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No Such Thing As A Fish
No Such Thing As A Fish

No Such Thing As Space Eggs

February 05, 2026 • 59m

Summary

⏱️ 5 min read

Overview

In this episode of No Such Thing As A Fish, the hosts are joined by Belgian science communicator Lieven Scheire to explore fascinating facts about supercomputing pioneer Seymour Cray, medieval construction cranes, the surprising properties of silica gel, and the remarkable but overlooked 19th-century scientist Mary Somerville. The conversation weaves through topics ranging from ancient engineering to modern technology, revealing unexpected connections and historical injustices along the way.

The Father of Supercomputing and His Elves

Seymour Cray, who built some of the first supercomputers, had an unusual problem-solving method: retreating to tunnels beneath his house to consult with elves. Beyond this eccentric approach, Cray pioneered the use of transistors instead of vacuum tubes, making computers dramatically smaller and more powerful. His personal habits were equally fascinating, including demanding complete silence from his family during car journeys so he could think, and possibly burning boats annually because he loved creating new things from scratch.

  • Seymour Cray claimed to consult with elves in tunnels under his house when stuck on computing problems
  • Cray's supercomputers were among the first to use transistors, making them much more compact than vacuum tube systems
  • The US Air Force once built a supercomputer from 1,760 PlayStation 3 consoles, saving $8 million
  • Modern supercomputer El Capitan could process every person in the world doing a coin flip against everyone in Japan in one second
  • Cray demanded complete silence from his family during car trips so he could think
" When he got stuck in a problem, he'd go under there and the elves come with the solutions to his problems. "
" I don't care how the wheels on the fucking bus are going, I need to work out how many pizza flops are in this computer or you will not have the iPad by 2010 to watch your shows on. "

Why Cranes Are Called Cranes

Medieval construction cranes were named after crane birds because they visually resembled them, featuring two large treadmills on either side with a long diagonal beam extending upward and a shorter piece angling down where the rope emerged. These ingenious devices, powered by people or animals walking in the treadwheels, were capable of lifting many tons and were used to construct famous structures like Cologne Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral. The connection between birds and machines extends further: cranberries, geraniums, and even the word 'pedigree' all derive from crane-related terminology.

  • Medieval cranes were named after crane birds because their structure resembled the birds standing in fields
  • These treadwheel cranes used people or animals walking to generate lifting power through gears
  • Roman polysphaston cranes could lift 3,000 kilos per person using sophisticated gear systems
  • When cathedrals were completed, cranes would be disassembled and stored in the cellars
  • The word 'pedigree' comes from 'pedigeranos' meaning 'foot of a crane' because family trees resemble crane feet
" The whole industry is picking up. "
" You've got to get the sausage up there, mate. "

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