The Earliest Alarm Clocks | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 20, 2025)
About this episode
How did people wake up on time before smartphones or alarm clocks? Gordy explores the ingenious—and sometimes bizarre—solutions humans used to get out of bed. From ancient water clocks that dripped their way to morning gongs, to the medieval church bells that served as the neighborhood alarm, and even Industrial Revolution knocker-uppers who literally knocked on windows with sticks, history proves we’ve always struggled with mornings. Don’t miss the story of the candle alarm, where a nail dropped onto a plate as the candle burned down.
Discover how the first mechanical alarm clocks were reserved for the wealthy and how mass production finally brought alarms to the masses. You'll never think of your phone alarm the same way again!
Sources:
Dohrn-van Rossum, G. History of the Hour: Clocks and Modern Temporal Orders. University of Chicago Press.
Bedini, S. A. The Life of Clocks: From Ancient Timekeeping to Modern Chronometry. Horological Society of America.
National Trust (n.d.). The Role of the Knocker-Up in the Industrial Revolution. Retrieved from nationaltrust.org.uk
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