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Heavier than air flying machines? Epic failures across centuries led many to believe it was fundamentally impossible, despite Leonardo Da Vinci's math in the 1
by bdamm 5y ago
Heavier than air flying machines? Epic failures across centuries led many to believe it was fundamentally impossible, despite Leonardo Da Vinci's math in the 16th century showing it was theoretically possible.
The incandescent light bulb? At one time considered to be a securities fraud! The British parliament assembled a team of investigators to probe Edison's claims.
History is full of inventions that seemed impossible until the dogged inventors made it work. Obviously not all fantastical inventions are possible, but fusion has plenty of evidence that points to its eventual possibility.
- kybernetikos 5y ago> The incandescent light bulb? At one time considered to be a securities fraud! The British parliament assembled a team of investigators to probe Edison's claims. I don't know this story, but maybe they were investigating patent infringement? Edison's work drew heavily on the much earlier work of British (and other) inventors and was patented after Joseph Swan's similar patent. Joseph Swan had demonstrated his practical bulb about 10 months before Edison applied for his patent, and was lighting private homes (e.g. Cragside) and theatres at about the same time Edison got going.