Tom Scott | Britain once forgot how long an inch is @TomScottGo | Uploaded 4 years ago | Updated 24 seconds ago
In 1834, Parliament burned down, and the Standards of Measurement were melted or destroyed. So when there's no agreed-upon standard for length: how do you fix it? Also: how you can still publicly check the length of your sandwich.
Filmed safely: tomscott.com/safe
There's a correction to this video: the fraction on screen at 00:49 should be 1/299792458. Looks like I copied and pasted an extra 1 and didn't realise it. Apologies. You can see all the corrections for this channel at tomscott.com/corrections
Story research by Jess Jewell
SOURCES:
Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Consider the Steps to Be Taken for Restoration of the Standards of Weight and Measure, 1841, books.google.co.uk/books?id=4xVSAAAAcAAJ
A Collection of the General Public Statutes, 1855, books.google.co.uk/books?id=UDCaqwCgBKcC
🟥 MORE FROM TOM: tomscott.com
(you can find contact details and social links there too)
📰 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER with good stuff from the rest of the internet: tomscott.com/newsletter
❓ LATERAL, free weekly podcast: lateralcast.com youtube.com/lateralcast
➕ TOM SCOTT PLUS: youtube.com/tomscottplus
👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: youtube.com/techdif
In 1834, Parliament burned down, and the Standards of Measurement were melted or destroyed. So when there's no agreed-upon standard for length: how do you fix it? Also: how you can still publicly check the length of your sandwich.
Filmed safely: tomscott.com/safe
There's a correction to this video: the fraction on screen at 00:49 should be 1/299792458. Looks like I copied and pasted an extra 1 and didn't realise it. Apologies. You can see all the corrections for this channel at tomscott.com/corrections
Story research by Jess Jewell
SOURCES:
Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Consider the Steps to Be Taken for Restoration of the Standards of Weight and Measure, 1841, books.google.co.uk/books?id=4xVSAAAAcAAJ
A Collection of the General Public Statutes, 1855, books.google.co.uk/books?id=UDCaqwCgBKcC
🟥 MORE FROM TOM: tomscott.com
(you can find contact details and social links there too)
📰 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER with good stuff from the rest of the internet: tomscott.com/newsletter
❓ LATERAL, free weekly podcast: lateralcast.com youtube.com/lateralcast
➕ TOM SCOTT PLUS: youtube.com/tomscottplus
👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: youtube.com/techdif