Adventures in Research 43-02-02 For the Little World

Summary

Podcast Summary: Adventures in Research 43-02-02 For the Little World

Title: Adventures in Research 43-02-02 For the Little World
Release Date: April 24, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Narrator: Paul Shannon
Produced in Cooperation with: Westinghouse Research Laboratories

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Introduction

In this captivating episode of Adventures in Research, narrator Paul Shannon delves into the pioneering efforts of Andre Garnerin, the man who perfected the first practical parachute. Set against the backdrop of early 19th-century ballooning, the story highlights Garnerin's innovative spirit and his determination to conquer the fears associated with falling from great heights.

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Andre Garnerin’s Vision

The episode opens with Paul Shannon drawing listeners into the world of Andre Garnerin, a visionary determined to mitigate the dangers of falling from balloons. Garnerin's inspiration sparks during a visit to his physician's office in the late 1700s, where an ankle injury from a balloon mishap propels him to devise a safety mechanism.

• [00:12] Paul Shannon: "Adventures in research. Did you ever have one of those unpleasant nightmares in which you dream you're falling through space..."

Dialogue Highlights:

• [01:25] Doctor: "Andre, every time physicians find a new way to keep a man alive, man invents some new way to kill himself."
  This exchange underscores Garnerin's relentless pursuit, even in the face of skepticism.

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Dr. Lenormand’s Failed Attempt

Garnerin's enthusiasm is further fueled by the story of Dr. Lenormand, a fellow inventor whose attempt to create a life-saving parachute ends disastrously. Dr. Lenormand's experiment, intended to rescue people from burning buildings, involves a parasol-like device that ultimately fails, serving as a cautionary tale for Garnerin.

• [03:15] Doctor: "It is a way of rescuing people from the upper stories of a burning building... a special kind of parasol..."
  [05:50] Mr. Glossette: "He will be dashed to bits."
  These exchanges highlight the risks and challenges faced by early parachute experiments.

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Garnerin’s Parachute Design and Preparation

Undeterred by previous failures, Garnerin meticulously designs his parachute, drawing inspiration from both contemporary and historical concepts. His design features an inverted cup shape, measuring 23 feet in diameter, and includes a crucial air vent to regulate descent speed.

• [08:43] Andre Garnerin: "At the top of the canopy, I want a small hole for air to escape."
  This innovative feature addresses the issue of parachute oscillation, showcasing Garnerin's foresight.

Garnerin collaborates with Tailor Glodget to construct the parachute, demonstrating the interdisciplinary effort required for such an ambitious project.

• [07:20] Tailor Glodget: "You're wise to come to Glodget, sir... I want 870 square feet of silk."
  [07:43] Andre Garnerin: "It is not for a shirt. I want you to sew a parachute."
  These lines emphasize the precision and scale of Garnerin's preparation.

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The Ascent and Challenges

On the day of the ascent, a large crowd gathers in London to witness Garnerin's daring experiment. As he ascends to 8,000 feet, the initial thrill quickly turns into peril as the parachute begins to swing uncontrollably due to the lack of an air vent.

• [09:23] Tailor Glodget: "That's what the balloon's gonna do. Gonna let himself out of the balloon."
  [10:19] Paul Shannon: "The basket in which Garner is riding begins to swing back and forth..."
  These moments capture the tension and uncertainty of the experiment.

Garnerin's quick thinking to throw ballast from his pockets helps moderate the descent, but the absence of the air vent causes severe oscillation, testing his endurance and composure.

• [11:07] Paul Shannon: "Garner is almost unconscious from the severe oscillation of the parachute..."
  [11:26] Tailor Glodget: "If he lands when it swings like that, he'll be sliced to bits, he will."

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Successful Landing and Impact

Despite the harrowing experience, Andre Garnerin successfully lands after falling 8,000 feet. His safe descent, although marked by discomfort and near-criticism, proves the viability of his parachute design. This achievement not only validates his efforts but also paves the way for future advancements in parachuting technology.

• [11:34] Paul Shannon: "Garner is ill and wobbly from the dizzy swinging, but he lands safely."
  [11:53] Andre Garnerin: "I would like to rest a bit... I feel rather dizzy."
  These quotes illustrate Garnerin's vulnerability and the triumphant resolution of his experiment.

Tailor Glodget and Mr. Glossette’s reactions reflect the mixed sentiments of the time, balancing skepticism with admiration for Garnerin’s bravery.

• [12:02] Paul Shannon: "And so Garner rode through space on a silken parachute... the first man to leap from a balloon and fall 8,000ft through space and suffer no harm."
  [12:46] Tailor Glodget: "It."

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Conclusion

Paul Shannon concludes the episode by highlighting the significance of Andre Garnerin’s successful parachute experiment. Despite initial setbacks and design challenges, Garnerin's perseverance led to a breakthrough that would influence aerial safety for years to come. His journey from a sprained ankle to a pioneering parachute inventor exemplifies the spirit of innovation and resilience.

• [12:46] Paul Shannon: "Man, having conquered the skies, now conquered the journey back to earth, thanks to Andre Garnerin..."

The episode serves as an inspiring testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of overcoming natural fears through scientific advancement.

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Notable Quotes:

• [00:12] Paul Shannon: "The fear of falling is one of mankind's few really basic phobias."
• [08:43] Andre Garnerin: "At the top of the canopy, I want a small hole for air to escape."
• [12:46] Paul Shannon: "Man, having conquered the skies, now conquered the journey back to earth, thanks to Andre Garnerin."

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This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions of the episode, providing an engaging and comprehensive overview for listeners and enthusiasts alike.

Transcript

[Paul Shannon]

Adventures in research. Did you ever have one of those unpleasant nightmares in which you dream you're falling through space, hurtling earthward with nothing to stop you to, then wake up with welcome relief? The fear of falling is one of mankind's few really basic phobias. But there was a man who took much of the danger out of falling. His name was Andre Garnerin, and he fell 8,000ft through space to prove his idea of a piece of sil. This is Paul Shannon bringing you another transcribed story of science, produced as a public service in cooperation with the Westinghouse research Laboratories, and today telling you the story of Andre Garneran, the man who perfected the first parachute. The idea first came to him in his physician's office in the late 1700s.

[Doctor]

There, there, Andrew. That should do it. If you're careful about not putting your weight on your ankle for a while.

[Andre Garnerin]

It feels much better. Doctor, how long do you think it will take my ankle to man?

[Doctor]

Oh, now, not so fast, Andre. You have a nasty sprain there, and I suggest you keep to the ground for quite a while.

[Andre Garnerin]

But, doctor, I intend to make a balloon ascension.

[Mr. Glossette]

Aha.

[Doctor]

As I suspected, you and those insane balloons, that's how you sprained your ankle in the first place.

[Andre Garnerin]

It was no one's fault but my own. If we'd gotten rid of the ballast more quickly, we wouldn't have landed with such a job.

[Doctor]

Ah, Andre, every time physicians find a new way to keep a man alive, man invents some new way to kill himself.

[Andre Garnerin]

If you had ever been up in a balloon, doctor, you'd realize the wonder of it. You'd see why I feel so strongly about. Hey, now there's a thought. Why don't you take an ascent with me the next time? Oh.

[Doctor]

Aha. What did I tell you about keeping the weight off that ankle? Thank you for the invitation, my friend, but I am not foolish enough to risk my neck. I have a higher regard for my life, not like some doctors I could mention.

[Andre Garnerin]

Who is that?

[Doctor]

Oh, that fool Lenormand. Have you heard of him?

[Andre Garnerin]

Lenormand? Dr. Lenormand? No, I do not believe.

[Doctor]

Well, I went to medical school with him. Even then he was a dreamer. I thought he would outgrow it. But like yourself, he seems to want to risk his neck in some foolhardy adventure.

[Andre Garnerin]

He is a balloonist?

[Doctor]

Oh, no, no, no. He is inventing a method for saving lives in a fire. Oh, a worthy purpose, I grant you. But the way Lena Mon is going about it all, letting his practice wither While he experiments around with this idiotic idea.

[Andre Garnerin]

Just what is this idea?

[Doctor]

Well, as he explains it to me, it is a way of rescuing people from the upper stories of a burning building. He told me, as sane as you please, that he is devising a parasol of some kind so people can le earth without injury.

[Paul Shannon]

A parcel.

[Doctor]

Well, a special kind of parasol, to hear him tell it. A piece of cloth which would be shaped like a cone upside down. The air would fill out this cone and hold the cloth aloft, so the descent to the ground would be gradual. Mind you, now I am only saying what Lenormand told me.

[Andre Garnerin]

The air would fill out the cloth and keep the person suspended. Suspended beneath it, so he wouldn't be dashed to the ground.

[Doctor]

Well, as I say, it is one thing to talk of such foolishness and another thing to try it.

[Andre Garnerin]

Try it? Does it work?

[Doctor]

That is what Lenormand intends to find out. He intends to jump from the top of the Montpelier Observatory tower, putting his faith in a little piece of cloth. Why, he will be dashed to bits.

[Andre Garnerin]

A piece of cloth. It just might work. I. I must see Dr. Lenormand at once.

[Doctor]

And I hope you can talk him out of it, Andre.

[Andre Garnerin]

Talk him out of it? Why, it's the most amazing thing I've ever heard of. Talk him out of it. I will use this idea in ballooning.

[Paul Shannon]

Andre Garner saw in the Idea a great aid for balloonists. He was there in the crowd when Dr. Lenormand took his amazing leap from the observatory roof with a piece of oil silk, 14ft in diameter. Well, strapped to his person. He jumped and surprisingly enough, landed safely. Nothing came of the idea as a fire saving apparatus. But the remarkable leap gave more fuel to the idea in Garneran's mind, a device somewhat like it, to save balloonists. Although Leonardo da Vinci and countless other men had the same idea, none of them had ever put it into practice. Garnerin, giving his ankle time to mend, worked out a practical idea for a parachute. He then went to England to interest people in the idea.

[Mr. Glossette]

I am not interested, Mr. Gonorrhe. I have no faith in the device whatsoever.

[Andre Garnerin]

But it has never been tried. Using one to learn from a balloon, I mean.

[Mr. Glossette]

But it was not two months ago, and right here in England. Funny you didn't hear of it, Mr. Gonorrhe.

[Andre Garnerin]

I was in France. Probably the news.

[Mr. Glossette]

It was a chap named Arnold. He used to be a purser in the Royal Navy, as I recall.

[Andre Garnerin]

I like to know more about it.

[Mr. Glossette]

Well, he Had a basket attached to this parachute and had one of his assistants all stretched out in the basket. The idea was to go up one mile in the balloon, Cut loose the parachute and let the basket come back down. A big crowd turned out to see it. He had signs all over London. See a gentleman sent down by parachute. Well, sir, they failed to get the balloon off the ground. Before the assistant got pitched out of the basket, the wires let go, and there the balloon went sailing up through the air. And the parachute and the basket was left below. Mr. Arnold went up with the balloon and got pitched out in the thames river. I figure that's the way it was meant. People and parachutes should stay on the ground.

[Paul Shannon]

No one seemed very interested in another parachute, not after Arnold's failure. But Andre gonoran was determined and went ahead with his plans.

[Andre Garnerin]

You are Mr. Glossette, the tailor?

[Tailor Glodget]

No, I am. What can I do for you, sir? A new suit, perhaps?

[Andre Garnerin]

No, no, no suit. I'm interested in silk.

[Tailor Glodget]

Silk? The gentleman wants the show. You're wise to come to glodget, sir. Yeah, you're. You're from France, I say. You'll not find anywhere in your country such a tailor as myself. But now if I can ascertain the size.

[Andre Garnerin]

I want 870 square feet of silk.

[Doctor]

Yes, sir.

[Tailor Glodget]

870 what? 870 square feet.

[Andre Garnerin]

It is not for a shirt. I want you to sew a parachute.

[Tailor Glodget]

But I never. Well, I mean.

[Doctor]

What is it?

[Andre Garnerin]

You have to do it exactly as I say. You will be well paid for your pains. Now, first, I will need 870 square feet of silk. Now, this is to be cut according to this.

[Paul Shannon]

Andre garner planned well. His parachute was designed much like modern ones. A center disc of silk cloth bordered by 32 panels of silk strips. Instead of the cone shape, Garner devised a cloth which resembled an inverted cup. A cup 23ft in diameter. Garner's measurements were comparable with modern parachutes. And by modern standards, he had a safe parachute. He had estimated the speed of his descent and the weight of himself and the basket that would be attached to the parachute. And one more thing. A most important addition.

[Andre Garnerin]

At the top of the canopy, I want a small hole for air to escape.

[Paul Shannon]

Later, Andre changed his plans and closed that opening so he could attach the chute to the bottom of the balloon. But remember that small opening he had planned? It would have been better had gone around, kept to this original idea. But it's too late now. He's ready for the ascent from volunteer ground, London. The year is 1802. A large crowd has gathered to watch this breathtaking spectacle of a man purposely hurtling himself to earth with nothing between him and his reward but a thin wisp of silk.

[Tailor Glodget]

That's what the balloon's gonna do. Gonna let himself out of the balloon.

[Mr. Glossette]

I wouldn't trust my life to a piece of cloth, mind. Yeah, not while I have all my senses. I would.

[Paul Shannon]

Watch now.

[Tailor Glodget]

Any minute, the balloon will go up. He'll start as soon as I get that fool parachute put on the bottom of it. That's the parachute hanging down from the bottom of the balloon.

[Andre Garnerin]

There.

[Tailor Glodget]

You see it? You see it? We'd better say a prayer for the poor blighter.

[Paul Shannon]

As Andre Garner sails toward the clouds, the crowd seems to grow quiet. From the balloon, Andre can see the vast meadows and open spaces ranging below him. He fingers the cord that connects the parachute with the balloon itself. He is up to 8,000ft now. He takes a knife and cuts the cord that keeps the parachute aloft.

[Tailor Glodget]

Here he comes.

[Paul Shannon]

The balloon rises sharply when freed from its load, and Garner begins to plummet earthward. Then the parachute billows out, and his fall is checked. Now the fall becomes gradual, and then a most unpleasant thing begins to happen. The basket in which Garnera is riding begins to swing back and forth, back and forth. At times, the basket swings so high as to be almost level with the top of the chute. Garner swings to and fro like a human pendulum in the sky.

[Tailor Glodget]

Look at him swing, for he'll be pitched right out of the basket.

[Mr. Glossette]

He's swinging like a hammock.

[Paul Shannon]

Garner is almost unconscious from the severe oscillation of the parachute. The chute side slips rapidly toward the earth, But Garner has presence of mind enough to throw ballast out of his pockets. This checks his descent somewhat, but he is still falling to earth at the rate of 20ft per second.

[Tailor Glodget]

If he lands when it swings like that, he'll be sliced to bits, he will.

[Paul Shannon]

The swinging of the parachute is now lessened as Garner comes close to Earth. After dropping 8,000ft through space. He is ill and wobbly from the dizzy swinging, but he lands safely.

[Tailor Glodget]

Here he is.

[Paul Shannon]

Here he is.

[Tailor Glodget]

Come on, man.

[Andre Garnerin]

Get me out of this cloth.

[Tailor Glodget]

Hey, come on, man. Come on. Get this. There we are. You did it, Andre.

[Mr. Glossette]

Let me shake your head, please.

[Paul Shannon]

Please.

[Andre Garnerin]

I would like to rest a bit. That's swinging up there. I. I don't feel very well. If you don't mind, gentlemen, if I could just get some air and be left alone. I. I feel rather dizzy.

[Tailor Glodget]

Come on, buckos. Let's hoist him up on our shoulders and carry him back to town. That's it.

[Mr. Glossette]

Up you go on raid.

[Andre Garnerin]

Oh, no. No, no, please.

[Paul Shannon]

And so Gunnerad rode through space on a silken parachute, the first man to leap from a balloon and fall 8,000ft through space and suffer no harm. The swinging of the parachute was caused mainly by the lack of an air vent to let the excess air escape through the top of the chute. Oddly enough, it was an idea which Goneran had abandoned and which nearly cost him his life. But the air vent was soon restored, and man, having conquered the skies, now conquered the journey back to earth, thanks to Andre Garneran, who rode through space on a piece of silk in his Adventure in Research. And that's today's Adventures in Research. Produced in cooperation with the Westinghouse Research Laboratories, these programs are broadcast to armed forces personnel overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Join us again next week for another transcribed story of science on Adventures in Research.

[Mr. Glossette]

It.