How did airplane seats get SO small?

Ask Us Anything by Popular Science · Jul 22, 2026 · 18m

Welcome back to our show! PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ had a little time off, but they return to figure out just how passengers ended up with barely enough room on airplanes for bodies to fit, and what it might mean for passenger safety.

Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/science/why-are-airline-seats-so-small/

If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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