GE was gifted by one of its employees with one of the greatest trade secrets of the century, making many devices such as air-conditioners far more efficient (co

GE was gifted by one of its employees with one of the greatest trade secrets of the century, making many devices such as air-conditioners far more efficient (combining AC and DC on the same chip or something close to that.) Had GE patented it initially and licensed the tech widely, immense amounts of greenhouse gases wouldn't have entered our atmosphere, that did. Jack went for exclusivity and the immense profits from that instead, until others got close to the idea, then G.E. patented it. Terrific for shareholders, but an immense tragedy for the earth.