We’ve all stared at that button in the elevator with the phone icon on it, supremely confident that if the cab came to a screeching halt while rocketing up to the 42nd floor, a simple button press ...

Can we speak, for a moment, about the humble elevator button? I know, there could hardly be a more seemingly inconsequential design element, yet the elevator button has become the bane of my existence ...

Editor's note: This column is part of 'Why Do We?' — a weekly video series hosted by culture expert Martin Lindstrom that untangles unique quirks of human behavior. Click here for the full series page ...

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There seems to be a rule of life in the high-rise world: When you are really, really in a hurry, the elevator takes forever to arrive. Elevator manufacturers have been trying to make vertical travel ...

The star symbol on elevator buttons typically denotes special or priority floors, often for maintenance or emergency use. It helps users quickly recognize vital facilities such as service access ...

Buttons to hold open an elevator door should be much larger than other elevator buttons, says a U.S. researcher who studies elevator injuries. Every year, more than 2,600 senior citizens suffer ...