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How Pirates Thwarted America’s Plan to Go Metric (psnaudus.medium.com)

submitted 1 year ago by CaspianXI@lemmy.world to c/mildlyinteresting@lemmy.world

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In the late 1700s, Thomas Jefferson wanted the United States to adopt a unified system of measurement and saw the metric system as the best solution. However, a pirate attack in the Caribbean disrupted these plans. Joseph Dombey, a French scientist carrying a kilogram and meter stick to demonstrate the metric system, was captured by pirates. By the time France sent another scientist to explain the system to the Americans, Jefferson was no longer in office, and plans to go metric were disregarded.

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[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 78 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That son of a bitch pirate has no idea how much of a pain in the ass he ended up being

[–] 001100010010@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

But if the plan had suceeded, it could've lead to a butterfly effect where none of us are ever born.

[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Or it could’ve led to a butterfly effect where measurements were much easier to understand and as a result scientific and engineering progress moved along a bit faster

Maybe both; maybe that resulted in like a huge bomb that destroyed the world. Or maybe it resulted in utopia where we figure out eternal life and cured all disease

[–] amir_s89@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Also that NASA's scientists with many suppliers would have performed their tasks and intended with quality, following through schedules. Through a handful of projects. Meaning that some space missions would not have failed. Those outcomes could have made us living and work on the Moon by now. (Maybe).

Great historic trivia. Have always wondered why the US had chosen their system. Still never to late to change over.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

But we wouldn't be aware of that fact, so it wouldn't be that big a deal.