Airplane seats really are getting smaller

Airplane seats can feel ridiculously small. It’s gotten to the point where I, a small woman of average height, have trouble even reaching under the seat in front of me. But have airplane seats always been so dang squished?

The short answer, which we explore in a new episode of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything podcast, is a resounding no. Ask Us Anything answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. So, yes, there’s a reason why most people are right handed and no, not all cats hate water and that’s okay.

If you have a question for us, send us a note. Nothing is too silly or simple. This episode is based on the Popular Science article “Why are airline seats so small?

It all started in 1978.” Subscribe to Ask Us Anything Listen and follow Ask Us Anything on your favorite podcast platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Or wherever you get your podcasts. Full Episode Transcript Sarah Durn: You finally make it onto the plane.

You shuffle down the aisle trying not to hit anyone with your roller bag and overflowing personal item. Find your row. You squeeze into your seat.

Your knees are almost touching the seat in front of you. Your elbows are tucked in, and now you and the person next to you are silently battling over that one precious armrest. You haven’t even taken off yet, and you’re already uncomfortable.

You can’t help but wonder, surely planes haven’t always been so cramped. And you’re totally right. Airplane seats really have gotten smaller.

So how did we get here, and why are we all squeezing ourselves into tinier and tinier spaces at 35,000 feet? Welcome to Ask Us Anything from the editors of Popular Science, where we answer your questions about our weird world, from why are most people right-handed to why can’t we remember being babies? No question is too offbeat or mundane.

I’m Sarah Durn, an editor at Popular Science. Annie Colbert: Hello, I’m editor-