[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.65,0:00:08.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What does the French Revolution
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.42,0:00:14.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have to do with the time NASA accidentally\Ncrashed a $200 million orbiter
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.46,0:00:17.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into the surface of Mars?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.45,0:00:19.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Actually, everything.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.78,0:00:21.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That crash happened due to an error
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.62,0:00:24.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in converting between \Ntwo measurement systems,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.66,0:00:26.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,U.S. customary units
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.16,0:00:29.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and their S.I, or metric, equivalence.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.32,0:00:31.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what's the connection to\Nthe French Revolution?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.94,0:00:33.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's explain.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.45,0:00:35.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For the majority of recorded \Nhuman history,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.67,0:00:40.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,units like the weight of a grain\Nor the length of a hand weren't exact
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.49,0:00:42.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and varied from place to place.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.69,0:00:45.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And different regions didn't just use\Nvarying measurements.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.68,0:00:49.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They had completely different \Nnumber systems as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.17,0:00:52.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the late Middle Ages,\Nthe Hindu-Arabic decimal system
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.30,0:00:56.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mostly replaced Roman numerals \Nand fractions in Europe,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.77,0:01:01.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but efforts by scholars like John Wilkins\Nto promote standard decimal-based measures
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.59,0:01:03.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were less successful.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.38,0:01:06.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With a quarter million different units\Nin France alone,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.68,0:01:11.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,any widespread change would require\Nmassive disruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.26,0:01:14.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in 1789, that disruption came.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.84,0:01:19.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The leaders of the French Revolution\Ndidn't just overthrow the monarchy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.26,0:01:22.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They sought to completely \Ntransform society
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.22,0:01:25.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,according to the rational principles\Nof the Enlightenment.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.70,0:01:27.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When the new government took power,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.34,0:01:32.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Academy of Sciences convened\Nto reform the system of measurements.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.57,0:01:37.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Old standards based on arbitrary authority\Nor local traditions
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.10,0:01:41.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were replaced with mathematical\Nand natural relationships.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.34,0:01:44.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, the meter,\Nfrom the Greek word for measure,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.70,0:01:49.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was defined as 1/10,000,000\Nbetween the Equator and North Pole.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.85,0:01:53.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the new metric system was,\Nin the words of the Marquis de Condorcet,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.96,0:01:57.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"For all people, for all time."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.85,0:02:00.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Standardizing measurements\Nhad political advantages
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.66,0:02:03.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the Revolutionaries as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.04,0:02:08.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nobles could no longer manipulate local\Nunits to extract more rent from commoners,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.28,0:02:12.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while the government could collect\Ntaxes more efficiently.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.05,0:02:15.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And switching to a new Republican Calendar\Nwith ten-day weeks
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.62,0:02:20.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,reduced church power \Nby eliminating Sundays.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.06,0:02:22.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Adoption of this new system wasn't easy.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.80,0:02:25.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, it was a bit of a mess.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.12,0:02:29.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At first, people used new units\Nalongside old ones,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.02,0:02:32.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the Republican Calendar \Nwas eventually abandoned.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.72,0:02:34.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Napoléon Bonaparte took power,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.49,0:02:38.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he allowed small businesses \Nto use traditional measurements
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.02,0:02:40.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,redefined in metric terms.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.26,0:02:43.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the metric system remained standard\Nfor formal use,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.69,0:02:48.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it spread across the continent,\Nalong with France's borders.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.08,0:02:50.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While Napoléon's empire \Nlasted eight years,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.81,0:02:53.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,its legacy endured far longer.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.78,0:02:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some European countries reverted\Nto old measurements upon independence.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.28,0:03:01.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Others realized the value \Nof standardization
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.07,0:03:03.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in an age of international trade.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.84,0:03:08.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After Portugal and the Netherlands\Nswitched to metric voluntarily,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.04,0:03:09.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,other nations followed,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.96,0:03:14.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with colonial empires spreading the system\Naround the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.33,0:03:15.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As France's main rival,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.82,0:03:21.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Britain had resisted revolutionary ideas\Nand retained its traditional units.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.30,0:03:25.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But over the next two centuries,\Nthe British Empire slowly transitioned,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.60,0:03:28.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,first approving the metric system\Nas an optional alternative
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.87,0:03:31.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before gradually making it offical.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.43,0:03:35.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, this switch came too late\Nfor thirteen former colonies
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.64,0:03:38.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that had already gained independence.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.29,0:03:42.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The United States of America stuck with\Nthe English units of its colonial past
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.95,0:03:45.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and today remains one \Nof only three countries
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.73,0:03:48.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which haven't fully embraced \Nthe metric system.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.68,0:03:51.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Despite constant initiatives \Nfor metrication,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.54,0:03:56.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,many Americans consider units like feet\Nand pounds more intuitive.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.51,0:04:00.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And ironically, some regard the once\Nrevolutionary metric system
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.33,0:04:03.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a symbol of global conformity.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.51,0:04:09.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nevertheless, the metric system is almost\Nuniversally used in science and medicine,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.65,0:04:13.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it continues to evolve according\Nto its original principles.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.85,0:04:14.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For a long time,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.95,0:04:19.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,standard units were actually defined by \Ncarefully maintained physical prototypes.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.51,0:04:22.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But thanks to improving technology\Nand precision,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.61,0:04:26.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these objects with limited access\Nand unreliable longevity
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.90,0:04:31.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are now being replaced with standards\Nbased on universal constants,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.43,0:04:33.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like the speed of light.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.91,0:04:37.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Consistent measurements are such\Nan integral part of our daily lives
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.52,0:04:42.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that it's hard to appreciate what a major\Naccomplishment for humanity they've been.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.94,0:04:45.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And just as it arose \Nfrom a political revolution,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.88,0:04:50.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the metric remains crucial for \Nthe scientific revolutions to come.