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" Re:Invention.. (Score:4, Interesting)
by Jeff DeMaagd (2015) on Saturday August 13, @01:23AM (#13309854)
(http://www.demaagd.com/ | Last Journal: Sunday October 27, @07:53PM)
Edison was briliant, but yes, IIRC, he was also likely a jerk, a petty one at that.

What I heard was that he wanted to discredit alternating current (AC) power, and electrocuting animals was his way of doing it. Edison favored direct current (DC) power. The problem is that given the technology of the time, and it is still largely true today, due to the physics involved, AC is generally a better long-distance electrical power transmission method.

I'm not sure how stable Tesla was, but he was right about AC.
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* Re:Invention.. by ThePromenader (Score:1) Saturday August 13, @02:21AM
o Re:Invention.. by ettlz (Score:2) Saturday August 13, @05:02AM
* Re:Invention.. by TapeCutter (Score:3) Saturday August 13, @02:54AM
* Physics and You by poptones (Score:3) Saturday August 13, @03:41AM
* Re:Invention.. by chthon (Score:2) Saturday August 13, @05:00AM
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# What they don't teach in school about Edison by seanadams.com (Score:2) Saturday August 13, @01:29AM

Re:Invention.. (Score:4, Informative)
by TripMaster Monkey (862126) * on Saturday August 13, @01:30AM (#13309873)
(Last Journal: Tuesday May 17, @11:38AM)

Yes, Edison electrocuted many animals, but it wasn't to disprove Tesla's theories. Rather, it was to 'demonstrate' that AC electricity (Tesla's system), was more lethal than Edison's preferred DC. Edison put on elaborate shows in which he electrocuted horses, dogs, elephants, and just about any other animal he could get his hands on (he was also known for paying children 25 cents for each stray dog they could bring him). Edison claimed that while AC electricity was obviously lethal, DC was not (which is patently false).

Interesting that Edison's name is synonomous with electricity even today, although the electricity we use in our homes is Tesla's alternating current."