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Home > Ridiculous History > Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System?
Podcast: Ridiculous History
Episode:

Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System?
Category: Society & Culture
Duration: 00:36:40
Publish Date: 2025-05-08 15:59:41
Description:

Why is the United States so culturally opposed to the metric system? According to a popular legend, this conundrum dates back to the late 1700s, when a French polymath named Joseph Dombey sailed to Thomas Jefferson with two crucial artifacts: a rod measuring exactly one meter, and a copper cylinder weighing one kilogram, set to bring the new nation a system of rational measurement. As the story goes, British privateers waylaid Dombey. Stole his artifacts, unsuccessfully ransomed him, and the poor nerd died in captivity without ever meeting Jefferson. As a result, the US remains metric-shy in the modern day. However: this legend, based in fact, may not be the story entire. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the Ridiculous History of our country's long-standing aversion to a genuinely good idea.

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