Who are Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla?

Inventors with opposing visions on electricity.

What was Edison's breakthrough in electric lighting?

Use of carbonized thread for the light bulb.

Demonstration showcasing efficiency.

Enabling long-distance transmission.

Efficiency and long-distance transmission.

Thomas Edison focuses on creating a safe and affordable electric light source using carbonized thread, while Nikola Tesla pioneers the use of alternating current (AC) for electricity generation, which is more efficient but faces initial skepticism.
Edison's negative experiments with dogs and public demonstrations to discredit AC, including its use in the first electric chair execution, ultimately backfire, leading to the triumph of Tesla's AC system over Edison's DC, as seen in the adoption of AC by the Niagara Falls power company, cementing Tesla's legacy as the victor in the battle of electric currents.

Who are Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla?
Inventors with opposing visions on electricity.
What was Edison's breakthrough in electric lighting?
Use of carbonized thread for the light bulb.
How did Tesla impress investors with his alternating current system?
Demonstration showcasing efficiency.
What role did transformers play in making alternating current safe?
Enabling long-distance transmission.
Why did the Niagara Falls power company choose AC over DC?
Efficiency and long-distance transmission.

00:00

Electricity is a force of nature that is both tempting and dangerous.
Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla are two inventors with opposing visions on electricity.
Edison is working on creating a safe, inexpensive light source powered by electricity.
Edison's breakthrough comes with the use of carbonized thread for the light bulb.
Edison faces the challenge of designing an entire system for electric lighting.
Tesla is formulating a radical new way of generating electricity with alternating current.
Tesla's alternating current system is seen as more efficient but has never been done before.
Tesla impresses investors with a demonstration of his alternating current system.
Tesla partners with George Westinghouse to build a power system to rival Edison's.
The use of transformers makes alternating current safe and viable for long-distance transmission.

31:36

Edison's team decides to conduct negative experiments with dogs and public demonstrations to showcase the dangers of alternating current (AC).
Edison recommends the use of AC for the first electric chair execution, resulting in a gruesome and dramatic death of a convicted murderer.
The Niagara Falls power company opts for AC over DC, leading to a major victory for Westinghouse and Tesla in the current wars.
Despite Edison's bitter defeat, Tesla's alternating current system prevails, powering America for over a century and solidifying Tesla as the winner of the AC versus DC battle.