DeepSummary
In the late 19th century, two competing methods for transmitting electricity emerged - alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Thomas Edison, who had developed the first workable system for electric lighting using DC, strongly advocated for DC and believed it would be the future of electrification. However, Nikola Tesla, a young engineer who had worked for Edison, believed AC had more potential as it could travel much further distances over wires.
Tesla's ideas were backed by industrialist George Westinghouse, a competitor of Edison's. As Westinghouse's AC systems gained popularity, Edison launched a smear campaign against AC portraying it as dangerous. This included promoting the use of AC for executions via the electric chair and publicly electrocuting animals to demonstrate its lethality.
Despite Edison's efforts, the economic advantages of AC eventually became overwhelming. In 1892, Westinghouse showcased AC's capabilities at the Chicago World's Fair, cementing its dominance. Today, AC is used for the electrical grid while DC is still utilized in electronics and devices requiring batteries.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Thomas Edison adamantly promoted direct current (DC) electricity transmission despite its limitations, waging an unethical smear campaign against the superior alternating current (AC) technology developed by Nikola Tesla and promoted by George Westinghouse.
- Edison's attempts to discredit AC included falsely portraying it as extremely dangerous, promoting its use for executions, and inhumanely electrocuting animals in public demonstrations.
- Despite Edison's efforts, the economic and technical advantages of AC eventually led to its widespread adoption as Westinghouse demonstrated its capabilities at the 1892 Chicago World's Fair.
- Edison's stubbornness and personal vendetta against Westinghouse's AC technology proved futile, as his own company General Electric ultimately had to concede AC's superiority.
- The 'war of the currents' highlighted how personal rivalries and agendas can stall technological progress when powerful figures with vested interests undertake unethical smear campaigns.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Just as certain as death, Westinghouse will kill a customer within six months after he puts in a system of any size. He's got a new thing and it will require a great deal of experimenting to get it working, practically.“ by Thomas Edison
- “The only excuse for the use of the fatal alternating current is that it saves the company operating it from spending a larger sum of money for the heavier copper wires which are required by the safe incandescent systems. That is, the public must submit to constant danger from sudden death in order that a corporation may pay a little larger dividend.“ by Harold Brown
- “Edison's recommendation for using ac for execution still hadn't been implemented. Officials with the state of New York discounted the demonstrations done by Harold Brown electrocuting dogs because they were so much smaller than a human.“ by Thomas Edison
- “Moreover, several years earlier an internal memo at Edison labs recommended switching to ac power, but it was rejected by Edison personally, who was on his direct current crusade.“ by Narrator
- “And the transmission lines that were going out of the station were built by Edisons General Electric.“ by Narrator
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Everything Everywhere Daily
Gary Arndt | Glassbox Media
3/26/24