![]() ![]() ![]() It's worth pointing out that alternating current was superior to direct current when it comes to the transmission of electricity (though new technology is changing this). Because every narrative needs a villain, right?Īnd one more quick thing. Keep that in mind and consider this: could it be that Edison wasn't "a douchebag" in the Oatmeal's words? Is it possible - just possible - that Edison honestly believed that AC was dangerous and honestly did not think it should be used? Very rarely on the Internet is this possibility even considered. ![]() But, you know, AC is more dangerous than DC if it's not handled properly. Yes, he fought tooth and nail for his belief that direct current was a better way to transmit electricity. Yes, Edison did put on public demonstrations where he electrocuted animals to show the dangers of alternating current. Most of what the Oatmeal comic says about Edison is true. George Westinghouse was the man who won the War of the Currents in the United States, and in Europe, AC won the wars almost before they started. He could make it dance. But was he indispensable to getting AC in place as the dominant means of electric power transmission? Almost certainly not. He had an intuitive understanding of electricity that I quite frankly envy. Did he make some key innovations that made it even more practical? Absolutely. (For those interested, here's a nice, concise timeline of the development of alternating current.) Tesla himself actually studied the use of AC in college - he had an electrical engineering degree. Contemporaries of Tesla working for George Westinghouse developed practical methods of distributing AC power from power plants before Tesla came to work for Westinghouse. Practical devices employing AC in the medical world were developed before Tesla was even born. Alternating current was developed in principle by Michael Faraday and in practice by Hippolyte Pixii in the early 19th century. Let's start with the first thing the comic says: "In a time when the majority of the world was still lit by candle power, an electrical system known as alternating current and to this day is what powers every home on the planet. Who do we have to thank for this invention that ushered humanity into a second industrial revolution? Nikola Tesla." Tesla Didn't Invent Alternating Current And He Wasn't A Major Power In The War Of The Currents ![]()
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