This Day Willis Carrier Invents Air Conditioning (1902)
Jul 17, 2025
On July 17, 1902, Willis Carrier, amidst a brutal heatwave, unveiled air conditioning while cooling down printing machinery. This invention revolutionized urban development and boosted political productivity. The podcast explores historical cooling methods, from ice storage to ventilation, and how Carrier's innovation reshaped architectural designs, especially in the South. It also highlights the cultural impacts of air conditioning on American life, while reflecting on its ironic relationship with climate change and its unforeseen environmental consequences.
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Carrier's Humidity Solution
- Willis Carrier invented air conditioning in 1902 to solve humidity problems in printing machinery.
- His system controlled humidity by forcing air over chilled coils, which cooled and dried the air.
AC Fuels Government Productivity
- Air conditioning boosted political productivity by enabling year-round sessions in Washington, D.C.
- Comfortable conditions increased legislative output by roughly 24%.
AC Drives Southern Expansion
- Air conditioning enabled the South and Southwest U.S. to expand economically and residentially.
- This technology made living in hot climates more feasible, shifting population and development.
