Electricity Rewired Every Human Institution

BreakPoints Unmasking Tech Interruptions · May 6, 2025 · 13m

The harnessing of electricity in the late 19th century represented a disruption so comprehensive it touched nearly every aspect of human life simultaneously. Unlike previous technologies that served specific purposes, electricity was universally applicable—powering factories, homes, transportation, communication, and eventually computing. This episode traces the competition between Edison's direct current and Tesla's alternating current systems, examining how technological standards become contested battlegrounds where fortunes are made and lost. We explore how electrification enabled the…