cylinder weighing one kilogram, set to bring the new nation a system of rational measurement. As the story goes, British privateers waylaid Dombey. Stole his artifacts, unsuccessfully ransomed him, and the poor nerd died in captivity without ever meeting Jefferson. As a result, the US remains metric-shy in the modern day. However: this legend, based in fact, may not be the story entire. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the Ridiculous History of our country's long-standing aversion to a genuinely good idea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NOW PLAYING

Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System?

0:00 36:40

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

A Ghost Song for Christmas Episode 1

Dec 24, 2024 ·48m

SPOTIFY EDITION: HtDC Episode 09

Nov 16, 2024 ·23m

SPOTIFY EDITION: HtDC Episode 11

Oct 27, 2024 ·41m

SPOTIFY EDITION: HtDC Chapter 10

Oct 27, 2024 ·26m

SPOTIFY EDITION: HtDC Episode 08

Oct 27, 2024 ·37m

SPOTIFY EDITION: HtDC Episode 07

Oct 27, 2024 ·35m

Similar Podcasts

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene (Full Audiobook) Robert Greene Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature.In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum.Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in t The Laura Ingraham Show Laura Ingraham The most-watched woman in the history of cable news brings her no-holds-barred political and cultural commentary to podcasting with The Laura Ingraham Show. A bestselling author, breast cancer survivor, and mother of three internationally adopted children, Laura was the most listened-to woman in talk radio before launching her own podcast. A trailblazer across media platforms, she brings a unique perspective to this twice-weekly show, drawing on her experience as a white-collar criminal defense litigator and a Supreme Court law clerk.New episodes drop twice a week—delivering the clarity, courage, and common sense America needs. Vampires of the Paper Flower Consortium Elizabeth Guizzetti Come for the evening, stay for eternity! Paper Flower Consortium is a podcast from the largest vampire coven in Seattle. Their stories are told by Loretta Fabron Onfoy, coven historian and librarian, in the hope that the modern vampire's way of life is not lost during the next great language transformation. Some tales in this anthology are horrific, some are droll, some are filled with misadventure--just like any eternal existence. Episodes sponsored by the Paper Flower Consortium's Business Community. The history is followed by questions from curious initiates. Want to ask Lady Loretta a question about vampirism? Have a topic you want to see discussed? Email [email protected] WW2 - the Key Questions, answered by Laurence Rees. Laurence Rees A former Head of BBC TV History programmes, Laurence has specialized in writing books and making television documentaries about World War Two, the Nazis and Stalinism for thirty years. He won a BAFTA and a Peabody for his TV series 'The Nazis: A Warning from History' and a British Book Award for his book on Auschwitz, which is also the world's best selling book on this notorious camp. His book 'the Holocaust: A New History' was described by the Times as 'exemplary' and by the Daily Telegraph as 'the best single volume account of the atrocity ever written'. Educated at Oxford University, for several years he was a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics, London University. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sheffield and the Open University. Professor Robert Service, of Oxford University, described Rees as 'one of the world's experts on the Second World War'. Sir Max Hastings wrote in the Sunday Times, in a review of Laurence Rees' 'World War Two: Behi

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Ridiculous History?

This episode is 36 minutes long.

When was this Ridiculous History episode published?

This episode was published on May 8, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Why is the United States so culturally opposed to the metric system? According to a popular legend, this conundrum dates back to the late 1700s, when a French polymath named Joseph Dombey sailed to Thomas Jefferson with two crucial artifacts: a rod...

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Ridiculous History episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!