Edison's extremely bad moral character and its corruption
For more than a century, Thomas & Alva & Middot; Edison (1847— amp; mdash; 1931) enjoys high reputation all over the world and is called the "King of Inventions". But with the passage of time and the decryption of information, the original ugly face of this "great man" was gradually restored to people. He sought fame and reputation and often monopolized the results of collective wisdom. He was opportunistic and improved other people's inventions. He quickly applied for a patent; what’s even more terrifying is that for his own benefit, he frantically slandered and attacked the genius inventor Tesla of his generation, and used the help of others to delete Tesla’s name from American textbooks. ;...
Edison’s most proud business and “invention” was the “light bulb” that would later make him famous. In 1874, two Canadians filled a glass bubble with nitrogen, used an electrified carbon rod to emit light, and applied for a patent. But they had no financial resources to continue development, so they sold the patent to Edison. After Edison purchased it, he followed the example of the British Henry Goebbels and used carbonized bamboo filaments to successfully maintain the lighting time of the light bulb to 1,200 hours. He immediately applied for patents in the United Kingdom and the United States, but was blocked by Goebbels. Accusation. After Edison lost the lawsuit, after years of litigation and spending money, he just obtained the patent for the carbon filament incandescent lamp, and claimed to be the first person to invent the "light bulb".
After that, Edison "invented" DC electricity in the same way, and founded the DC Electric Energy Company to sell electricity at a high price. He also hired a group of outstanding scientists and senior engineers with high salaries, asked them to conduct research, and then applied for patents in his own name on the collective wisdom, turning it into huge commercial profits. His business is in full swing, extending from the United States to Europe across the ocean.
At this time, in distant Yugoslavia, a young man named Nikola Tesla heard about Edison's "great invention" and was very excited. Tesla had been extremely smart since he was a child, and he quickly saw the Achilles heel of Edison's DC power transmission. Because the loss on the circuit was too large, he had to build a generator set every one kilometer, which led to the price of electricity. Extremely expensive, it has become a luxury item that ordinary people cannot afford. So, he wanted to create a way to transmit electricity over long distances.
In June 1884, Tesla arrived in New York City and excitedly told Edison his idea. But what Tesla never expected was that Edison refused. Because Edison's huge business system was all based on direct current, switching to other transmission methods would make him bankrupt!
But the shrewd Edison would not let such a talented person go. He recruited Tesla into his laboratory and became the most profitable and unknown "blind mill mule." In 1919, Edison handed over the improvement work of motors and engines to Tesla and promised that if the improvements were successful, he would receive a reward of US$50,000, which is equivalent to US$1 million today!
At that time, Tesla’s salary was extremely low and he often couldn’t even pay the rent. Edison’s sky-high salary was like manna from heaven. Tesla went all out, working from morning until early the next morning, sleeping only two or three hours a day.
After working tirelessly, Tesla finally invented 24 designs related to DC generators for Edison, all of which could be put into large-scale industrial production!
But a few days later, Tesla discovered a stack of documents on Edison’s office - direct current generator patents. All the owners of the 24 new patents were Edison. ! What's going on? Tesla's mind was in turmoil.
Late at night, Edison finally came back. Tesla rushed up and asked why. Edison explained: "If you work for a company, of course the patents belong to the company. Is it any wonder?" When Tesla asked about the remuneration of US$50,000, Edison shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile: "Haha, you are really You don’t understand our American humor, Mr. Tesla!” Tesla’s face suddenly turned pale.
The next day, Tesla approached Edison again and asked to increase his weekly salary to $25, but he was also rejected. Tesla could no longer stand Edison's mean and stingy character, and he left decisively. This made Edison quite worried, because he knew that Tesla had a superior IQ and was extremely stubborn, and sooner or later he would become a powerful competitor!
As a result, Edison suppressed Tesla everywhere and slandered his character. This made Tesla unable to find a job for a long time. In the end, in order to make ends meet, he had to rely on manual labor to make a living. Ironically, the job was to dig cable trenches for Edison's company!
To achieve the goal, any means necessary
Tesla did not give up under the attack of Edison. On the contrary, even when he was digging in the soil sweating like rain, he was silently calculating various things in his mind. formula. A year later, he designed a unique way of transmitting electricity - alternating current, and a set of related equipment, to convince investor Morgan to open his own company.
After Tesla’s company was established, Edison became manic and restless. Wasn’t Tesla obviously trying to compete with himself for the market? The furious Edison lost the tolerance that a scientist should have, and he decided to attack Tesla without mercy!
In May 1888, Tesla showed the world his AC motor for the first time. It was simple and flexible, solved the problem of long-distance power transmission, greatly reduced the cost of electricity, and was deeply loved by the world. People love it. Edison's direct current was quickly losing its edge, and many technicians and salespeople left him to join Tesla.
Eddie was so angry that he racked his brains and suddenly realized that because people knew little about electricity, and fires caused by electricity were more frequent, often causing confusion, people generally had a certain attitude towards electricity. Fear, so he decided to destroy Tesla based on people's panic about electricity.
He personally wrote a pamphlet called "Beware" and published an article titled "The Danger of Electric Light" in "North American Weekly", describing alternating current as extremely scary, but Citizens are still doubtful.
In order to further let citizens intuitively feel the dangers of alternating current, Edison decided to use a "death show" to "educate" the public. He hired elementary school students to catch kittens, puppies and other livestock on the street, and cruelly electrocuted them to death under alternating current. The most horrific of all was the execution of the elephants. The electrified elephant was covered in black smoke and stirred up a burst of dust when it fell to the ground. The ground trembled as if it had caused an earthquake. The audience screamed in fright, their faces turned ashen. Edison employees took the opportunity to publicize: "Alternating current can kill everyone, no matter how big they are!"
In order to create a contrasting effect, Edison employees used 1,000 volts of direct current to shock cats, dogs and other animals. They were still alive; then they were electrocuted with 350 volts of alternating current, and they were electrocuted to death one by one. Edison's propaganda caused great panic among citizens. In order to enhance the effect, Edison also bribed officials in the New York State Prison to change the hanging to electrocution, and invited local citizens and media to watch the process in real time. The prisoner who received electrocution for the first time was a young man named William. Three consecutive horrific electrifications caused William to die in an extremely horrific way: "The back was burned to charcoal, emitting a foul odor. The blood in his head condensed into a black mass.
"
Everyone at the scene fell silent, and alternating current has since become synonymous with death. Tesla and his company have become the target of public criticism, and their reputation has plummeted.
Fortunately, Edison died one after another. The attack did not defeat Tesla. Tesla used his talents to create the world's first radio-controlled boat, invented X-ray photography, radio, radar, fax machine, vacuum tube, neon light tube, etc. He ushered in again. During this time, dignitaries, wealthy businessmen, celebrities, and even writers became his good friends. At the same time, Edison was in trouble due to poor management in 1892, and Edison had to join forces with Thomas Houston and other companies. The General Electric Company was established.
It’s shameful to use a knife behind your back
In 1893, the organizers of the first World’s Fair in Chicago decided to use the latest technological achievements, electric lights, for lighting. The Westinghouse company won the bid. When the results came out, Edison scolded him on the spot: "I won't sell you electric lights, so let's see what lighting we can use!" "
But Tesla would not give in. He called on all employees to work overtime to make the light bulb, and finally completed it at the last minute. On May 1, 1893, 100,000 spectators poured into the venue. Nightfall After arriving, the President of the United States pressed a button, and more than 90,000 light bulbs and lamps were instantly lit, illuminating the venue as if it were daylight, dazzling the audience, and their panic about AC was wiped away.
Afterwards, Tesla performed a unique electric magic show. In front of everyone's attention, he connected AC wires with his hands, let the current pass through his body, and lit up the electric lamp. Shining sparks, smiling and safe, everyone was stunned. This scientific wizard fully proved that electricity can be controlled by humans, not a runaway demon!
Tes! La's performance at the expo left an indelible impression on the public, and the haze hanging over his company was finally gone! At this time, Edison was gone, and GE's business was being swallowed up by Tesla. He spent almost all his wealth to bribe Tesla's assistants, and used various methods to get close to Tesla's boss - the most famous political and business tycoon in the United States: John Morgan .
Soon, Edison got the news that Tesla was trying to use air, sunlight, water, etc. to create electricity, and planned to give up the patent royalties on alternating current for free to the public. Use. Edison had an idea. If Tesla really gives up the money tree of patent fees, Morgan, who regards wealth as his life, will definitely be furious! It will be easy to separate Morgan and Tesla. It will be easy to deal with the helpless Tesla. ? Edison immediately asked spies to seize every opportunity to persuade Tesla to give up the patent.
The situation was increasingly moving in a direction that was favorable to Edison. Under the persuasion of his assistant, Tesla gave up and became the world. The richest scientist had the opportunity to start a great work - using the power of Niagara Falls to generate electricity!
Soon, he succeeded again at low cost. The price was transferred to thousands of households. Morgan's profits were greatly reduced, and Edison's repeated provocations gradually increased his dissatisfaction with Tesla.
It didn't take long for Tesla to find out. There is a unique "ionosphere" in the atmosphere. In the name of building a global communications center, he persuaded Morgan to invest $150,000 in wireless power transmission research. If Tesla's experiment was successful, electricity would be available. Completely free. In this way, he was completely finished.
Edison met with Morgan in private and said that Tesla was a madman and that his plan was like sending natural gas from Ukraine to the United States through radio. It was a fantasy. . Morgan immediately terminated his cooperation with Tesla and expelled him from the company.
After leaving the ruthless Morgan, Tesla lived on the relief fund and conducted ball lightning research alone.
Soon he could accurately transmit alternating current wirelessly over long distances. It is said that the Tunguska explosion in Russia was his masterpiece. If this momentum continues, he is very likely to become the greatest scientist in history. But the cunning Edison secretly met with Morgan urgently, saying that Tesla's research would destroy all the money-making foundations that Morgan relied on - electricity, newspapers, energy, etc. Morgan broke into a cold sweat. He informed all consortiums to stop providing funds to Tesla, and used economic means to influence the American education sector to delete Tesla's name from textbooks.
In 1943, Tesla, who was poor and sick, died in a simple hotel. And the profits Edison made through direct current patent fees would never be used up in his lifetime. Ironically, GE derived many of its theories and product ideas from Tesla, which was, of course, free to use.
? Time is fair. Although Tesla suffered all kinds of unfair treatment during his lifetime, he was eventually remembered by people: In 1960, in recognition of Tesla’s contribution, the International Electrotechnical Commission classified magnetic induction as The SI unit of strength is named Tesla, or T for short. On the contrary, Edison did make a huge fortune, but what he did was despised by the world and left a stain on himself that can never be erased!