Prompt Cast
The History and Popularity of Lava Lamps
TLDR This podcast episode explores the history of lava lamps, from their creation by Edward Craven Walker to their popularity in the 1960s psychedelic scene and their revival in the late 80s and early 90s. The episode also discusses some interesting and unusual incidents involving lava lamps, including explosions and their use in generating random number security codes.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The podcast episode is about lava lamps.
04:30
The episode is about the history of lava lamps, starting with the life of Edward Craven Walker, who created the first lava lamp after a life-changing trip to the Southern coast of France.
08:58
Edward Craven Walker discovered the concept of the lava lamp when he saw a glass cocktail shaker with oil and water floating around in it at a pub, and he later bought the patent for it from the widow of the original inventor.
13:50
Edward Craven Walker created the first lava lamp by using water and wax, which are mutually insoluble, along with a few other chemicals and a light bulb.
18:46
Edward Craven Walker used wax and water in the lava lamp because they have similar densities, causing the wax to rise and fall when heated and cooled, creating the flowing effect.
23:22
Edward Craven Walker's original lava lamp design, called the astrolamp, was intended as a high-end home furnishing for wealthy bachelors, but it didn't sell well until the 1960s when the psychedelic scene embraced it and it became associated with LSD use.
28:27
The lava lamp became popular in America after two men from Chicago bought the North American manufacturing rights and marketed it as the Lava Light, appearing in TV shows like Doctor Who and The Avengers, and even though the popularity of lava lamps eventually faded, Edward Craven Walker knew he had made it when Ringo Starr bought one in 1968 and he was selling 7 million of them annually by the end of the 60s.
33:44
Cressida Granger, a 22-year-old woman, bought the company from Edward Craven Walker and oversaw a revival of the lava lamp in the late 80s and early 90s, riding the wave of the acid revival and the popularity of house music, ecstasy, raves, and Austin Powers, ultimately selling more lava lamps in the 90s than in the 60s.
38:29
The original classic lava lamp is handmade in the UK and more expensive because the owner, Cressida Granger, refuses to transfer production overseas, and she also kept the original creator, Edward Craven Walker, on as a consultant until his death.
42:53
A man died after his lava lamp exploded and shards of glass shot into his heart, and another person suffered kidney failure after drinking the contents of a lava lamp; in addition, a company called Cloudflare uses the movement of lava lamps to generate random number security codes for internet traffic.
47:28
The hosts received some corrections and clarifications from listeners regarding the physics of board breaking.
Categories:
Society & Culture
