что позволено науке...
Хорошо известно имя Томаса Эдисона, который изобрёл электрическую лампочку, первые звукозаписывающие устройства, организовал компанию General Electric, которая в короткие сроки электрифицировала США и т.д.
Но в компенсацию электрическому свету были и тёмные стороны. Существовала целая история о том, как General Electric и Westinghouse Electric боролись за право электрифицировать Америку. Эдисон со своими инженерами боролся за постоянный ток; Вестингхаус, Тесла и коллеги - за переменный. При этом Эдисон решил "дискредитировать переменный ток", доказав американскому народу его опасность. Как? Очень просто. Нужно было наглядно продемонстрировать, что переменный ток убивает.
Начали с животных:
Edison carried out a campaign to discourage the use[12] of alternating current, including spreading information on fatal AC accidents, killing animals, and lobbying against the use of AC in state legislatures. Edison directed his technicians, primarily Arthur Kennelly and Harold P. Brown,[13] to preside over several AC-driven executions of animals, primarily stray cats and dogs but also unwanted cattle and horses. Acting on these directives, they were to demonstrate to the press that alternating current was more dangerous than Edison's system of direct current.[14] Edison's series of animal executions peaked with the electrocution of Topsy the Elephant. He also tried to popularize the term for being electrocuted as being "Westinghoused".
и продолжили людьми:
Edison opposed capital punishment, but his desire to disparage the system of alternating current led to the invention of the electric chair. Harold P. Brown, who was at this time being secretly paid by Edison, constructed the first electric chair for the state of New York in order to promote the idea that alternating current was deadlier than DC.[15]
When the chair was first used, on August 6, 1890, the technicians on hand misjudged the voltage needed to kill the condemned prisoner, William Kemmler. The first jolt of electricity was not enough to kill Kemmler, and left him only badly injured. The procedure had to be repeated and a reporter on hand described it as "an awful spectacle, far worse than hanging." George Westinghouse commented: "They would have done better using an axe."
Обе выдержки из Википедии.
Убийство слона электрическим током Эдисон собственноручно снял на киноплёнку и выложил в ВикиМедийный архив. Людям со слабой психикой лучше мувик не запускать, ограничившись текстовым описанием события.
Но в компенсацию электрическому свету были и тёмные стороны. Существовала целая история о том, как General Electric и Westinghouse Electric боролись за право электрифицировать Америку. Эдисон со своими инженерами боролся за постоянный ток; Вестингхаус, Тесла и коллеги - за переменный. При этом Эдисон решил "дискредитировать переменный ток", доказав американскому народу его опасность. Как? Очень просто. Нужно было наглядно продемонстрировать, что переменный ток убивает.
Начали с животных:
Edison carried out a campaign to discourage the use[12] of alternating current, including spreading information on fatal AC accidents, killing animals, and lobbying against the use of AC in state legislatures. Edison directed his technicians, primarily Arthur Kennelly and Harold P. Brown,[13] to preside over several AC-driven executions of animals, primarily stray cats and dogs but also unwanted cattle and horses. Acting on these directives, they were to demonstrate to the press that alternating current was more dangerous than Edison's system of direct current.[14] Edison's series of animal executions peaked with the electrocution of Topsy the Elephant. He also tried to popularize the term for being electrocuted as being "Westinghoused".
и продолжили людьми:
Edison opposed capital punishment, but his desire to disparage the system of alternating current led to the invention of the electric chair. Harold P. Brown, who was at this time being secretly paid by Edison, constructed the first electric chair for the state of New York in order to promote the idea that alternating current was deadlier than DC.[15]
When the chair was first used, on August 6, 1890, the technicians on hand misjudged the voltage needed to kill the condemned prisoner, William Kemmler. The first jolt of electricity was not enough to kill Kemmler, and left him only badly injured. The procedure had to be repeated and a reporter on hand described it as "an awful spectacle, far worse than hanging." George Westinghouse commented: "They would have done better using an axe."
Обе выдержки из Википедии.
Убийство слона электрическим током Эдисон собственноручно снял на киноплёнку и выложил в ВикиМедийный архив. Людям со слабой психикой лучше мувик не запускать, ограничившись текстовым описанием события.