EPISODE · Jun 29, 2026 · 21 MIN
Why NASA Still Uses Feet and Inches (And Why America Never Will Switch)
from Elsewhere · host Tyler Cooper
The US government officially adopted the metric system in 1975. NASA uses it exclusively. So why are Americans still measuring everything in feet and pounds? Tyler Cooper breaks down the bizarre mix of historical accidents, cultural stubbornness, and cold hard economics that keeps America stuck in the imperial system while the rest of the world moved on decades ago. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How King Henry I's actual foot became the standard measurement that America still uses today • Why converting US road signs alone would cost taxpayers $370 million (and that's just the beginning) • The $125 million NASA mistake that finally forced them to go metric in 1990 • What happened when other countries tried to switch and why some failed spectacularly 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners who love understanding why the world works the way it does, plus anyone who's ever wondered why Americans are so stubborn about measurements. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Tyler Cooper explains why your foot isn't actually a foot [01:45] The 1975 law that made America officially metric (spoiler: it didn't work) [03:30] How much it would actually cost to convert everything [05:15] The Mars probe that crashed because of inches and centimeters [07:00] Why Britain switched back to miles after going metric [09:30] What this means for America's future (hint: we're not changing) 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Elsewhere on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: imperial system, metric conversion, NASA measurements, American culture, measurement history --- Keywords: world events podcast, international relations, explainer podcast, political commentary, global politics, world politics, foreign policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
The US government officially adopted the metric system in 1975. NASA uses it exclusively. So why are Americans still measuring everything in feet and pounds? Tyler Cooper breaks down the bizarre mix of historical accidents, cultural stubbornness, and cold hard economics that keeps America stuck in the imperial system while the rest of the world moved on decades ago. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How King Henry I's actual foot became the standard measurement that America still uses today • Why converting US road signs alone would cost taxpayers $370 million (and that's just the beginning) • The $125 million NASA mistake that finally forced them to go metric in 1990 • What happened when other countries tried to switch and why some failed spectacularly 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners who love understanding why the world works the way it does, plus anyone who's ever wondered why Americans are so stubborn about measurements. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Tyler Cooper explains why your foot isn't actually a foot [01:45] The 1975 law that made America officially metric (spoiler: it didn't work) [03:30] How much it would actually cost to convert everything [05:15] The Mars probe that crashed because of inches and centimeters [07:00] Why Britain switched back to miles after going metric [09:30] What this means for America's future (hint: we're not changing) 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Elsewhere on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: imperial system, metric conversion, NASA measurements, American culture, measurement history --- Keywords: world events podcast, international relations, explainer podcast, political commentary, global politics, world politics, foreign policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Why NASA Still Uses Feet and Inches (And Why America Never Will Switch)
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