How the Hoover Dam Works, Part I

This Stuff You Should Know episode dives deep into the incredible engineering feat of the Hoover Dam, exploring how it was built to tame the notoriously unpredictable Colorado River and transform the American Southwest. The hosts discuss the ambitious project's origins in the 1920s, the construction of an entire city to house workers, the ingenious system of tunnels used to divert the river during construction, and the dangerous work conditions faced by the laborers who built it, including the high scalers who suspended themselves hundreds of feet above the canyon floor. It's a fascinating look at one of America's greatest civil engineering achievements and the human cost behind its creation.