How the Invention of Rope Gave Us Modern Civilization

Tim Queeney, author of 'Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization,' explains how twisting fibers into durable rope was a foundational technology enabling lifting, whaling, bridges, and more. He traces the history of rope from its prehistoric invention to modern synthetic materials and speculates about its future potential, including the possibility of a space elevator.