Lateral with Tom Scott cover image

38: Edward's buried paint

Lateral with Tom Scott

00:00

How to Use Drums to Find People

In 1683, tax collectors in Vienna used drums and dried peas to pick up sounds underground. They were trying to find people whose locations they didn't know. The sound was a warning of enemies tunneling into the city. Adam Smith: "It's worth trying to maybe figure out what musical instruments could be useful when you're underground"

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