Ancient Rome's Sanitation System: Centuries Ahead of It's Time

Yep, taking a dump was pretty good, then it got really bad, then it became good again.
Simon's Social Media:
Twitter: / simonwhistler
Instagram: / simonwhistler
Simon's Other Channels:
TodayIFoundOut: / todayifoundout
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Biographics: / @biographics
Visual Politik: / @visualpolitiken
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526

[@cewuifgerv]

To quote Reg from Life of Brian: "All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?"

[@zsoltsandor3814]

Brought peace.

[@jimmyz4954]

Freeedooom!!!!!!!

[@platosocrates9350]

For all it's flaws, Rome was a very good place to live in ancient times.

[@ismailmukooza2005]

🎨 Art....

[@christoff124]

@@platosocrates9350 unless there was a war with egypt then you have to cannibalize your neighbors.

[@applejacks971]

My grandparents didn't have an indoor bathroom til 1978. There was only the outhouse outside and a bath tub on the front porch. To take baths, grandma would fill the bathtub up with water heated on the stove. I'd go first, then more hot water was added for my sis, then more hot water for my brother. Nope, the water wasn't drained and refilled, just added too. It was drained when all 3 of us had our baths. The outhouse was tricky as you needed to watch out for bats and creepy crawlies, especially at night. We spent every summer at the farm til '78 when g-ma moved to town. I was 7 at the time.

[@ObservationofLimits]

@Applejacks971 got a bunch of friends with properties in the north woods that don’t even have running water. Water barrels everywhere fill up from rain falls, outhouse is about 100’ from the house. Some places have electricity, most do not.

[@jonathansoko1085]

I need only TWO things to function as a human. A toilet and a shower. Give me those 2 things and i can live anywhere in any situation.

[@acoustic296]

Even today here in the Philippines many families or houses still have no indoor. They're taking sh*t in the forest or rivers.

[@sirgalahad1376]

@@ObservationofLimits Where do you live?

[@itcangetbetter]

Thankful today I don't have bathe in sibling soup

[@weatherman667]

In terms of quality of life and life expectancy, sanitation is one of the most important inventions.

[@gypo_gault]

And soap but they go hand and hand

[@DEXEvolution]

You could have a tiny bedroom, kitchen and living room but if the bathroom is shite, then you’re living in 3rd class... Oh the horrors I’ve seen 😨

[@shanelangford7788]

Hell ya. By AMAZING COINCIDENCE when vaccines came out and were widespread was just about the same time as indoor plumbing....hmmm.

[@shanelangford7788]

@@sneakysalmon6068 I never worry about some silly fuck talking shit on the internet. So it's fine ne that you talk like you know something. But the REALITY is that it's likely...Infact MORE than likely that the SANITATION helped....and the injection hurt. Simple had that.

[@seangeiger45]

@@shanelangford7788 Oh dear god, you're not spreading that anti-vaxx bullshit, are you? There is absolutely no science to back any of your claims.

[@thomasmoeller3446]

Introduction "Why else would you watch Megaprojects then to learn about . . . . " IMMEDIATELY earned a thumbs up.

[@megaprojects9649]

Smash it.

[@danielcampos2982]

What a shi!!y suggestion

[@daguard411]

I read an article in Reader's Digest that in the '60's or 70's Rome was trying to fix a trouble they were having with the current city's sewer system. They tried shutting it down several ways, but were not successful, so they decided to find out why they couldn't do so. When discovered, it was realized that though it was never recorded on the maps or records, they were using a portion of the sewers built during the Empire.

[@WardenWolf]

The reason the Dark Ages are called the Dark Ages was due to the loss of large public works projects, particularly sanitation systems. While there was some effort to upkeep existing systems, oftentimes when they broke there was no one left with the knowledge, resources, or money to repair them. There was a major regress in the average standard of living in the cities as a result.

[@humzaibrahim2953]

sounds like isaac asimovs foundation series

[@R1project0]

actually it's because there are near to no records hence the period is dark, same goes for nearly all other dark ages in history. The fact these periods are comparatively less enlightened is a topic on its own, and this interpretation of the term dark ages actually caused a lot of 'backlash' a few years back with many people going about wanting to change the term or stop using it because people still did remarkable stuff, which is true, but it's also not why they are called dark ages xD

[@humzaibrahim2953]

@@R1project0 it was the dark ages for europe... not so much for the rest of the world

[@R1project0]

@@humzaibrahim2953 yup, I dunno where you got I was talking about other places in the world. I Just said why periods called dark ages are called so, not that any 2 places in the world necessarily experience a dark age simultaneously.

[@humzaibrahim2953]

@@R1project0 the general consensus is when referring to dark ages, people are talkin about europe.

[@gnomadD_]

The sponge on a stick is where we get the phrase "wrong end of the stick". Now, let that mental image marinade for a second.

[@Jack-hg1hq]

the word marinade made that 10x more uncomfortable

[@jackcallahan1848]

nomadD it could go 1 of 2 ways, you grab the soiled end, or stick the pointy end in your... you get the idea... Given there are only 2 ends to the stick means that it would probably be both at the same time

[@theronmelcher1647]

was just about to bring that up... i waited for the mention of the idiom 3 times

[@duplicateify]

Jack Cowsill it’s supposed to be marinate.

[@Nmwhat]

Neat idea, but there’s no evidence for that history. Its attested use dates back only to around the 1500s, a long time ago but well after the Roman period, and in the oldest usages the word is “staff” rather than “stick,” suggesting something longer than the Romans’ sponge sticks. The most likely etymology is that the idiom is a reference to a master beating a servant; i.e., to get the wrong end of the stick is to be on the receiving end of a beating. Some have interpreted it as instead a reference to accidentally grabbing the dirty (and sometimes sharp) end of a walking stick.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

3:10 - Chapter 1 - Early sanitation systems 4:40 - Chapter 2 - The rise of rome 6:20 - Chapter 3 - Cloaca maxima 8:50 - Chapter 4 - 11 aqueducs 10:45 - Chapter 5 - Public latrines 13:10 - Chapter 6 - Public baths 15:00 - Chapter 7 - Ahead of its time

[@jackcallahan1848]

Everyone: do the coliseum or pantheon or something. Simon: SEWER

[@megaprojects9649]

Lets talk some shit.

[@jackcallahan1848]

It took me a while to get that

[@ObservationofLimits]

Cloaca Maxima - Biggest Asshole

[@annbjorn]

The sanitation at Knossos, Crete 3000 BC deserves a honorable mention.

[@mosalah8551]

Also indus river civilization mohenjo daro

[@moat82]

The hardest working man on KZbin.

[@HaroldKuilman]

Nope, I would guess that might be Linus (from LTT)

[@Drozey710]

@@HaroldKuilman lmao stop trolling.

[@warwickeng5491]

Never interrupt a man when he is on the blaze 8)

[@megaprojects9649]

:) I try.

[@cheaterman49]

I think Daven taught Simon team management or something? :-) I think Daven is the O.G. of being overproductive, and Simon pushed that trend to unhealthy extremes for our viewing pleasure? :-) EDIT: Also he LIKES MONEYYYYY (and who doesn't! :-P)

[@antoniomaglione4101]

In the video you only said the word "Thermae" but didn't expand the concept. Thermae (ae is a dictong) we're built in volcanic areas which are common in Italy. In the Phlegrean Fields (Fields of Fire), close to Naples, there are Baia Thermae which are an engineering wonder in themselves. Getting the warm water from the underlying volcano, the flow was diverted to dozens of rooms which were frequented by the Roman patricians, both for health and leisure reasons. The Thermae have been active for the following centuries, until the volcanic activity receded; the Baia Thermae were still mentioned by the Italian poet Petrarca in 1300. The Thermae had small temples to the Roman Gods inside; in Baia the statue of Mercury is prominent at the entrance. Thanks for the video.

[@gregorypolander9014]

So Simon does about 8 channels, is married, AND has a baby? When does he sleep? 🤣

[@TheKlabim]

Soon, Erebus will try and lure him towards the chaos-gods

[@chriswillis4153]

Sleep is for us mortals.

[@lindah3879]

Listen to the brain food podcast. Yes there are podcasts too! He & Daven just work all the time!

[@ArmchairDeity]

He doesn’t sleep. Simon himself is a Megaproject, you see. He’s actually solar powered. Bio-panels in his scalp use sunlight to convert caffeine, sugar, and laser printer toner fumes directly into h.264 video. If you look really close he has a USB-C port just behind his left ear. That’s where the WiFi antenna plugs in... or Ethernet. Boom. 8 channels a week. Easy peasy. 👀😉🤓

[@trwsandford]

last time he went to sleep, all the hair on his head fell out. Worried about the fate of his beard, he decided to never ever do that again!

[@bradford5951]

MEGA PROJECT IDEA : “Tenochtitlan” or what is known today as modern-day Mexico City ... at its height, it rivaled any European city with an established and complex system of law and order. Home to magnificent architectural feats that still inspire today, this little known place is sure to inspire. A rich and fascination history that has withstood the test of time. From bloodshed, gold, and exotic tales of life in the old city, it’s a perfect choice for a look at pre-Hispanic American culture.

[@sandypanda1]

I read this in Simon's voice 😁

[@KLAWNINETY]

I don't think any European city ever had a monument comprised of 130,000 human skulls on it...

[@scoutkyle]

Catacombs of Paris...

[@AgniFirePunch]

It definitely did not rival Rome lol. Still impressive for being isolated

[@davids2314]

go to geographics channel simon did tenochtitlan and the catacombs

[@denzuchiha]

Simon! I love the historic mega projects! You should do a mega project episode on the creation of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan! This city has been likened to the Rome of the americas, the engineering and construction behind it is fascinating

[@MsAnyOneANDavryone]

Shut up and take my upvote This would be an amazing video

[@WinterlightningZ]

But with human sacrifice to boot!

[@Axel-wc8nd]

THAT WOULD BE SO COOL !!!!

[@stephennelson4954]

@@WinterlightningZ ah yes my favorite Pantheon where one of the gods quite literally requires human sacrifice to rise and do battle with the night. (huitzilopochtli)

[@brianfleury1084]

Tallest pyramid in the world, the Pyramid of the Sun. How could anyone resist a place where the main street is called the Avenue of the Dead?

[@stanknowlton7043]

Archaeologists found a horde of sponge on sticks by someone preparing for a pandemic.

[@momfoldinglaundry9963]

Stan Knowlton well played

[@reidthebigcheese7351]

Chad Klaren calm down there buddy

[@braddonovan1786]

I bet the hoarder tried to sell these sponges at inflated prices...

[@krisi.2011]

@Chad Klaren trumpus got re-elected and everyone was saved and lived happily ever after !!!! Thee end !!!!🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@jacktillerson6873]

How in the WORLD did we get trump from Ancient Roman sanitation

[@idonno87]

How about a megaproject episode: Simon's youtube channel machine

[@chriswillis4153]

Do you reckon he selects KZbin channels randomly? Or is there a system?

[@SymbioteMullet]

@@chriswillis4153 Simon is a computer virus that overtakes channels. It uses deepfake technology to produce new episodes. Shell doesn't produce the episodes- that's a reference to the shell program that SWhistler.exe hides behind.

[@danieldosen5260]

quantity over quality?

[@johnniemiec3286]

Not possible... he can't show Danny locked in the basement. Allegedly.

[@SymbioteMullet]

@@johnniemiec3286 you think Danny is real? He's D4N-E, a repurposed twitter bot!

[@salkoharper2908]

In London where I live, the sewer system was built during the Victorian era and is still mostly fully functioning. In recent years they have been modernizing and replacing some of it. I find it amazing how much of it still works as effectively as it did in the 1800's. Truly a marvel of engineering.

[@angelitabecerra]

Would you consider doing one on the London sanitation system? The revamp they had to do in the 1800s to bring everything up to date. That was a Mega Project too

[@jefferynelson]

Weren't all kinds of odd things found in the sewers during that project ?

[@angelitabecerra]

@@jefferynelson I don't rightly know. One reason why I'd like them to do a video on it.

[@ChickenLiver911]

The sanitation movement is the most unrecognized human innovation ever. Imagine diggin tunnels underneath every city in the world, every house, and then connect them up. Chicago was literally raised up 12 feet so they could build under it. Some places wre completely torn down and rebuilt.

[@TheFrogInYourClosetWatchingYou]

It is insane how much water they were able to bring into the city each day...

[@captainufo4587]

The sponge on a stick thing has been largely debunked in recent times. Apparently it wasn't used to wipe the butt, it was used to clean the toilet iself. Classic era toiler brus, not classic era toiler paper. It would seem that they wiped themselves with either leaves or cloth.

[@LordDirus007]

Do have a link to that. The only thing I can find is that it was a Butt Sponge

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

@@LordDirus007 That's the generally accepted version. Appreciate the insult to The Nazarene, crucified, offered a drink of coarse wine on one . . .

[@LordDirus007]

@@EllieMaes-Grandad My comment had nothing to do with Yeshua Hamashiach.

[@platosocrates9350]

@@EllieMaes-Grandad Wait, you're saying they made Jesus drink off a toilet sponge?

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

@@platosocrates9350 That's what I said; standard issue to the Roman military. You have to have read a lot to find and interpret the details . . .

[@nedgoldreyer8761]

"There's just something about watching human feces float through a city that doesn't exactly call out refinement." One of the greatest sentences ever written.

[@ticnatz]

Reminds me of that scene in 'Life of Brian' where the agitators suddenly talk about all the good things the Romans had done for them....

[@chriswillis4153]

The judean people's front?

[@SymbioteMullet]

@@chriswillis4153 SPLITTER!!!!

[@ticnatz]

@@chriswillis4153 Exactly. Or was it the People's Front of Judea?

[@dunneincrewgear]

Fleck Smugbrother No. It was the Popular Front of Judea!

[@ticnatz]

@@dunneincrewgear It was the People's Front...

[@jordanoneill82]

i wanna see a video that specifically highlights how cities form in layers. where i'm from in australia we only have 250ish years of well documented history and architechture so we don't have 'underground cities'.... it amazes me how under manchester is layer upon layer of abandoned city underneath, supposedly at the bottom going back as late as the 12th century, same with the paris catacombs, parts of seattle etc: there have been plenty of urban explorers venture down these deep underground networks, a lot of it is publically documented. would love to see you dig deep and go more in depth on how this can be done. how can a city of skyscrapers rest ontop of such ancient stone and not collapse? how much of it is undocumented? there ever been any cases of people discovering treasure/antique artifacts down there? anybody ever stumbled across a boarded up door in their basement that lead into there? i feel like there is SO much fascinating info you could dig up on the subject

[@crystalwolcott4744]

As an American, these questions haunt me constantly. How can a city be ON TOP OF another city????

[@emmamontgomery448]

Edinburgh is the best city for underground cities,they built over the plague infested streets,entombing the victims alive:( greetings from Edinburgh,scotland👍🏻

[@crystalwolcott4744]

@@emmamontgomery448 How though?

[@TheFrogInYourClosetWatchingYou]

yes you do..... Australia legit has unground cities there are areas where the entire town will build their homes and businesses underground to keep cool. Its pretty neat when they are about to have a baby the men can go dig a new room out and lay concrete down ect and have a room for the baby in a weekends time... I know its not really what you mean but it is still a neat thing that is done in Australia.

[@jordanoneill82]

@@TheFrogInYourClosetWatchingYou yeah but it ain't ancient, and it's all privately owned, can't sneak in there and go exploring. also nowhere near as full on as some cities, usually only one or two levels underground, not intermeshed with anything else, i like the way old cities used to build upwards instead of outwards and how some cities have multiple layers that go SUUUUUPER deep, manchester and seattle and france being the best three examples i can think of. nothing comparable here in aus, canberra has a few tunnels under the CBD, maybe a few under sydney and melbourne etc: but it'll be one or two floors down, our ancient buildings are all on surface level

[@00pisani49]

Thank you for making this with due credit given to the innovative Romans. Lets not forget they produced these massive engineering feats while using the opportunity to ALSO bring beauty to the masses. Nothing was done without an aesthetic sense and effort to improve citizens lives with beauty as well as convenience. .so lacking in much of today's industrial design. As the role model city of todays megaopolis', the world should help protect the remains of Roma's examples..through global financial support and by encouraging civic engineers and architecture students to study in Roma. Why try to reinvent the wheel when there were great foundations already thought out.

[@Philozzi]

"I wash my back with a sponge on a stick." (Applause) - Bart Simpson

[@gaylonjohnson904]

Business Blaze and Megaprojects are my favorite channels with Simon! Keep it up brotha

[@Multydrifter]

Check out Geographics, he's the host over there aswell, bet you'll like that channel too

[@gaylonjohnson904]

I love Geographics too but those two are my favorites

[@otakuman706]

You check out his podcast channel? It started a while before MP, but after BB yet it hasn't taken off like either. Last I checked it was a bit under like 3k subs. Longer videos (there is a separate set of 'highlights' though that has shorter cuts of the specific topics) and not the same energy as BB, but definitely still entertaining, especially if you enjoy Simon's many other channels. You may have already, I've just been trying to put the word out in his other channel; I think it's good content and I don't want it to die out.

[@megaprojects9649]

Legend.

[@otakuman706]

Now you gotta get it tattooed

[@metalmadsen]

I am from Denmark. And it is crazy to think that when it came to sanitation, Copenhagen didn’t get any where cloose to Rome, until centuries after roman Empire had fallen.

[@mattg899]

What about the Terracotta Army that seems like a mega project. The trans Siberian railway also

[@coweatsman]

We know why it was built. Because China (weak from foreign concessions) and Japan Getting stronger) were in the east.

[@14gears55]

Those would probably both be really interesting videos. Along with the trans siberian railway, the trans siberian highway might be interesting as well.

[@Kabodanki]

terracota army would be kind of borring, kind of useless mega project. build statues and hide them, yeahhh

[@Treeplanter73]

As a state certified water operator, and educated individual, this IS fascinating. Without sanitation, and potable water, there is NO civilization.....period!

[@Tony-pm5xo]

15:19 Btw, the doctor who figured out broken pipe caused cholera was called John Snow

[@my_granny]

doctor who figured out the broken pipe? frickin time lord's done everything!

[@bocadelcieloplaya3852]

So then basically, the discovery of the cause of cholera was a ...SNOW JOB. ;)

[@deathbycheese850]

He knew nothing.

[@RedHeadForester]

Well he clearly knew one thing then.... Cholera!

[@xXr0tt3nXx]

Kit Harrington who played Jon Snow I’m GoT is a descendant of the man you invented the modern toilet.

[@denmaroca2584]

One of the aqueducts - the Aqua Virgo - is still in use today, providing water for many of the famous fountains of Rome, including the Trevi fountain. You can visit it below the Spanish Steps.

[@SpikeBrave]

I've heard that the Meso-American creation of Corn is a project that was so huge that it would be difficult for any modern country. I think that would make a good subject for a video.

[@otakuman706]

That's an interesting topic I hadn't really thought about for a series like this. Projects like that would be something I'd also like to see 👍

[@fastinradfordable]

There is a monstrosity that has done something comparable... to nearly every crop in the world. Monsanto.

[@seanbrazell6147]

It wasn't really a purposeful, consistent project really.

[@lindah3879]

Monsanto is a good one for business blaze!

[@ArmchairDeity]

Sorry... I think it would be too corny... but, I mean with his researchers... there would be a kernel of truth to the episode.

[@robertsurprenant1205]

I was looking for shit to do when I visit ancient Rome and after this superb narration I now know more than I had. Great depiction and excellent narration.

[@emanuelescarsella3124]

I'm Italian and my grandma always say "voglia o non voglio dio, voglio l'acqua al Campidoglio mio" that translates to "God willing or not, I want water to my Capitolium" that is supposed to be said by Tarquinio who ordered the construction of the Temple of Jupiter (Capitolium) and brought water to it through one of the famous Romans aqueduct.🙂 P.S. the proof that attention to sanitation as remained here is that we are one of the few nation that differently from the USA uses bidets🙂😂😂 (just joking☺️)

[@ruthbrown7203]

Food and sanitation has always my first interest. Much enjoyed video.

[@nicholasalonzo7824]

You da man Mr Simon. I always watch all your videos through the end. Learnt plenty. Thanks. Nico

[@griffinhunt2692]

I love the videos, Simon. Could you maybe cover the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, USA? It's even larger than the Hoover Dam and blocks a much bigger river than the Colorado (the Columbia River). Also, the power the dam supplied was crucial for U.S aluminum production on the West Coast during the Second World War.

[@ernestbywater411]

Want some more water schemes as projects to look at? How about the Australian Snowy Mountain Hydroelectric Scheme, the Panama Canal, the Erie Canal, the Suez Canal, and I believe there is a canal system that allows people to boat across Europe from Amsterdam using the Rhine and Danube Rivers, amongst others. Then you can look at thinks like the Trans-Canada Railway and Highway for non-water projects. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline would also be an interesting project due to the issues they had to deal with.

[@510faithfulforlife7]

Hey Simon, love your videos. Perhaps the "U.S. Interstate Highway System " Would be a good megaprojects video?

[@thunderjeep08]

Just discovered this channel. Your content is orders of magnitude better than anything the "History" channel here in the US has made in the past decade.

[@jasonboakye4526]

the greatest teacher I've ever had. Thats what you are Simon

[@megaprojects9649]

:)

[@lonerhappy]

I wish I had you as a teacher. I was so bored on high school....

[@TheCrunchifiedOne]

Imagine people in the year 3520 looking back at New York and talking about their sewer system

[@joek6791]

Or hospitals that have HVAC systems that circulate a range of patogens

[@DixieSeas]

Yes!!! Love it! Next do their road systems!!!! ROMAN ROADS! PLEASE!

[@chriswillis4153]

Then roman medicine.

[@Lazy_Tim]

Simon did this on tifo kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6LFcp53n7Sqa9U

[@hickamordue3228]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6LFcp53n7Sqa9U

[@Lazy_Tim]

@@hickamordue3228 About 3 days late with that link. ;)

[@hickamordue3228]

@@Lazy_Tim But he DID a video on Roman roads!! its at kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6LFcp53n7Sqa9U

[@cerboris521]

You really should have also mentioned how Romans bathed. They cleaned themselves with olive oil then scraped off the oil and grime mixture with a fashioned stick called a strigal. The bathing in water was to relax much like a modern spa.

[@JiphoTheJuppis]

The Berlin wall would be an interesting, if sinister megaproject. "Wall" doesn't really describe what it eventually became.

[@noobie64]

I Work in a sewage plant and you uploaded this video on my Birthday, thanks Simon!

[@nunyobidniz]

Ooh, goody, the cloaca maxima XD

[@joebaker4116]

I believe there's a cream for that.

[@nunyobidniz]

@@joebaker4116 thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for that. Owww my cloaca! ( may you be touched by his noodly appendage)

[@vylbird8014]

It sounds grand in latin, but it literally means 'biggest sewer.'

[@nunyobidniz]

@@vylbird8014 sure does, hence the "XD" - funnier still after biological scientific nomenclature repurposed the word cloaca

[@Codraroll]

Connecting the modern wastewater system to the Cloaca Maxima must have been such a strange idea when it was first proposed. "We need a way to drain stormwater here, to avoid flooding!" "There's this old drain, maybe use that?" "That 2000-year old artifact of vast historical significance?" "It's a drain. It works. Just lead water into it, and it'll drain it into the Tiber." The idea of putting something that ancient to use today just feels so strange. Even if it's the job the system was built for in its time. It's like if Rome were to host the Olympics, and needed a venue on short notice, and somebody said "What about the Colosseum? It was built for this sort of stuff already. Bit of paint and polish, and we'll have it up to shape in no time"

[@DarthRagnarok343]

Mega project idea: The Internet.

[@uneartheros]

“What the fuck is the internet?”

[@cheaterman49]

Yeah, that was obvious AF, can't believe we didn't think of that at the same time as, say, the ISS or the Hoover Dam!

[@brady_boi]

It's a series of tubes

[@Lucixir]

Most people know how the Internet was invented. It is taught in school and many aspects of it is talked about, displayed throughout movies and television, it is pretty much a common understanding even if they dont know or remember the exact facts of the stages it went through to become what it is today. Imagine how it will be in 5, 10, 25 and 50 years. Consider that I address were designed to support up to 4 billion devices and they never thought we would run out but now we are so IPV6 was invented to fix that problem and we havent even really started using the very tip of IPV6 technology yet, but it is coming just as 5G is starting and it was never thought possible to send that much data. Technology is amazing and the history of it is pretty interesting to study. There is famous quote from 1899 from the patent office that said "Everything that can be invented has been" - now imagine how stupid that sounds today and everything that was invented between 1900-2020. History is very fascinating if you take the time to really explore and learn the details surrounding the facts.

[@TfNeb_]

Lucixir can’t wait for working AR glasses that are actually advanced

[@jasonritner9662]

Suggestion for a future project: Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles. The sheer amount of resources dedicated to this invention was the main drive behind the space race. The moon landing, GPS, worldwide communications, satellite systems in general... there are so many things that were touched by this program. Even better, the way the US and the Soviet Union went about creating their launch systems is so different that they're both almost worth a video by themselves.

[@ristopaasivirta9770]

I'd like an episode on the megaproject of mr. Whistler and co. infotainment industry :)

[@BananaBLACK]

Right now the "Build The Earth" project is embarking on an endeavor to build all of Earth's structures, man made and natural, to scale on a customer projection in "Minecraft". This project has already garnered a large active community. Currently they have around 4000 builders. I believe this is the largest virtual build ever attempted, and may take decades to complete.

[@zachbaxter8598]

What about an episode on the artificial island systems in Abu Dhabi?

[@chriswillis4153]

Yes!!!

[@fuzzywzhe]

They won't exist in 1000 years. They may not exist in 100 years. That was a colossal waste of resources. All that energy and effort - only for it to sink under the sea.

[@henk-3098]

you mean Dubai?

[@zaxarispetixos8728]

Here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnO7eJtmer59qqc

[@zaxarispetixos8728]

Stagnent water, destroying the wildlife in danger buy storms

[@christopherpardell4418]

Major inaccuracy- Rome’s public latrines were NOT smelly. Their system was a continuous running stream of water under all the seats- All the time. Thus, as fast as you could drop something in, it was swept away and down the sewer. The sewer feed even had a kind of trap to prevent sewer gasses from entering the latrine. While the sponge and the stick were certainly not what we would consider ideal- how they were actually used was the stick was shoved down the latrine hole into the constantly running water in the rough... and pressed against the bottom of the trough several times to “wring” it out a bit. THEN the sponge and stick were placed in the pale of vinegar for the purpose of disinfecting it for the next user. They were NOT washed off in the common bucket. As such, Roman latrines did not smell even nearly as much as the modern porta potty or outhouse.

[@marianchicago4002]

Went to visit Rome in the mid 90’s, stayed with someone in regular Italian neighborhood, there were packs of feral hungry cats roaming the streets and neighborhoods, I am not talking here like packs of 3 or 5, I am talking here packs of 30, 40, 50 plus cats that followed you home, they didn’t attack me while I was there, but I was told by the friend I was staying with they attacked her number of times, was explained you drop whatever bags you had that might had attracted them and you run home as you won’t win a fight with with a hungry pack of cats that large.

[@necroparagon7226]

I don't know why but I find this extremely amusing. I guess because cats are usually solitary and then you got a whole freaking gangs of them running visitors out of town when they don't cough up the goods.

[@jokuvaan5175]

Maybe a mega project video on the electric grid next. They are really an underappreciated marvel of human engineering anf take much more precission and effort to maintain than people realize. From maintaining the voltage levels and frequency to detecting and preventing faults caused by nature or the devices in the grid.

[@CammanderDart]

You should do a video on Chicago's sewer system, namely how they implemented it. Like raising the entire city

[@nefftrooper]

So I dont leave a bunch of comments because I usually watch on a smart TV but I have subscribed to Bio-Geo-and now the Mega projects channel. I love docu-series but everything that is like not quite interesting enough (the sanitation system of Rome) or something I wouldn't watch somewhere else I will watch here because Simon's presentation is credible but funny in an intelligent way (but then again Im American and think all Britts are born with above average IQs due to the accent). Also the guy editing these with the little animation and the funny sound clips really make this content of quality. Thumbs up y'all.

[@daveduna1]

The evolution of the Soyuz rocket from the cold war up through today.

[@megaprojects9649]

Working on some rocket videos now :)

[@Codraroll]

Basically: "Okay, this will serve us for now, but it's small and cramped and we need to evolve the concept and build a better successor to it soon ... oh, wait, that attempt stranded, we'll continue using the Soyuz for a little longer, but only temporarily while we build something better..." from the 1960s until today.

[@theleva7]

@@Codraroll Combined with "If only we could increase the size of those tunnels over there, we could build something much better. If only..."

[@harter517]

I got to tour the ruins of the Aqua Claudia in the early 90s. Amazing structure to see in person. Even though it was completed by and named for Claudius, it was Caligula who actually green lit the start of the project along with another of the major aqueducts during his short reign

[@andersbenke3596]

Now, given that modern sewage systems have to be maintained by some poor sods - by cleansing Fatbergs, for example - are we to assume that there were Romans, or at least Roman slaves, who had to go down into Maxima with sticks and shovels occasionally?

[@RedHeadForester]

The Romans probably had their sh*t together better than we do these days......

[@DarthAwar]

Yes Public Slaves that is too say people owned by the City whose jobs it was to build, maintain, clean the sewers very few of them lived past 2 years doing that work as it was pre-gloves/masks/wellingtons, Disinfectant/Bleach or Modern Soap not to mention slaves if they had open wounds or already sick had little to no medical care as a doctor was more expensive then buying more slaves!

[@DarthAwar]

@@RedHeadForester Pre-Empire Yes but read many texts once they started having Emperors/Ceasers the quality of infrastructure dropped dramatically as that tax money went into funding wars (like paying troops, making weapons, training horses and men, building carts and forts!) and on the many Ceasers pet Projects like the Circus Maximus, The Colosseum and the Games, Haydrens Wall, Caligula's Twin Giant Ships, Nero's Palace as such it was left to the senators, merchants and other men of means to fund the ongoing city maintenance across the empire out of their own pockets and you can guess how many did that and for those that did often did not donate much more then token amounts!!! With so many men going to war a lot died in battle or from wounds days later and many who survived where crippled this left fewer educated and able men to work the land and sell goods at market this meant even more slave labour was needed to keep people fed so fewer slaves where available to work on public projects like Sewers, Baths, Roads, Walls, Waterways so many systems fell into total disrepair or if lucky had only temporary fixes applied to keep it working for now! This is why later the capital was moved to Constantinople a newly built and fully maintained city Rome was left to rot but would later become the Western Roman Empire and while the city was fixed up a bit was never fully restored and never even came close to the population it use to have , while the Eastern Roman Empire Thrived right up until the Muslim Attack and Conquest nearly a thousand years later to create the Ottoman Empire!!

[@warlordprimo791]

Poor sods? Sanitation workers get paid very well

[@DarthAwar]

@Jody Owen And a lot of them die or get seriously ill because they cant afford doctors or medicine and it's cheaper to hire someone new then pay for treatment!!!! It is horrible!!!!

[@PhoenixianThe]

Eeeeey! A sewer episode. I'm pleased to see this; be it as old as Roman, Cretan, or Aztec sewers, or impressive as raising the entirety of Chicago five feet up on jacks, the world's Sanitation works and movements are one of the best, and least appreciated great structures of the world in any age. Much ink and bandwidth has been spilled over the import of exploration, governance, food, industry, and war but it strikes me that properly dealing with not only how we get the things we use, but also how we treat the many forms of society's waste, is one of the formative moments of a great society because that is when we truly begin to manage the side effects of the ways in which we live and, with that, manage environment in which we make our lives as a whole.

[@wesleythompson3458]

Could you do a Megaproject video of the US Freeway system? (Influence, cost, infrastructure complexity and demise, world influence.) Thank you.

[@coweatsman]

Including the Chinese imitation, which at 150,000 km in length is even bigger than the US Interstate Highway system.

[@parabelluminvicta8380]

Moving water from 70km distance is absolute one astonishing feats in ancient world from the humankind of the past. Incredibile Rome was truly the first modern city in the world. The Eternal city does fit the name for Rome. ROMA INVICTA.

[@TheMightyZwom]

"It was only after a water pipe was directly linked to a deadly Cholera outbreak in London" that the city got a sewage system. ... Well, I guess he knew something, that Jon Snow :)

[@JoeStuffz]

Wow. Simon is so different when the video doesn't have a crapload of jump cuts. This is much nicer to listen to, even though there still are jump cuts

[@parkwayconcepts8758]

Recent toilet paper shortage had me wishing I had a sponge on a stick.

[@LSSYLondon]

That's what the Peri Bottle is for! lol

[@misteroz]

“…If you don’t think about the horrible disease.” *Advert for Marks & Spencer*

[@CptMoroni35]

Megaprojects idea: the Taj Mahal or the Alaskan Pipeline.

[@dlkwriter]

I'll add a vote for the Alaskan Pipeline

[@wolf3794]

How about the Alaskan oil pipeline? I heard that was a massive project to build. Stay epic Simon!

[@chriswillis4153]

How about the Alaskan bull worm? They just took bikini bottom and moved it somewhere else.

[@filiphorvath5227]

Hey Simon, great work, love our videos and keep going

[@limedickandrew6016]

Sanitation. A subject we like to laugh at and sincerely pray we never ever have to go down into those smelly caverns. And yet, without them, life just wouldn't be anywhere near as comfortable as is today. Didn't some academics at the turn of the century 20 years ago elect the humble toilet we crap in daily as the greatest invention in human history? I vaguely remember hearing. And when you think of it, deeply think of it, you can't really argue.

[@Magicwillnz]

It is conjectured that the toilet is the invention that has saved the most lives in human history. It isn't difficult to see why.

[@nunyobidniz]

Wait, how deep are we talking here - just 'round the U bend, or long-drop dunny deep?

[@captain_rewind]

“NOOOO THE ROMANS WILL CONQUER US OUT OF EXISTENCE.” “yeah but their toilets tho”

[@Happy_Shopper]

Modern public: ewww the seat is warm. Roman public: SpoNg oN sTicK

[@megaprojects9649]

I'm always pretty grateful I live in the present. The past sucked.

[@valiroime]

COMMUNAL sponge on a stick. Communal. You wiped your butt, and then passed it to the next person. Umm... go Romans.

[@Happy_Shopper]

@@valiroime s p o n g

[@Fayanora]

India had pretty good sanitation too, even before Rome did. And running water as well. There's also evidence that the people who made Stonehenge had running hot and cold water as well.

[@ArmchairDeity]

Allegedly... I mean I’m not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens.

[@glennlaroche1524]

Definitely aliens.

[@ArmchairDeity]

Definitely allegedly, apparently. Obviously, perhaps. 🤔

[@BamBoomBots]

Be careful, this comment could attract those people that claim all large ancient things are placed on this world by even older, much more advanced civilisations we somehow have found no trace from. Impossible to argue with.

[@ArmchairDeity]

@@BamBoomBots Can't prove a negative! ;) But was definitely aliens.

[@BamBoomBots]

@drew pedersen I'm not falling into this trap again. Everyone who does their own research understands that Aliens from the 12th planet are a much more sensible explanation.

[@crystalratclffe3258]

I love your videos, I always learn something new

[@vibriocholerae8251]

How about a megaprojects episode on the Hagia Sophia

[@animewatch4213]

Get ready for the Greek Turks fight in the comments.

[@andydolan176]

This shit is very interesting. Liked and subscribed! The host is very engaging and personable. Great job pal!

[@captainamerica6525]

I think that the "sponge on a stick" was a common use item that stayed in the public facilities. Another common use item was the clay pot filled with vinegar to clean the sponge. 😣

[@corey56133]

The large hadron collider would be an awesome future video!

[@KarlRoyale]

How about a mega project on the Great Wall of China?

[@RedHeadForester]

That's a great suggestion!

[@arizonachronicsmoker]

Suspicious Ned Flanders lol okay then Negative Nancy, I would like to see him make a video on it.

[@DarthAwar]

@Suspicious Ned Flanders Built using Dozens of existing walls (that where hundreds+ years old!) and slave labor over a 20+ year Period and soon abandon many parts are and where just packed dirt and wood!!!!

[@rbenzango]

@Suspicious Ned Flanders DONT FORGET ABOUT ALL THE DEAD BODYS HIDDEN INSIDE

[@mattberg916]

@@DarthAwar slave labor? You mean like they still do?

[@sdupont79]

Thanks Simon and crew for another entertaining video, I love being able to learn something and have a bit of fun while doing it.

[@jl.7739]

What have the romans ever done for us? Sry couldn’t resist

[@jaewok5G]

-Romanes eunt domus- Romani ite domum

[@DixieSeas]

Romans still inpact civilization and the way you live today. If I have to explain any further, you need to do some research.

[@thebradmarkschannel957]

You mean besides sanitation ?

[@jaewok5G]

@@thebradmarkschannel957 okay, sanitation, sure … but what _else_ ?

[@toastytoast9800]

@@jaewok5G they spread chistianity

[@hatuletoh]

Sanitation and hydrology in general is fascinating! 2/3 of my pics from Machu Picchu are of the water collection and distribution system, which still works today. Although MP's hydrology isn't even as awesome as Ollyantetambo's, which not only still works, but is still used by the modern inhabitants.

[@spectreshadow]

Simon I was like a school kid giggling during this episode.

[@williamferguson6200]

When my wife & I visited Florence, we ate at a restaurant in an old building. I went to the loo & discovered it was the stand-up kind with raised foot prints. Ha! Ok for me. When my wife went I said "goo luck have fun". She looked at me strangely. When she came back (quite a while later) she said " You could have warned me!!!!" Not a chance - it was too funny! 🐻🇨🇦🤗🙄😜

[@Christopher-N]

(4:11) "Baldrick, I find the Great Northern and Metropolitan Sewage System interesting, but that doesn't mean that I want to put on some rubber gloves and pull things out if it with a pair of tweezers." -- _Blackadder Goes Forth,_ ep. 5

[@EzequielBaltazar]

Mega project suggestion: the big dam to protect Northern Europe from rising ocean levels and the Mediterranean dam.

[@Duggie1-w3x]

One video I would like to see is the Tokyo Flood Protection system

[@aaronberta3958]

We want a Simon Whistler convention or conference

[@jaewok5G]

in before "What have the Romans ever done for us?" -Romanes eunt domus- Romani ite domum

[@aw8079]

Good. Now write it 100 times!

[@jaewok5G]

@@aw8079 hail Caesar

[@Arterexius]

I think using the name _Eternal City_ is still completely fair to use today as well, when talking about Rome. Mainly because it is still the capital Italy, which was formed after the renaissance (previously, after Rome (the empire) fell and through the medieval times (the dark ages never existed), up to the end of the renaissance, Italy existed like ancient Greece. It was basically just a collection of city states)

[@pacificcoastbreeze]

"It's" Is a contraction of "it is" or "it has" "Its" is the correct possessive form. Therefore, "Centuries ahead of its time"

[@paulhorton5612]

Exactly - just as you don't write hi's or her's you don't write it's for the possessive - his, hers and its are the correct forms. Not hard but not well known.

[@MrAlRats]

@@paulhorton5612 It used to be well known until it became taboo to learn and make use of grammatically correct expressions.

[@dustbrum3607]

do yous even lift bruh

[@shanesgettinghandy]

Came down here just to say the same thing.

[@vylbird8014]

One of those Roman baths I recognised. It's a Roman bath in design, but not in geography - it's from Provincia Britannia, on the fringe of the empire. An important bath too, part of the (successful) effort to show the locals the advantages that cooperation with Rome could bring them in trade, skills and resources.

[@saige6442]

"Your ancestors probably had sanitation we would now consider appalling." Me: *Laughs maniacally in ancient Roman ancestry*

[@kingofslackers]

Orbital Elevator/lift. I've always thought that was a neat concept but it'd definitely be a Megaproject!

[@jordanwilliams9300]

There's a typo in this video's name (It's should be Its)

[@j.a.weishaupt1748]

Jordan Williams Thank you. I have no idea why so many native English speakers do not understand this.

[@mikehotchkiss8975]

Does not the time belong to it, thus making it possessive? After pondering and some research I may be wrong

[@Azerkeux]

@@mikehotchkiss8975 You never add a possessive apostrophe to an already possessive pronoun such as: its, his, hers, theirs, ours, or yours. the word 'it's' is a contraction of the words 'it' and 'is'

[@mikehotchkiss8975]

@@Azerkeux much obliged. I did figure that out after lol

[@ollieb9875]

@@Azerkeux I don't particularly like it, but it's can also mean "it has" :\

[@ladyicondraco]

I thought 'Cloaca Maxima' was a joke that he slid in when he first said it. Like 'Ha, he's talking about giant bird butts!'. Nope, real place...that I can't stop laughing at the name of.

[@kevin3003]

Why wouldn’t I want to spend 17 minutes watching a video on ancient sanitary systems. ITS THE SHITS!,