Why the 1WTC window washers were up there in the first place

Why the 1WTC window washers were up there in the first place
(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

When two window washers were left dangling from scaffolding outside the 69th floor of One World Trade Center, many people wondered: In our high-tech world, why are humans still doing such a dangerous job in the first place?

It turns out that when it comes to window washing on tall buildings, a human touch is actually better than a robot's, expert Craig S. Caulkins told the New York Times.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.