How did they invent the refrigerator? episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 24, 2026 · 12 MIN

How did they invent the refrigerator?

from History for Kids / History's Not Boring: The Kids History Podcast · host SCL

Can you imagine a scorching hot summer day with no cold drinks or frozen ice cream? It sounds like a total nightmare! But before refrigerators were invented, keeping things cold was an incredible, globe-trotting adventure! Join Mira and Finn as they uncover the wild history of how humans learned to freeze things. Did you know President George Washington loved ice cream so much that he spent the equivalent of five thousand dollars on it in just one summer?! You'll find out how people used to dig massive holes in the ground called ice houses and saw giant blocks of ice out of frozen winter lakes just to save it for July! Meet Frederic Tudor, the stubborn "Ice King" who shipped massive blocks of ice halfway across the world packed in thick sawdust! Plus, discover the amazing Florida doctor, John Gorrie, who invented a giant, clunky ice-making machine to help cure sick people, creating a brilliant invisible cold waterfall! From running behind horse-drawn ice wagons to the loud, shaky motors of the very first kitchen fridges, this chilling episode is guaranteed to blow your mind. Stay cool and tune in!

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 24, 2026

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Can you imagine a scorching hot summer day with no cold drinks or frozen ice cream? It sounds like a total nightmare! But before refrigerators were invented, keeping things cold was an incredible, globe-trotting adventure! Join Mira and Finn as they uncover the wild history of how humans learned to freeze things. Did you know President George Washington loved ice cream so much that he spent the equivalent of five thousand dollars on it in just one summer?! You'll find out how people used to d...

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How did they invent the refrigerator?

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This episode is 12 minutes long.

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This episode was published on August 24, 2026.

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