WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en
Style:
::cue(c.color77FF77) { color: rgb(119,255,119);
 }
::cue(c.cyan) { color: cyan; }
::cue(c.yellow) { color: yellow; }
##

1
00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:04.120
This video is sponsored by CuriosityStream
and by my Nebula Original. More on that later.

2
00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:06.340
Also, the shots are going to look
a little weird, a little wide,

3
00:00:06.340 --> 00:00:09.140
because it is the start of September 2020
as we record this,

4
00:00:09.140 --> 00:00:12.640
and we're following all the UK industry
regulations for filming COVID-safe.

5
00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:14.580
All right. Enjoy the show!

6
00:00:14.580 --> 00:00:19.580
In 1927, Helene Adelaide Shelby
of Oakland, California, applied for a patent:

7
00:00:19.580 --> 00:00:23.960
"An apparatus for obtaining criminal confessions
and photographically recording them."

8
00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:25.800
It was basically a lie detector.

9
00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:28.740
If you "knew" the suspect was guilty,
but you couldn't prove it,

10
00:00:28.740 --> 00:00:31.360
you would use a device like this,

11
00:00:31.360 --> 00:00:34.520
which as far as I know was never built
and never used, until now.

12
00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:36.880
I have commissioned
my friend Charles to make one.

13
00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:38.280
We've updated some of the technology —

14
00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:40.720
we're using a modern camera
instead of bulky reel-to-reel film —

15
00:00:40.720 --> 00:00:44.060
but this is as true to the patent
as we could make it,

16
00:00:44.060 --> 00:00:48.720
and we're going to test out Ms. Shelby's
lie detector for the very first time.

17
00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:52.340
Daniel, Tom, Chloe,
thank you very much for coming along.

18
00:00:52.340 --> 00:00:55.760
We're going to test a 1927 lie detector today.

19
00:00:55.760 --> 00:00:57.980
<c.yellow>Sure.
<c.cyan>'Cause why not?

20
00:00:57.980 --> 00:01:00.820
I haven't told you all anything else.

21
00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:04.600
<c.cyan>There's a lot of trust
in this room, isn't there(?)

22
00:01:05.300 --> 00:01:06.580
I'm not feeling it!

23
00:01:06.580 --> 00:01:10.140
<c.yellow>I hope it's not based on heart rate,
'cause I am anxious now!

24
00:01:11.220 --> 00:01:14.940
Here's the plan: there is a cookie
on the table, just here.

25
00:01:14.940 --> 00:01:17.460
I'm going to leave the room.
One of you steal the cookie.

26
00:01:19.300 --> 00:01:20.340
<c.yellow>I miss him already.

27
00:01:20.340 --> 00:01:22.700
<c.yellow>There was never any doubt in my mind
that it has to be you.

28
00:01:22.700 --> 00:01:26.800
<c.color77FF77>Oh no, not all of you—
<c.yellow>You are the best liar out of us.

29
00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:31.200
Alright, so the cookie's gone,
and you all have water bottles now.

30
00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:34.320
Which, I feel like one of you went to get
some water after eating the cookie,

31
00:01:34.320 --> 00:01:36.860
and then the other two were like,
"We should all have water now."

32
00:01:36.860 --> 00:01:38.380
<c.cyan>It's an interesting theory, Watson.

33
00:01:38.380 --> 00:01:40.200
I'm not Holmes here — Watson.

34
00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:42.620
The sidekick who doesn't know anything.
Thank you(!)

35
00:01:42.620 --> 00:01:45.500
All right, I'm gonna start over here.
Chloe, did you take the cookie?

36
00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:46.660
<c.color77FF77>No.

37
00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.080
...Tom, did you take the cookie?
<c.yellow>No.

38
00:01:51.940 --> 00:01:55.120
I don't know why, for some reason,
I didn't believe that, but okay.

39
00:01:56.460 --> 00:01:59.060
Daniel, did you take the cookie?
<c.cyan>No.

40
00:01:59.980 --> 00:02:02.660
Okay, so Chloe I believe immediately.

41
00:02:02.660 --> 00:02:04.740
On no evidence.
<c.cyan>How dare you!

42
00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:07.740
I'm not even gonna try and do
an official guess here.

43
00:02:07.740 --> 00:02:11.420
My gut reaction is that it's one of you two.
Possibly both of you two.

44
00:02:11.420 --> 00:02:14.020
Maybe you split it to try
and trip me up, I don't know.

45
00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:19.400
So Chloe, would you please come join me
at the 1927 lie detector?

46
00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:20.900
<c.color77FF77>I'd love to.

47
00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:22.980
<i>We put Daniel and Tom
in a separate room,</i>

48
00:02:22.980 --> 00:02:26.760
<i>so they couldn't hear Chloe's reaction to...
whatever was inside the box.</i>

49
00:02:27.300 --> 00:02:29.220
<c.color77FF77>Oh, there's two covers, okay.

50
00:02:29.220 --> 00:02:32.340
<i>With both those curtains closed,
it was pitch black inside.</i>

51
00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:33.580
<c.color77FF77>Oh, very dark.

52
00:02:33.580 --> 00:02:37.240
<i>There was an infrared camera in there,
but Chloe genuinely could not see anything.</i>

53
00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.660
<i>So it's probably a good time for earlier-me
to tell you what she's about to face.</i>

54
00:02:41.640 --> 00:02:43.700
<i>Although if you've seen
the title of the video...</i>

55
00:02:43.700 --> 00:02:45.460
<i>you've probably worked it out.</i>

56
00:02:45.460 --> 00:02:48.720
The problem is that
this lie detector is ridiculous.

57
00:02:48.720 --> 00:02:52.240
The patent uses very long and
flowery language, but in short...

58
00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.180
<i>[whispers]</i> there is a skeleton hidden
at the end of the box!

59
00:02:55.180 --> 00:02:57.940
A curtain rises to reveal it,
and the suspect will be startled,

60
00:02:57.940 --> 00:03:00.960
convinced by this genuine supernatural
apparition from the beyond,

61
00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.260
which for some reason
will make them confess the truth

62
00:03:03.260 --> 00:03:08.080
as their interrogator asks questions
from behind the box in a spooky voice.

63
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:10.380
I'm not kidding.
That's the patent.

64
00:03:10.380 --> 00:03:13.300
Ms. Shelby, whoever she was,
never lived to see her invention made real,

65
00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:15.360
and perhaps that's for the best.

66
00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.660
Because patents don't have to be good.
They just have to be new.

67
00:03:19.660 --> 00:03:22.980
But with that in mind,
let's try it anyway.

68
00:03:22.980 --> 00:03:26.960
<i>Chloe's first reaction was probably not
what the box's inventor would hope for.</i>

69
00:03:28.300 --> 00:03:29.580
<c.color77FF77><i>[laughs]</i>

70
00:03:33.540 --> 00:03:35.320
<c.color77FF77>Oh—Oh no.

71
00:03:35.320 --> 00:03:37.080
<c.color77FF77>Oh god, it can read into my soul.

72
00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:40.380
AS SKELETON:
~Did you take the cookie?~

73
00:03:40.380 --> 00:03:43.680
<c.color77FF77>No. I'm sorry.
Was I meant to?

74
00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:46.240
~A-A-Are you— Are you sure?~

75
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.520
<c.color77FF77>Yes. Unfortunately, yeah.

76
00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:52.540
~Thank you. You—
You may leave the box. Woooh!~

77
00:03:52.540 --> 00:03:55.000
<c.color77FF77>Oh, okay. Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.

78
00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.240
<c.color77FF77><i>[giggles]</i>

79
00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:01.560
<i>No confession so far.
So how about Tom?</i>

80
00:04:02.340 --> 00:04:03.060
<c.yellow>Cool.

81
00:04:03.060 --> 00:04:06.800
<i>Tom later told me that he has a phobia of
theme park characters and things like this.</i>

82
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:08.920
<c.yellow>Oh god, oh jeez!

83
00:04:08.920 --> 00:04:12.360
<i>And as he entered the box, he realized that
he'd read about the crime skeleton somewhere.</i>

84
00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:15.360
<c.yellow>Oh, I know what this is.
I'm so upset.

85
00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:17.220
<i>So first of all, brave!</i>

86
00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:18.440
<c.yellow>No...

87
00:04:19.540 --> 00:03:37.080
<c.yellow>Oh, there you are!
I knew it.

111
00:03:37.080 --> 00:04:25.600
~Did you take the cookie?~

89
00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:28.320
<c.yellow>I did not,
mister spooky scary skeleton.

90
00:04:28.320 --> 00:04:31.600
~Confess!~
<c.yellow>I didn't, I promise!

91
00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:31.600
~Are you sure?~

92
00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.560
~Are you sure?~
<c.yellow>I sure am!

93
00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:37.540
~'Cause that's what Chloe said as well.~

94
00:04:37.540 --> 00:04:42.000
<c.yellow>Is this one of those, like,
if I absolve myself, she goes to jail?

95
00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:43.580
<c.yellow>'Cause yeah, she did it.
She totally did it.

96
00:04:43.580 --> 00:04:49.360
~Thank you for your time.
You may leave the box.~

97
00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:51.420
<c.yellow>Thank you.
~Oooooh!~

98
00:04:51.420 --> 00:04:53.460
<c.yellow>You're actually quite nice.
I was quite worried when we met.

99
00:04:53.460 --> 00:04:56.340
<c.yellow>But you're surprisingly hospitable.

100
00:04:56.340 --> 00:04:56.340
~Please leave the box.~
<c.cyan>Okay.

101
00:04:56.340 --> 00:04:58.800
~Please leave the box.~
<c.yellow>Okay.

102
00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:00.740
~Please.~
<c.yellow>I'm trying!

103
00:05:03.280 --> 00:05:04.820
<c.yellow>That was horrible.

104
00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:08.460
<i>Two down, one to go.</i>
<c.cyan>Oh god.

105
00:05:08.460 --> 00:05:10.360
<i>Dan was...worried.</i>

106
00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.700
<c.cyan>Oh my god,
I hate every second of this.

107
00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:16.380
<c.cyan>Ugh. Oh, my god.

108
00:05:16.380 --> 00:05:18.900
<i>Although I didn't expect
the full-on yell of terror.</i>

109
00:05:19.540 --> 00:05:20.780
<c.cyan>Oh my god!

110
00:05:21.860 --> 00:03:37.080
<c.cyan>Hi...

111
00:03:37.080 --> 00:04:25.600
~Did you take the cookie?~

112
00:05:25.940 --> 00:05:27.520
<c.cyan>N-No.

113
00:05:29.060 --> 00:05:32.480
<c.cyan>I am certain
that I didn't take the cookie.

114
00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:36.720
~B-Because that's what
everyone else said. Oooooh!~

115
00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:40.600
<c.cyan>Hmm.
~You definitely didn't take the cookie?~

116
00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:41.920
<c.cyan>Was it your cookie?

117
00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:44.700
<c.cyan>'Cause you are looking a little bit like
you could do with a good dinner.

118
00:05:49.080 --> 00:05:51.160
<c.cyan>H-How do I get out of the box?

119
00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:53.160
~There's curtains you can open.~

120
00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:54.860
<c.cyan><i>[chuckles]</i>

121
00:05:56.540 --> 00:05:58.740
<c.yellow>You better not've talked.

122
00:05:58.740 --> 00:06:00.460
So, uh, that didn't work!

123
00:06:00.460 --> 00:06:02.940
That doesn't work at all!
<c.yellow>What?

124
00:06:02.940 --> 00:06:05.780
<c.cyan>It could have. There was a moment in there
where I'd have admitted to anything.

125
00:06:05.780 --> 00:06:07.940
Was it the moment
before you saw the skeleton?

126
00:06:07.940 --> 00:06:10.940
<c.cyan>Yeah, the second the skeleton happened,
I was like, "Oh it's fine."

127
00:06:10.940 --> 00:06:14.300
<c.yellow>Yeah, it was a lot scarier
before the skeleton showed up.

128
00:06:14.300 --> 00:06:16.640
No, it didn't work. No.
I have no idea.

129
00:06:16.640 --> 00:06:20.140
So based purely on,
like, initial reactions,

130
00:06:20.140 --> 00:06:22.240
I don't think it was you.

131
00:06:23.760 --> 00:06:26.120
If you two didn't split it...

132
00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:27.940
then I think it's Dan.

133
00:06:27.940 --> 00:06:29.260
Whoever stole the cookie, stand...

134
00:06:29.260 --> 00:06:30.900
Yes!

135
00:06:31.420 --> 00:06:32.700
Agh!

136
00:06:32.700 --> 00:06:34.060
<i>[stammers]</i>

137
00:06:34.380 --> 00:06:37.620
<i>I was right about one thing:
Two of them had split the cookie.</i>

138
00:06:37.620 --> 00:06:39.880
<i>But it was Dan and Chloe.</i>

139
00:06:39.880 --> 00:06:42.500
<i>This invention does not work,</i>

140
00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:46.020
<i>just like every other lie detector.</i>

141
00:06:46.020 --> 00:06:48.940
I've got a Nebula Original with
five creators that you might recognize,

142
00:06:48.940 --> 00:06:50.420
competing for real money.

143
00:06:50.420 --> 00:06:51.720
But it's not just me.

144
00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:53.980
You know <i>Real Engineering</i>?
Nebula Original.

145
00:06:53.980 --> 00:06:57.100
Alex from <i>Technicality</i>, who had
a guest video on my channel years ago?

146
00:06:58.580 --> 00:07:00.980
Wendover Productions:
two Nebula Originals.

147
00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:04.120
<i>MinutePhysics</i>, well,
<i>MinuteBody</i> is their Nebula Original.

148
00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:08.280
Plus loads of other single and collaborative
series and ad-free podcasts.

149
00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:11.520
And you can get it for free
when you join CuriosityStream,

150
00:07:11.520 --> 00:07:13.460
a subscription streaming service with

151
00:07:13.460 --> 00:07:17.280
thousands of big-budget documentaries
and non-fiction titles.

152
00:07:17.280 --> 00:07:20.340
CuriosityStream is just $2.99 a month,

153
00:07:20.340 --> 00:07:22.820
including access to Nebula
and all those series,

154
00:07:22.820 --> 00:07:25.720
and right now, you can get 26 percent
off an annual plan

155
00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:28.520
by going to
curiositystream.com/tomscott

156
00:07:28.520 --> 00:07:31.320
If you have three dollars going spare,
go check it out.

157
00:07:31.820 --> 00:07:34.360
Thank you so much to Daniel J. Layton,
to Thomas 'tomska' Ridgewell,

158
00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:36.160
to Chloe 'scarfdemon' Dungate.

159
00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:38.420
All their channels are linked
around here somewhere.

160
00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:40.620
And thank you in particular
to Charles Yarnold,

161
00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:44.560
who built the amazing
crime-detecting skeleton.

162
00:07:45.280 --> 00:07:47.560
That's it.
Happy October, everyone!

163
00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:52.980
<c.cyan><i>[Caption+ by JS*
https://caption.plus]</i>