Here’s an article about the world’s fastest elevators in the world’s tallest building, TFC 101 in Taipei. It’s incredibly fast, rising to the top of the tower at 60mph.

The article goes on to say the elevator cars have a system so that your ears don’t pop, given the change in altitude. Also, the cars themselves are streamlined to reduce the whistling noise caused by the high speeds in the narrow shaft.

um, yep.

Allow me to clarify for a minute. I’m sure those engineer types are smart fellers, but do you really think the high pitched whistling noise is caused by the air moving around the cars? I kind of doubt it. It’s probably caused by the screaming of the passengers as they ride what amounts to an insane amusement park ride, rocketing 500 meters upwards in 17 seconds, without the benefit of seatbelts or restraints. The author of the article sounds puzzled that the ride down takes a relatively long time to descend, just over a minute. To descend half a kilometer. In a streamlined missile attached to rails. Pointed at the ground.

Honestly.