Skip to main content

The treadmill's dark and twisted past - Conor Heffernan

4,739,216 Views

15,865 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

The constant thud underneath your feet. The constrained space. The monotony of going nowhere fast. Running on a treadmill can certainly feel like torture, but did you know it was originally used for that very purpose? Conor Heffernan details the dark and twisted history of the treadmill.

The treadmill was brought into English prisons as a kinder way of punishing prisoners. What are other ways prisoners could have been punished?

Sign in to answer question

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Conor Heffernan
  • Director Yukai Du
  • Animator Jiaqi Liu
  • Composer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

More from Inventions that Shape History