{
  "id": 1760515,
  "title": "Pulling from ancient cooling principles, the ‘swamp cooler’ remains important today",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/pulling-from-ancient-cooling-principles-the-swamp-cooler-remains",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-18T17:23:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/america-250-objects-anniversary-cooling-e2499044afdb6e66218e5fd3f1e2ce3c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Before the widespread adoption of air conditioning, the dry heat of the Southwest presented daily challenges in the United States. In a bid to find relief from the oppressive temperatures, various creative measures were taken, including sleeping outdoors under damp sheets and adjusting work schedules. A game-changing solution emerged – the \"swamp cooler.\"\n\nThe concept of evaporative cooling can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where people would manually fan air over water in clay pots or jars. In the early 20th century, this knowledge was refined in the United States, leading to the creation of the evaporative cooler, also known as the swamp cooler. The first system using this concept was developed by Oscar Palmer in Arizona in 1908.\n\nThe evaporative cooler operates on a simple principle: a fan draws hot air through vertical, porous pads soaked in water. As the water evaporates, it cools and humidifies the air, which is then circulated indoors. By the 1930s, these devices had transformed swaths of the country, particularly in southwestern states like New Mexico and Nevada. Even in the era of air conditioning, swamp coolers continue to play a role in making desert-like states more inhabitable.\n\nEric Verpolegen, founder of CoolVeg, a nonprofit focused on evaporative cooling for fruits and vegetables, notes that in Arizona, where the air is dry, these coolers yield a more significant cooling effect. While traditional air-conditioning units became standard in the U.S. by the 1950s, central air conditioning remains a luxury for many. However, the swamp cooler remains a stalwart, providing an affordable and effective means of beating the heat in sweltering conditions.",
  "summary": "Before air conditioning spread across the United States, before…",
  "key_points": [
    "Ancient civilizations used evaporative cooling principles",
    "Oscar Palmer developed first swamp cooler in 1908",
    "Swamp coolers remain affordable cooling solution"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}