![A Whale-Oiled Machine 99% Invisible A Whale-Oiled Machine](https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/96792a27-13c3-40ce-b933-36bdb43a299e/54c9f8d8-80d8-425d-a3f3-751478db2e52/3000x3000/cover-99percentinvisible-3000x3000-r2021-final.jpg?aid=rss_feed)
A Whale-Oiled Machine
אודות הפרק
Back when whale oil was mainly used as a fuel to burn in lanterns and streetlights, an enterprising man named William F. Nye found a new way to sell whale oil to a rapidly changing world: as a lubricant for all the new fangled machines. Nye specialized in specialization- selling different oils for watches, sewing machines, bicycles. Lubrication has had a largely invisible role in the design of the modern world, but its importance cannot be overstated.
Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.