The Weird History of Air Conditioners
The eccentric past of the humble air conditioner
Picture yourself lounging on a sun-kissed afternoon in July, without the comforting hum of your air conditioner in the background.
Sounds like a nightmare, right?
As we fend off sweltering summer days with our trusty cooling units, it’s intriguing to delve into the quirky timeline of how we arrived at these climate-controlled havens. Let’s begin our fascinating journey through the evolution of air conditioning.
Aqueducts and Snow Mountains: Ancient Innovations
In the balmy realms of ancient Rome, the first wave of cooling innovation rippled through society.
Affluent Romans used their ingenious aqueduct system to circulate cold water within their home walls! Things went a step further when Emperor Elagabalus decided to import mountains of snow via hardworking donkey trains, building huge piles of snow right outside his doorstep.
However, not everyone was on board with this chilly innovation. Stoic philosopher Seneca scoffed at those who used such means to keep cool instead of enduring the heat like a true Roman.
