I think and entire generation is lost to the knowledge of attic fans for those in single, detached homes.
They’re a great way to cut back on wear and tear on your AC unit(s).
Had a friend who had a new home built with a whole house fan. He was showing it off to a co-worker the winter he moved in. The co-worker asked, “What’s this?”, referring to the timer switch on the wall. My dumb friend says, “Let me show you.”, and turned on the fan. As it was winter, there were no open windows or doors. The only opening was the fireplace, which was full of ashes. At least there wasn’t a fire, but the white carpet took a beating.
Not if you have allergies (I grew up with attic fans). My wife and I live in western Washington, and we installed AC largely for the central electrostatic precipitator (both have really bad allergies...me to mold...she to pollen AND mold).